Parenting with Eternity in View–Andreas Kostenberger

Andreas Kostenberger, Professor of New Testament at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, is the author of a new book, God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundations [Crossway Books]. It’s really an excellent book, combining an extensive engagement with the biblical text and a keen eye for application. Consider this paragraph: “Fundamentally, children, like all people, ought to be considered spiritual individuals who are uniquely created by God and yet are fallen sinners, so that the task of parenting is not merely that of behavioral conditioning but spiritual nurture and training . . . . In reality, only those children and young people who experience personal regeneration through faith in Christ and receive the indwelling Holy Spirit can truly and permanently live a life pleasing to God and benefit as their parents guide them toward greater wisdom. This, however, does not do away with parental discipline and training prior to a child’s conversion. It does mean, though, that parental efforts can only go so far unless aided by the internal, supernatural enablement in the respone of the child. Thus the child’s conversion is truly an important aspect of parental guidance.”