7 Dec 2009

Ryle on Discipling your Children

Fathers and mothers, you may take your children to be baptised, and have them enrolled in the ranks of Christ’s Church; — you may get godly sponsors to answer for them, and help you by their prayers; — you may send them to the best of schools, and give them Bibles and Prayer Books, and fill them with head knowledge but if all this time there is no regular training at home, I tell you plainly, I fear it will go hard in the end with your children’s souls. Home is the place where habits are formed; — home is the place where the foundations of character are laid; — home gives the bias to our tastes, and likings, and opinions. See then, I pray you, that there be careful training at home. Happy indeed is the man who can say, as Bolton did upon his dying bed, to his children, "I do believe not one of you will dare to meet me before the tribunal of Christ in an unregenerate state."

J C Ryle The Duties of Parents 1888

6 comments:

  1. Wow...incredible, insighftul, challenging, soul searching and thankful! xxx

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  2. A great quote from a man of great wisdom. Let us take it to heart. Thanks.

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  3. Moving quote. That should be why we homeschool, should it not. And just one reason why I should take seriously the challenge to live a devote and faith-filled life in front of them daily.

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  4. Jeanne, what you have said is so true - it is by our example that our children learn, most of all.

    They notice everything that we do, our prayer life, our atttitudes to others but most of all whether our Christian walk is in keeping with our talk.

    Have a great week,
    Blessings,
    Jillian

    P.S. GREAT POST!!!

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  5. I'm just reading this book in bits during my therapy at the chiropractor each week, and am totally loving it. Such wisdom!

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