I’m looking at America from the outside, so apologies if I have this wrong, but I honestly think the greatest danger to the families of Christians – really serious-minded Christians – in America today is the widespread assumption by so many that their kids are Christians – just because they haven’t openly rebelled, or because they know their Bible, or because they said they loved Jesus when they were young, or simply because they’ve been born to Christian parent. Almost every Christian book I’ve read on parenting seems to have its basis on the assumption that our children and Christians, and that their faith needs to be *strengthened*.

I just don’t get it. I’m glad I don’t. God didn’t give us ‘Christian children’. He gave us children who were shaped in iniquity, conceived in guiltiness and sin, who need a Saviour, and whose privileges *add* to their sin, not diminish it. (Let us not either, though, forget – and let our children never forget – that those of them brought up by Christian parents, and who are being taught the Scriptures do have privileges that are above measure.)

But it is so, so dangerous to think of our children as Christians – giving them a false sense of security could be as damning for them as not giving them the Scripture.

Let us all show our children their desperate need of Christ as much as we can. Let us show them the wonder of salvation, and the beauty of Christ. But we can not save them. This is God’s work, and His alone. Thankfully.