Gryphonette
Moderator
Keep in mind that at home we have one unsaved 16 year old Russian boy who's only been home a little over three years.
So my situation's a bit different, I daresay, that most everyone else's here.
I think I'm training Dmitry "in the LORD" by telling Him about God the Father, His Son, the Holy Spirit, Dmitry's (and our!) need of a Savior, God's commandments and expectations for ALL His creation, etc.
He isn't permitted to play "M" rated video games, for instance (and to his disgust, as "all his friends at school" get to do so), for I don't believe the LORD approves of them. What movies and television are permitted is based on what is pleasing to the LORD. On the rare occasions he gets snippy with me he's rebuked based upon "Honor thy father and thy mother", which is surely an across-the-board commandment, applicable to everyone on the planet, in Christ or not. Even though he's not a professed Christian he's stuck attending "chapel" (to use his term) whether he wants to or not (he doesn't...it has been one of the most intense points of friction in the family since his arrival) because this is a CHRISTIAN family and our children living in our house attend church with us.
We cannot force him to turn to Christ in faith but by jingo, we can make sure he knows Whom he's rejecting.
Which is a depressing thought, but my first allegiance is to God, which entails making sure He is talked about to anyone who'll stay put long enough to let me do it, and that most definitely includes Dmitry.
Maybe this doesn't fit your definition of raising a child "in the LORD" however?
I can't think what else I can do, other than what we're doing. We certainly don't tell him "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life."
We do tell Dmitry that God has sovereignly placed him so he can learn the truth about Him, and that being taught this truth places him under a greater obligation than if he'd remained in Russia. This warning is softened by pointing out this is a sign of favor by the LORD toward him, and that we are hopeful the LORD will enable him to turn to Him in faith, and we regularly pray for his salvation.
How this fits within your personal framework, I don't know. He's our child, exactly as much as our other five biological children; out of curiosity, would you count him - a nonbelieving 16 year old - as being in the Covenant, since his parents are believers?
So my situation's a bit different, I daresay, that most everyone else's here.
I think I'm training Dmitry "in the LORD" by telling Him about God the Father, His Son, the Holy Spirit, Dmitry's (and our!) need of a Savior, God's commandments and expectations for ALL His creation, etc.
He isn't permitted to play "M" rated video games, for instance (and to his disgust, as "all his friends at school" get to do so), for I don't believe the LORD approves of them. What movies and television are permitted is based on what is pleasing to the LORD. On the rare occasions he gets snippy with me he's rebuked based upon "Honor thy father and thy mother", which is surely an across-the-board commandment, applicable to everyone on the planet, in Christ or not. Even though he's not a professed Christian he's stuck attending "chapel" (to use his term) whether he wants to or not (he doesn't...it has been one of the most intense points of friction in the family since his arrival) because this is a CHRISTIAN family and our children living in our house attend church with us.
We cannot force him to turn to Christ in faith but by jingo, we can make sure he knows Whom he's rejecting.
Which is a depressing thought, but my first allegiance is to God, which entails making sure He is talked about to anyone who'll stay put long enough to let me do it, and that most definitely includes Dmitry.
Maybe this doesn't fit your definition of raising a child "in the LORD" however?
I can't think what else I can do, other than what we're doing. We certainly don't tell him "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life."
We do tell Dmitry that God has sovereignly placed him so he can learn the truth about Him, and that being taught this truth places him under a greater obligation than if he'd remained in Russia. This warning is softened by pointing out this is a sign of favor by the LORD toward him, and that we are hopeful the LORD will enable him to turn to Him in faith, and we regularly pray for his salvation.
How this fits within your personal framework, I don't know. He's our child, exactly as much as our other five biological children; out of curiosity, would you count him - a nonbelieving 16 year old - as being in the Covenant, since his parents are believers?