“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.”
NIV 22:6 Romans
Jesus said in the Lord’s Prayer “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” When we are “set free from sin and become slaves of God,” we literally bring heaven to earth. Holiness is not a set of rules that keep us from having fun but rather a way of life which leads to love and joy and peace and life. Heaven on earth!!
What if we told our kids more about heaven on earth and less about what they can’t do? I see so often parents with great intentions telling their kids about all the bad things that will happen when they do bad things. And we should do that.
But what about how doing good will bring heaven to earth? What about the benefits of having a good name and reputation? What about the joy we feel when we help someone? What about how forgiveness leads to being able to enjoy awesome relationships?
We are submitted to God — a slave — for our good! As we believe that and talk about it more with our children, we will see everyone in our family more easily follow God’s ways.
