The only way to a true knowledge of grace

When I read John Owen, I can't help but see the implications of his theology into parenting. Although he rarely addresses parenting, every time I pick up one of his writings, I gain insight into the responsibilities and privileges of parenting.

These words jumped out at me today:

There are two things that are suited to humble the souls of men, and they are, first, a due consideration of God, and then of themselves - of God, in his greatness, glory, holiness, power, majesty, and authority; of ourselves, in our mean [lowly, insignificant], abject, and sinful condition. . . .

Most men love to hear the doctrine of grace, of the pardon of sin, of free love, and suppose that they find food therein; however, it is evident that they grow and thrive in the life and notion of them. But to be breaking up the fallow ground of their hearts, to be inquiring after the weeds and briars that grow in them, they delight not so much, though this be no less necessary than the other. This path is not so beaten as that of grace, nor so trod in, though it be the only way to come to a true knowledge of grace itself. (John Owen Overcoming Sin and Temptation p282)

As parents, we must both model and teach this pattern: of a due consideration of God in his glory, and ourselves in our abject condition. If we want our children to come to a true knowledge of grace itself, we must teach them to discover and hate the deceitfulness and wickedness of their own hearts. Then will grace, pardon and love be all the more glorious, and our dependence on Christ the more true, complete and happy.

In God's great wisdom, we don't have to teach our children to do personal witch hunts, scouring their souls for lurking darkness. Rather we teach them to gaze on Christ, and to dwell in His presence. There is no better way to know our own sinfulness than by being in the presence of the Holy One - like Isaiah, who said, "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5) or Ezekiel, who fell on his face when he saw "the likeness of the glory of the Lord" (Ezekiel 1:28). Then we will quickly see the weeds and briars to root out and hate them in light of the glory we have seen.