rattled by a spurgeon quote-am i right??

[shirelingmum]

Hey-a friend suggested a facebook group called "training our children in grace and truth"....well it seemed okay...but now they just posted a quote from charles spurgeon that reads "when we deal seriously with our sins, god will deal gently with us"....ummmm that doesnt sound right with me. i mean, sin is serious to god...but does this mean that his grace is now conditional based on my behaviour. or am i just entirely missing the point of this quote?? This quote was used in regards to discipline/having our children repent of sin as quickly as possible...etc....weeeeeeird. someone help! Oh, and please move if necessary! I didn't know where to put it exactly :p

[forty-two]

Well, the context is Spurgeon's exposition (http://www.spurgeon.org/treasury/ps051.htm) on Psalm 51 (great psalm, btw :rockon). He says it while talking about v2, "Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin." He's contrasting how evil men hate being punished for their crimes, but not the evil deeds themselves, with how David hates his sin *b/c* its sin. The point seems to be that we should hate sin b/c it's wrong, not hate sin b/c the consequences of sinning are painful. "Taking our sin seriously" to Spurgeon means caring more about the intrinsic wrongness of our actions than about whatever painful consequences came about b/c of the sin.

WRT GBD/punitive, it could go either way, imo :shrug3.

[abh5e8]

op i was just going to ask about the context of the quote...thanks forty-two!

i think in the context of children, GBD is not only affirmed but prefered. we should teach our children that sin is wrong because it is sin against GOd....not because mama will hit me if she finds out. we and our children must remember the seriousness of our sin...against God...and then remember that He is indeed gentle in His forgiveness. when we understand this seriousness...that is the goal...not mere behavior modification based on the immediate temporal consequences.

---------- Post added at 08:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:13 PM ----------

this may actually be a spinoff...but i'm just thinking and thinking about the quote...and the more i do the more i love it. we really try to teach dd that sin is against God, not merely failure to follow arbitrary rules. so we remind her when she sins and we discuss it, that is makes God very sad. but how should we script this to avoid shaming? or should we? i mean, i feel ashamed when i realize and contemplate my sins...i know they make God sad. but thats such a big concept to teach to littles...thoughts?

[ArmsOfLove]

thank you for the context, forty two. I would be curious what the intent was of the person who posted it :think Because I do think it could be used either way--especially pulled out of context :doh

I would suggest that because children don't have empathy or guilt at very young ages any attempt to force either is going to cross into shame. We need to be as God to them and extend that free gift of grace--while also teaching right behavior. There comes a moment (usually around 8 ime) when it all clicks for a child and you can tell they know they did something wrong. and that is when I take it to the next level and really talk about sin and how it affects our heart and WHY we make amends and repent, etc. It's been a very life changing experience for each of my children :heart

[shirelingmum]

Thank you ladies sososooo much! After some very sad punitive/pro-spanking comments came out in the group today I decided to leave it after I expressed my sadness over it-graciously, but let them know I was very sad about the comments regarding hitting children. Turns out the group is very pro-hitting/behaviour modification....just hid it well until the moderator started posting quotes on spanking and such.
Thank you ladies for your wisdom, insight and advice! I am so thankful to be learning about GBD and graceful living from you all!