Young Jon has lived with his parents for twenty-three years. He has been, on the whole, a son of whom they can be properly proud. He has obeyed his parents and matured to take his place in the church and society with sincerity. Now he is about to marry and set up his own Christian […]
One of modern day’s worst impacts on us as Christians is the teaching that emotions are a part of life all by themselves and that we aren’t responsible to control our emotions. Even the world is bit by bit starting to realize how faulty this idea is and to recognize that the way to help […]
Every so often there will be a parent who sends his child off to school with the admonition, “I don’t care what grade you get in reading or in math…but be sure you get an ‘A’ in Bible!” This is inconsistent training. This is what makes other parents react by saying that Bible need not […]
No man is an island.” Every human being is created with an innate need for fellowship. God has created us as covenant creatures with a need for friendship first of all with Himself and then with other people. The contacts we have with others we call our social life, whether those contacts be few or […]
Parents are called by God to train their children in the principles and practice of wisdom. Children must learn the wise way to walk in all areas of life. No area of life is exempt from this training. Money? It must be used wisely! Friendship? It must be formed wisely! School subjects? Labor? Your future […]
We had a sociology class when I was in college in which we spent much time belaboring the question of what is the chief characteristic (we called it mode) of the various institutions in society. Concerning marriage, for instance, what is its chief characteristic? Is it spiritual or biological or psychical or social or what? […]
Think about it. When we send out a missionary, do we bid him farewell with the words, “Now be careful not to get too many converts. If you start a church, limit its membership. Have only a few families . . . .”? We could, you know, with plausible-sounding arguments, have only a few members, […]
I have seen it happen. Sincere Christian parents have conscientiously raised their children in love and in return have been loved and honored by their children. But then something happened. The children grew up and left homes. . .and parents’ lives fell apart. They quarreled with each other; they ceased visiting in the church; they […]
The object of this series is to discuss various joys which accompany, by God’s blessing, the training of covenant children. Usually these joys are present in the diligent training of God’s children. But we recognize that situations differ, also by God’s design, so that one family may experience one joy more keenly and another joy […]
There are various ways of stating a certain truth concerning growth in the Christian life. How many of these expressions have your heard? “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” “We are either progressing or retrogressing.” “No man is an island.” “The more you give, the more you receive.” “Eating without exercise kills a […]