54
Peter’s Counsel to Parents
as a tyrant. “If you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father,” the Master
Teacher said. In all that He did, Jesus portrayed God and the values of
His kingdom in an appealing way. Children who are exposed to Jesus’
life have an opportunity to learn to obey and to grow from the point of
view of admiration rather than fear of God
.
Article (Introduced by statement from a letter)
The entire chapter [
2 Peter 1
] contains most instructive lessons in
regard to the transformation of our character after the likeness of the
character of Christ. The whole structure of the human character is to
be rebuilt: we are to be created anew in Christ Jesus. The Scripture
says, “The Lord created a new thing in the earth.” What was this? Lost
man was to be recovered, sin was to be pardoned, the sinner saved,
transformed in character, to become a co-worker with God.... All
heaven was to be laid open, to supply fallen man with every spiritual
blessing that he might perfect a character after the divine similitude.—
Letter 77, 1895
.
Important work in the home
The Lord has recently impressed upon me again the need of re-
minding Seventh-day Adventist parents of the important work to be
done in the home. To all parents who profess to believe in the soon
return of Christ, there is given a solemn work of preparation, that
they and their children may be ready to meet the Lord at His coming.
God desires to see parents take their position wholeheartedly for Him,
that there may be no perverting of the work He has given them to
do, and that our children and youth may understand clearly the will
of God concerning them. They are to learn to resist evil and choose
righteousness, to turn from sin and become the faithful servants of
God, prepared to give Him their life’s highest service.
Influence of godly example
There are few parents who realize how important it is to give to
their children the influence of a godly example. Yet this is far more
potent than precept. No other means is so effective in training them in
right lines. The children and youth must have a true copy in right-doing
[52]