The Secret of Parenting

I have found the secret to parenting.  

It is contained in the phrase "the law says do, the gospel says done."
Along with that is an understanding that commands do no good to help us obey, only the promise does.

So now when my kids don't want to eat their vegetables, instead of telling them to eat their vegetables (do) I tell them about how sure I am Jesus ate his vegetables for them (done).

When it is bedtime, I don't tell them to go to bed (do), I just tell them how Jesus slept the sleep of death for them (done), and sit back and wait for them to run and jump into bed.

When they want to play in the street, I don't warn them of the dangers, nor do I tell them they are not allowed (do).  I just simply tell them that Jesus died for them (done) and I am sure they will make the proper connections.

Anything else is legalism that I have happily gotten free from.  I feel so much better now, so free.


Just kidding, I don't do that.
That would be a bad idea.
I love the gospel centered movement.  I poke fun at parts of it here because small gospel thinking doesn't show a deep love for the gospel.  If I objected to my favorite song being turned into muzak, you should not think I had decided to be against my favorite song.  In fact, the more I love it, the more offended I will be by its hollowing out.

Apart from Christ's work we have no hope.
The gospel is the good news about God's work for us in Christ's death and resurrection.
We are accepted by God purely on the work of Christ and not on our own work.
We grow by the power of God's Spirit at work in us as a result of regeneration.
God has lots of good means for our growth.  The promises, commands, and warnings of his word are part of those good means.
Apart from faith and regeneration none of them will do us any good because our hearts are in rebellion against God.  
If you stumble over that, ask yourself what God told us the Scriptures are for in 2 Timothy 3:16-17.