Guarantee Salvation for our Families?

Sounds more like Covenantalism of the presbyterian type! The only way we could guarantee anyone's salvation would be if we had the access code to the book of life--I don't think even my son (el geeko the magnificent) could hack THAT file!

 

Dr. Bob,
Thanks for your response.
I'm not farmiliar with Gothardism- could you point me to a resource to investigate further?

I believe that 1 Corinthians 7:14 was taken out of context in that it reads ""For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy."
The Pastor I was referring to took this scripture and said "Aha! Our lost children are saved while they live with us!" Then in Job, Job made a weekly sacrifice for his children just in case they sinned against God (although this was before the Law) so the Pastor again says "Aha! When they're on their own I can offer sacrifices of prayer that will guarantee their salvation!"
He qualified the last part by saying that when they're under the saved person's roof they are under the "headship" of them but when they're on their own they have to be saved and that "pleading the blood" on them will guarantee that they will eventually be saved.
This Pastor cites as evidence that his mother prayed for him and his 11 siblings to be saved and they all are, with 4 being Preachers.

I think it's a poor Bible interpreting on the Pastor's part, but he refuses to be councelled on the subject.

Your thoughts?

 

I have had to deal with this exact issue and this specific passage. The simplest answer is that Paul is not dealing with the subject of salvation; he is dealing with marriage. If needed, I could go into greater detail, but it is really very simple put into its proper context.

Regarding Gothardism, as far as I know, Bill Gothard does not teach covenant theology. I know good men who work closely with him and they are vehemently opposed to covenant theology.

The verse that immediately comes to mind is: Ezekiel 18:19 Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.
20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. (KJV)

 

Acts 16:[31] And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

 

No one can guarantee another person's salvation. Going to the foot of the cross is a road we must travel alone.

I DO believe, however, when parents are saved, (and rearing their children in a Godly fashion), their children have a much better CHANCE at being saved.


Sue

 

What my pastor had a problem with was the word "sanctified." When he read that word I think that he understood that to meen sanctification of the person and not the relationship. My very feeble understanding of this passage is that the Christian isn't sinning or defiling themselves by staying married with or remaining the parent of an unsaved person. From what I understand, this was a legitimate concern for the Jews because of the command in the OT (or some rabbinical law derived from the OT) to leave an unbelieving spouse and children so as to not be defiled.

I think we all agree that this is NOT Baptist doctrine. This stemmed from our discussion in the Fellowship forum on how to approach a pastor that teaches such and refuses to be corrected.

Link to Discussion on How to approach a pastor

 

Yes, but even my covenantal friends would not say that their children's salvation is GUARANTEED.

 

I hope our salvation is not simply a matter of chance like a lottery.

 

Agreed, Sue!

Don't think she meant "chance" like in lottery.

Shouldn't the fervent prayer of every Christian parent be for the salvation of their children? And preparing the soil for the seed of God's Word to take root?

I praise God for my Christian parents. When I was young, I didn't appreciate being a PK. Now that I'm old, I'm glad I was!

A Christian heritage is truly a blessing from the Lord.

But the relationship with Jesus is one on one. No one can make that decision for someone else.

 

Dr. Bob,
Could you please refer me to a good source on Gothardism, so I can research further?
Thanks.