A podcast listener named James writes in and Pastor John, a big question for parents is

whether talking about past sins, sins like drug use, sexual immorality, drunkenness, etc.

will make our children more or less likely to try out or do these things when they're

older.

It seems like they might reason like this.

Well you turned out all right and proceed with entering into the behavior.

Pastor John, what category should parents think through when it comes to communicating

past sins with our children now?

Let me establish a crucial parenting principle and practice, which I think is dictated by

the gospel before I tackled the direct question.

I've got six questions for parents that I think they should ask, kind of diagnostic questions

as to whether at this time to this child, this particular sin should be talked about.

But before I go there, let's lay down a principle.

The principle is that far more important than the confession of past sins is the regular

confession of present sins.

And the practice therefore is that we model for our children in family devotions or

other times a regular pattern, a rhythm of confession to show our children how a follower

of Jesus handles sin in his own life.

So a pattern of confession, forgiveness, restoration to fellowship, nothing will have a greater

gospel impact on a child, I think, than to see daddy.

They tend to think are infallible since they deliver the law.

Daddy's infallible, daddy's flawless.

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