Consider Paul David Tripp’s commentary on Hebrews 3:12-13 (”Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”).

“Since each of us still has sin remaining in us, we will have pockets of spiritual blindness. . . Our most important vision system is nor our physical eyes. We can be physically blind and live quite well. But when we are spiritually blind, we cannot live as God intended . . . Physically blind people are always aware of their deficit and spend much of their lives learning to live with its limitations. But the Bible says that we can be spiritually blind and yet think we see quite well. . . The reality of spiritual blindness has important implications for the Christian community. The Hebrews passage clearly teaches that personal insight is the product of community. I need you in order to really see and know myself. Otherwise, I will listen to my own arguments, believe my own lies, and buy into my own delusions. My self-perception is as accurate as a carnival mirror. If I am going to see myself clearly, I need you to hold the mirror of God’s Word in front of me” (Paul David Tripp, Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands, pp. 53-54).

The following article by Tedd Tripp was inc luded in Shepherd Press’ most recent e-newsletter. I was graciously granted permission to post it. It is a great article about parenting from a Gospel-centered perspective. (You can subscribe for Shepherd Press’ e-newsletter by going to http://www.shepherdpress.com.)

Keeping Grace in Place

Keeping grace in place in our homes, that is the task. We experience many temptations to leave out the grace and the hope of the gospel when our children require correction and motivation.

How does keeping grace in place look and sound? Your message to your children is this: “People who fail can find hope in the God of grace.” Think of it this way, the gospel must be the core of your nurturing interaction with your children. The gospel is more than just the simple plan of salvation. It is all the grace and power of the gospel - forgiveness, cleansing, internal transformation, and empowerment (Ezekiel 36:25-26).
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