Chapter 81—Co-Ordination of Home and Church
Begin the Work of Grace in the Home—Parents, begin the work
of grace in the church in your own home, so conducting yourselves
that your children will see that you are co-operating with the heavenly
angels. Be sure that you are converted every day. Train yourselves and
your children for life eternal in the kingdom of God. Angels will be
your strong helpers. Satan will tempt you, but do not yield. Do not
speak one word of which the enemy can take an advantage.
Truth is pure and uncorrupted. Let it dwell in the heart. Let the
determination of each member of the family be, “I will be a Christian,
for in the school here below I must form a character which will give
me entrance into the higher grade in heaven. I must do to others as I
desire them to do to me, for only those who reveal Christ in this world
can enter the courts of heaven.”
Make the home life as nearly as possible like heaven. Let the
members of the family forget not, as they gather round the family altar,
to pray for the men in positions of responsibility in God’s work
Those who govern their families in the right way will bring into
the church an influence of order and reverence. They will represent
the attributes of mercy and justice as standing hand in hand. They will
reveal to their children the character of Christ. The law of kindness and
love upon their lips will not make their commands weak and without
[549]
authority, and their injunctions will not be met with disobedience
Model Homes Make a Model Church—Every family is a church,
over which the parents preside. The first consideration of the parents
should be to work for the salvation of their children. When the father
and mother as priest and teacher of the family take their position fully
on the side of Christ, a good influence will be exerted in the home.
And this sanctified influence will be felt in the church and will be
recognized by every believer. Because of the great lack of piety and
sanctification in the home, the work of God is greatly hindered. No
1
Manuscript 93, 1901
.
2
The Review and Herald, February 19, 1895
.
420