AP

Wisdom from the Past: A selection of choice quotes from godly Christians from times past on the salvation of children, parenting and eternity.

Many of these quotes will sound serious, even severe to many people, including Christians. We have become accustomed to the notion that all you need to get to heaven is to believe there is a God – even if you barely even listen to Him.

To the average Australian, the way to heaven is broad and easy and many will find themselves there; while the road to hell is narrow and difficult and only serial killers and pedophiles will wind up there. This false assumption (aided by Australia’s long-life expectancy and laid-back lifestyle) has wormed itself into many a church and Christian family, creating a sense of non-urgency in instructing their children regarding the way of salvation.

It is true that no child can be forced into the Kingdom of God – parents cannot open the narrow door for them. That does not mean parents are to be lazy or careless. Parents must be pro-active in telling their children their desperate need to believe the Gospel.

First, parents must plead before God for the soul life of their children. Second, parents can actively and persuasively point them to the narrow door. Third, parents can provide age-appropriate biblical literature for their children. Fourth, parents can protect their children from the many evils and temptations readily available today.

We live, however, in a thoughtless indifferent age. That mindset infects many of us unknowingly to varying degrees. This should not be. Christian parents ought to be known to be serious about the salvation of their children. As soon as parents open their eyes, they should think seriously: ‘Where will my children be 100 years from now?’ And act accordingly.

Short-sightedness is undoubtedly one of the greatest dangers we face today. Society may think Christians are weird (or even abusive) for teaching the way of the Lord to their children, but on the last day those parents who took the word of God seriously will be called wise. Avoid being distracted by lesser things from the great task before you. Time is precious. You do not know the time of your own (or your children’s) appointment.

Many Christian parents in past ages took the command to bring up their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord a lot more seriously than many do today.

1. On what our children are before they know the Lord.

“Till your children are brought home to God, they are the slaves of devils. In a word, can your heart endure that your children should be banished from the Lord Jesus Christ, and anguishing under the torments of sin among devils in outer darkness through eternal ages? Don’t call yourself a parent, you are an ostrich!”

Source: Cotton Mather, A Well-Ordered Family, Soli Deo Gloria, 1699.

2. On urgent, earnest, constant praying to the Lord for your children’s salvation.

“Wrestle with the Lord. Accept no denial. Earnestly protest “Lord, I will not let thee go unless thou bless this poor child of mine and make it Thine own!” Do this until it may be, your heart is raised by a touch of Heaven to a belief that God has blessed this child, and it shall be blessed and saved forever.”

Source: Cotton Mather, A Well-Ordered Family.

“It is a greater mercy to descend from praying parents than from nobles.”

Source: John Flavel, The Mystery of Providence

3. How carelessness, laziness and indifference will not only likely damn your own children but their children and grandchildren as well.

“If ye propagate religion to the rising generation, that good work will survive you and if ye neglect it, your criminal omission may live and destroy souls long after ye are gone, which will be laid to your charge at the great day.”

Source: Thomas Boston

“Not thinking is one simple reason why thousands of souls are thrown away forever into the lake of fire. Men will not consider, will not look ahead, will not look around them, will not reflect on the end of their present course, and the sure consequences of their present days, and wake up to find they are damned for a lack of thinking.”

Source: J. C. Ryle

“We have come to a turning point in the road. If we turn to the right mayhap {‘perhaps’} our children and our children’s children will go that way; But if we turn to the left, generations yet unborn will curse our names for having been unfaithful to God and to His word.”

Source: Charles Spurgeon

4. How, if you do not educate your children on the way of salvation, then the Devil will educate them for himself.

“For you that are parents, or to whom the education of children is committed, I beseech you mind the duty which lies on you……For to what purpose do we desire them before we have them, rejoice in them when we have them, value them so highly, sympathize with them so tenderly, grieve for their death so excessively, if in the meantime no care be taken what shall become of them to eternity?……If you neglect to instruct them in the way of holiness, will the Devil neglect to instruct them in the way of wickedness? No, No, if you will not teach them to pray, he will teach them to curse, swear and lie. If ground be uncultivated, weeds will spring up.”

Source: John Flavel

“Ah, cruel parents, who neglect the religious education of their children; more cruel in some respects than Herod; he slew the bodies of children, these murder souls; he murdered the children of others, these murder their own; he employed the agency of his servants, these do the work of slaughter themselves.”

Source: John Angell James

“Do not leave your children to wander out without the guardianship of holy knowledge, for there are seducers abroad who will mislead them if they can.”

Source: Charles Spurgeon

5. On the importance of being honest with your children and warning them directly what occurs to the impenitent.

I have heard of a father, one of whose sons, a very ungodly young man, was taken off in a very sudden manner. The father did not, as some would have done, say to his family, “We hope your brother has gone to Heaven.” No; but overcoming his natural feelings, he was enabled, by Divine grace, to assemble his children together, and to say to them, “My sons; and daughters, your brother is dead; I fear he is in hell. You knew his life and conduct, you saw how he behaved; and now God has snatched him away in his sins.” Then he solemnly told them of the place of woe to, which he believed—yea, almost knew he was gone, begging them to shun it, and to flee from the wrath to come. Thus he was the means of bringing his children to serious thought; but had he acted, as some would have done, with tenderness of heart, but not with honesty of purpose, and said he hoped his son had gone to Heaven, what would the other children have said? “If he is gone to Heaven, there is no need for us to fear; we may live as we like.”

Source:Charles Spurgeon

“Now, Lord, if my children go in their sins, it will not from ignorance that they perish, and my soul must bear a swift witness against them at the day of judgment if they lay not hold of Christ.”

Source: The mother of Charles Spurgeon’s prayer before her children.

6. On the importance modeling a true Christian life before your children.

“Let your children have this conviction in their hearts, “If there are but two real Christians in the world, my father is one, and my mother is the other”. It is dreadful – but not uncommon for children to employ themselves in contrasting the appearance which their parents make ….at the Lord’s table – and at their own table; in the house of God – and at home!”

Source: John Angell James

“Parents be exemplary. Your example may do much towards the salvation of your children; your works will more work upon your children than your words; your patterns will do no more than your precepts, your copies more your counsels.”

Source: Cotton Mather

7. On the importance of not giving up hope for your children.

“There is many a mother’s son whose heart will be turned to God long after his mother’s bones have been laid in the churchyard. The vision is for an appointed time – though it tarry wait for it. Your son will yet be brought to Glory through your prayers. Pray on. Brothers and sisters, pray on for those whose sins and sorrows lay heavily on your heart! Pray on and God will hear you!”

Source: Charles Spurgeon

“Let us learn never to despair of the salvation of any one as long as he lives. Fathers ought never to despair of prodigal sons. Mothers’ ought never to despair of self-willed, headstrong daughters…..there is nothing impossible with God. The arm of grace is very long and can reach those who seem very far off. The Holy Spirit can change any heart. The blood of Christ can cleanse away any sin. Let us pray on, and hope on for others, however unlikely their salvation may appear to be at present. We shall see many in heaven whom we never expected to see there. The last may yet prove first and the first last. The famous Grimshaw, the apostle of Yorkshire, when he died, left his only son unconverted, careless, thoughtless and indifferent to religion. The day came when the young man’s heart was changed, and he walked in the steps of his father. And when he lay down upon his deathbed, one of his last words was, “What will my old father say when he sees me in Heaven!”

Source: J. C. Ryle

“Prayers are deathless. They outlive the lives of those who uttered them.”

Source: E. M. Bounds

– Troy Appleton