We know that, as believers in the justifying death of
Jesus Christ, we have been set free from the penalty
of sin. Along with that Romans 6:22 tells us:

But now having been set free from sin, and
having become slaves of God, you have your
fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting
life.

But we also realize that this daily "working out of
our salvation" includes the truth of Romans 6:19:

I speak in human terms because of the weakness
of your flesh.

As parents we love to remind our children of
I Corinthians 10:13:

No temptation has overtaken you except such
as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will
not allow you to be tempted beyond what you
are able, but with the temptation will also make
the way of escape, that you may be able to bear
it.

The question is, of course, in any given circumstance,
where is that way of escape? How do we find it? How
do we train our children to look for, find and take
that way?

There are a lot of angles to this question, but one, I
am sure, is recognizing ahead of time some of the
temptations we are prone to fall to and making our
determination not to do so.

Charlotte Bronte has Jane, in "Jane Eyre" make an
incredible statement to Mr. Rochester.

We must keep the law given by God; laws and
principles are not for the times when there is
no temptation; they are for such moments as
this, when body and soul rise in mutiny against
their rigor. Foregone determinations are all I
have at this hour to stand by; there I plant my
foot.

So, we talk with our children. "Tommy, if, when you
are playing with Rachel, she does thus and so, what
should you do in return? The Bible tells us to...."

Our kids can't wait until they are in a parked car to
decide where they stand on certain issues. We have
to guide them into thinking these things through and
making their own determination against what is
wrong. They must learn to plant their feet.

Of course we know that God is always gracious to
forgive when we do slip (I John 1:9.) But working
diligently to keep our feet planted fosters a safe
and joyfilled life before God. Blessed is the man
who walks in such a way.