Why Require Unregenerate Children to Act Like They’re Good?
via Why Require Unregenerate Children to Act Like They’re Good? :: By John Piper. © Desiring God
If mere external conformity to God’s commands (like don’t lie, don’t steal, don’t kill) is hypocritical and spiritually defective, then why should parents require obedience from their unregenerate children?
Won’t this simply confirm them in unspiritual religious conformity, hypocritical patterns of life, and legalistic moralism?
Here are at least three reasons why Christian parents should require their small children (regenerate or unregenerate) to behave in ways that conform externally to God’s revealed will.
Thinking About Santa
via Thinking About Santa :: By John Piper. © Desiring God
Over the years, we have chosen not to include Santa Claus in our Christmas stories and decorations. There are several reasons.
First, fairy tales are fun and we enjoy them, but we don’t ask our children to believe them.
Second, we want our children to understand God as fully as they’re able at whatever age they are. So we try to avoid anything that would delay or distort that understanding. It seems to us that celebrating with a mixture of Santa and manger will postpone a child’s clear understanding of what the real truth of God is. It’s very difficult for a young child to pick through a marble cake of part-truth and part-imagination to find the crumbs of reality.
Third, we think about how confusing it must be to a straight-thinking, uncritically-minded preschooler because Santa is so much like what we’re trying all year to teach our children about God. Look, for example, at the “attributes” of Santa.
he is not like God at all.
Be Not Lacking in Diligence to Pray for the Lost!
May it never be that the people closest to me fail to escape the flames of hell owing to my lack of diligence to pray and fast for their salvation. And may no one burning in hell be able to say to me, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
What Is Advent?
via What Is Advent? :: By John Piper. © Desiring God
We are a people of promise. For centuries, God prepared people for the coming of his Son, our only hope for life. At Christmas we celebrate the fulfillment of the promises God made—that he would give a way to draw near to him.