Chapter 54—Religion in the Family
Family Religion Defined—Family religion consists in bringing
up the children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Every
one in the family is to be nourished by the lessons of Christ, and the
interest of each soul is to be strictly guarded, in order that Satan shall
not deceive and allure away from Christ. This is the standard every
family should aim to reach, and they should determine not to fail or
to be discouraged. When parents are diligent and vigilant in their
instruction, and train their children with an eye single to the glory of
God, they co-operate with God, and God co-operates with them in the
saving of the souls of the children for whom Christ has died
Religious instruction means much more than ordinary instruction.
It means that you are to pray with your children, teaching them how
to approach Jesus and tell Him all their wants. It means that you are
to show in your life that Jesus is everything to you, and that His love
makes you patient, kind, forbearing, and yet firm in commanding your
children after you, as did Abraham
Just as you conduct yourself in your home life, you are registered
in the books of heaven. He who would become a saint in heaven must
first become a saint in his own family. If fathers and mothers are true
Christians in the family, they will be useful members of the church
and be able to conduct affairs in the church and in society after the
same manner in which they conduct their family concerns. Parents, let
not your religion be simply a profession, but let it become a reality
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Religion to Be a Part of Home Education—Home religion is
fearfully neglected. Men and women show much interest in foreign
missions. They give liberally to them and thus seek to satisfy their
conscience, thinking that giving to the cause of God will atone for
their neglect to set a right example in the home. But the home is their
1
Manuscript 24
b, 1894.
2
Letter 8a, 1896
.
3
Manuscript 53, Undated
.
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