daddy4ms

If you have been a regular follower of the blog, you know I have been struggling to finish a book on parenting.  I have tried to put into words why I have a love/hate relationship with the book.  I think my best explanation would be that I believe the author mixes the law and gospel.  It was very difficult for me because Farley gets the gospel right, but then the law is explained and it seems the line between law and gospel is blurred.  Other books on parenting have been full of law and no gospel.  Others explain the gospel in away I would disagree.  This book's explanation of the gospel I agree with, but struggle with the mixing of law/gospel in application. Here are a few quotes from the final chapters of the book: She rejoiced that Jesus had died in her place, that he had borne the Father's wrath in her stead...It moved the truth of God's love from her head to her heart. She saw and felt the Father's affection in a new way. Behind almost every child'...

Here are some quotes from books I am reading right now: If the gospel is regularly being preached in your church, you will eventually become a magnet for the messiest kinds of sinners. I remind myself and my church that a message of grace may attract people, but a culture of grace will keep them. Messy people own their stuff. Sinners repent into the safety of the gospel. when we cease praying for our churches, we cease serving them and instead think ourselves powerful enough to mange quite well without the Holy Spirit's illuminating and enabling power. But the gospel of God's grace in Jesus Christ frees us from hypocrisy. It frees us to boldly own our inadequacies, our flaws, our failures, and especially your sins. As we mature in the faith, then, He increases and we decrease. The gospel is fuel for courageous unself-consciousness. Therefore, wise parents aim their discipline at the heart. Fundamentally, Christian parents discipline heart attitudes, not behavi...

As I have continued to read Gospel Powered Parenting by William Farley, I have struggled.  Chapter 3 was difficult.  I would probably not recommend this book to parents because of this chapter.  Chapters 4-5 seemed to help a little, but something is missing.  I am going to finish the book, but won't recommend it to others.  His understanding of fear, holiness, and grace are much different from mine and more importantly my understanding of the Bible.  With that said, I believe fear, holiness, and grace are biblical.  However, I would see a different definition in Scripture than Farley. These chapters heap condemnation on parents if they don't measure up.  But then he says something that makes me question my strong feelings.  This book has confused me more than any other book I have read because of how it mixes law and gospel.  Most books I disagree with are heavy on law and moralism only.  This one blends law and gospel which makes...

In December, I started reading Gospel-Powered Parenting by William P. Farley.  Here are a few quotes from the first few chapters: I am convinced that the gospel is sufficient to answer all our parenting questions. The gospel is the incarnation of God's Son, his sinless life, his substitutionary death, his bodily resurrection, and his ascension into heaven, from which he will someday return to the earth in glory. But the cross is the heart and soul of the gospel. As do all parents, we have learned from God's gracious discipline that we are absolutely dependent on God's Spirit to complete the parenting process...It is God's job to bring results! this book will assume that effective parents equip their children to overcome the world--not by changing and controlling their environment (things external to their children), but by going after their children's hearts. We change their hearts by teaching the gospel, modeling the gospel, and centering our homes on the ...