Why Mommies like covenant theology

Chief Executive Mom has written an interesting post about covenent theology. She writes quite convincingly of "crading my newborn with the promises of God", and ends her post with this:

These are the inconsistencies that perhaps had more to do with pushed me toward Covenant theology than any theologians arguments. When it came time to parent my child, I could not with good conscience treat them as anything other than a precious covenant child, holy before the Lord.

I could relate. Those who have known me before this blog, and have followed our family's theological journey, know that we spent significant time in the covenental camp. I could have written those words. Now, this is what I commented on CEM's blog:

Ah, yes...been there, done that. I've lived this issue from three sides. I understand full well what you are saying. However, I think there is a danger in assuming that your children are already saved. That danger is, in my opinion, a bit greater in covennant theology circles, but it is amazing to me how many Christian parents never think to present the gospel to their children in any sort of meaningful way, but instead operate under the assumption that their child is already redeemed, justified, saved, atoned, or however the parent wishes to describe it.

Then they are shocked, as the child gets older, to realize that this child does not really have any sense of relationship, let alone commitment, to the living God who created them. No evidence of saving faith ever emerges. Or, even worse, the child will think --- because his parents taught him so --- that his eternal destiny is secure. It's a given. So he certainly doesn't need to worry about such things anymore, and can live the way he wants. After all, he is a covenant child.

The hardest thing to accept as a parent is the fact that our children are sinners bound for hell, and that only the grace of God can save them. We'd like to believe they are precious darlings --- and they are --- and that they are better than the rank heathen offspring of the neighbors. After all, they are OUR KIDS. Surely God must love them more than he does those snotty-nosed neighbor kids. Surely our relationship with God should give our children a special place in the kingdom. After all, they are precious covenant children.

The problem is not that we love our children too much. The problem is that we love ourselves too much, and the lost too little.

I would rather tuck my children into bed telling them that they need Jesus than to let them think that they are already heirs of salvation.