As I reflected on Galatians 3 and Romans recently, especially the beginning of Rom. 7 and into 8, I've discovered some helpful thoughts on parenting. Those who have read books like "Shepherding a Child's Heart" will recognize such wisdom.
Commands or rules will never transform our kids (= make them like Jesus), yet ironically they are essential! They are necessary but not sufficient for godliness, theirs and ours. Their hearts (and ours) must be instructed otherwise our rules will only arouse their sinful nature. We cannot choose between law and grace, forging a false wall between rules and heart teaching; the gospel never does that; in fact Paul is rather emphatic that the law is good and instructive though it is powerless by itself.
By examining the gospel, our parenting must be radically affected.
