How does being a parent affect your religious understandings? (grace, hell, worship)

[brittZ]

From my own standpoint becoming a parent really opened my eyes to the way Christ loves us. It gave me a much greater understanding of the difference between the love found in a relationship and the love of a parent. I realized that love isn't always about flowers and roses. I saw the love that motivates chores, and discipline, and obediance, and sometimes a swat on the butt. I realized the love of sacrificing one's self for those you live for. I realized the vastness of love it would take to give up your child for the benefit of the world and that I could never have been strong enough or big enough to give up my child - not even to save myself.

I think about the way I love my children and it makes me warm to know that my heavenly father loves me the same way but to a degree I can never fully comprehend. I think about how my children pour themselves out to please me and pray that I can be humble enough to do the same for my heavenly father. I think about the strength of God's love for me and how strong it makes me and pray that I can be strong enough in Christ for my kids to fully know how much I love them.

I wonder how being a parent affects other people's view of God's love for them. I also wonder if not having kids has the opposite affect on some people because the moment you become a parent is the moment you stop living for yourself and start living for them.

[kaykay]

Well, for one thing, I understood what it meant in Hebrews where the scriptures speak of the Lord chastening those He loves and it being for our welfare. I knew after becoming a mother that we can trust God to chasten us for our own good because I knew that while I did have to discipline our son, I would only do it because I loved him so much.

[jeffncandace]

Becoming a parent made my heart break when I thought about the unsaved going to hell forever. It's part of what started me on this path. I know now about..."the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!"

I know now that I will never stop loving my kids or forgiving them, ever. I know I would go to the ends of the earth to save them, no matter what choices they made. I know that if I had infinate power, I would use it to save them. Just like God.

I also know I would never punish them just for retribution: that thought sickens me. I would punish them to correct them.

[brittZ]

Originally Posted by jeffncandace

Becoming a parent made my heart break when I thought about the unsaved going to hell forever. It's part of what started me on this path. I know now about..."the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!"

I know now that I will never stop loving my kids or forgiving them, ever. I know I would go to the ends of the earth to save them, no matter what choices they made. I know that if I had infinate power, I would use it to save them. Just like God.

Jeff -

Believe me I understand where you are coming from and I appreciate it. Let me ask you this though. You can offer your love to your child, you can teach them, show them the right way to live, offer them love and show them God. What if they choose to reject it all and grow up into a murderer (I know this is hard to swallow and Im not saying it will happen to your kids)? What if they grow up and knowingly choose to take the life of someone elses child? What if they grow up and choose to be a rapist or some other type life that is full of sin and hate? Would you tell them its ok, Ill save you from your punishment? Would you show them they can do anything they want because dad will always swoop in and make sure there are no consequenses?
Or would you love them anyway and forgive them but still make them face the punishment for what they had done?

Which route leads to building a better person? To teach a child they can do no wrong and need not be responsible, or to teach a child that even though it may hurt, you still have to pay for your deeds and be responsibile for your actions but that they are still loved and forgiven.

[Miss Blue]

I knew without a doubt that there was a loving God, who had just shown me all his creative beauty..It was January 27, 1964..The nurse handed me a little baby wrapped in a blue blanket. I unwrapped him and tears of joy ran down my face, as I beheld the greatest of all blessings..This was a brand new life, beautiful, pure and innocent, completely depending on me. God loved me enough to trust me with this precious child..He loved me enough to know that I would love, nourish and raise this child and teach him to believe in Him. At that moment I had a tiny glimpse of the joy, the happiness and the love that Heaven must have in store for me. I had three more babies and same emotions came upon me each time I held them for the first time

[jeffncandace]

Originally Posted by brittZ

Jeff -

Believe me I understand where you are coming from and I appreciate it. Let me ask you this though. You can offer your love to your child, you can teach them, show them the right way to live, offer them love and show them God. What if they choose to reject it all and grow up into a murderer (I know this is hard to swallow and Im not saying it will happen to your kids)? What if they grow up and knowingly choose to take the life of someone elses child? What if they grow up and choose to be a rapist or some other type life that is full of sin and hate? Would you tell them its ok, Ill save you from your punishment? Would you show them they can do anything they want because dad will always swoop in and make sure there are no consequenses?
Or would you love them anyway and forgive them but still make them face the punishment for what they had done?

Which route leads to building a better person? To teach a child they can do no wrong and need not be responsible, or to teach a child that even though it may hurt, you still have to pay for your deeds and be responsibile for your actions but that they are still loved and forgiven.

No, I would NOT save them from their punishment. They would deserve it, and although it would break my heart, I would realize that it's justice. I would never teach my children they could do no wrong, or not be responsible. But in regards to our eternal fate, I think that the punishment should fit the crime. Doesn't an ETERNITY in pain and torture seem a bit harsh for someone making the wrong decision in this world of ours?

I do believe in hell, and I do believe in punishment. But rather than believing that hell is simply retribution-pointless, IMHO-I believe that it is corrective. I believe God's word, which states over and over that ALL of creation will bow in worship, and will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Hope this clarifies my position on this.

[irishmom]

Originally Posted by brittZ

I wonder how being a parent affects other people's view of God's love for them.

In my case I almost died having my children, so I attribute the fact that I am here to His grace. So yes I know I am loved and I appreciate that love.

[beth ann]

Originally Posted by irishmom

In my case I almost died having my children, so I attribute the fact that I am here to His grace. So yes I know I am loved and I appreciate that love.

We're glad you're here, too, Irishmom