More on the Duties of Parents

Last week's discussion didn't get us too much further down the road, but we were able do a lot of exploring.

For an article written in the 1800's, there is quite a bit of timelessness to the content. Ryle is plainly reacting to much of the popular parenting techniques of his day, and there are quite a few similarities to our day. It kind of makes one think of "There is nothing new under the sun."

"Train up a child in the way he should go:

and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Prov. 22:6

We look around at the state of young people who have left the church. There have been recent polls conducted on the spiritual outcomes of children "raised in church," and at least one book written on the same topic. Ryle observes:

We live in days when there is a mighty zeal for education in every quarter. We hear of new schools rising on all sides. We are told of new systems, and new books for the young, of every sort and description. And still for all this, the vast majority of children are manifestly not trained in the way they should go, for when they grow up to man's estate, they do not walk with God.

Now how shall we account for this state of things? The plain truth is, the Lord's commandment in our text is not regarded; and therefore the Lord's promise in our text is not fulfilled.

Ryle's blunt and simple conclusion has been challenged in various ways through the years, but at the very least, it should serve as a sober reminder to parents to keep seeking ways in which to train up their children. When tempted to think "we've done what the Bible says and it didn't work," we need to remember that we are in a spiritual battle and our enemy would like nothing more than to have us give up. We need to depend on the Lord to make up for our lack, but we need to avoid complacency as well.

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9