The Eternal Impact of Godly Parents and Grandparents

Last weekend, all of our adult children and grandchildren came home. It was a joyful family reunion. I was filled with gratitude as I saw everyone together for the first time in years. I rejoice that God has clearly blessed these three generations over the past forty-five years with His mercy and grace.

Allow me expand on a conversation my wife and I had a few weeks ago as we anticipated this visit on the eternal impact that we have had, are having, and will have on our children and grandchildren.

Looking backward                                        

So, here’s our story. My wife and I are a first-generation Christian family. We were both raised in families hit by divorce. We both grew up going to church; however, we were not Christian families.

Our three children are married. Two of them have children of their own. By the grace of God, our children have turned out to be compassionate, responsible, talented, and hard-working adults.

Just as my wife and I figured out only by the grace of God how to function as a Christ-centered couple and grew in wisdom, faith, and love to become Christian parents, we have been learning how to be Christian grandparents. The past six years have been an absolutely amazing adventure for us!

My wife and I taught what it meant to have a Christian marriage by obeying what God’s Word said that husbands and wives were supposed to do. We also demonstrated to our kids how to raise a Christian family by following God’s blueprint. We worked hard to be the Christian grandparents we never had and that our own children did not have, demonstrating how to be godly grandparents someday. As we have taught our children how to have a Christian marriage, how to be godly parents, and how to be godly grandparents, we have also displayed to our growing grandchildren these same skills.

Looking forward

So, what is the eternal impact of our discipleship efforts as I look towards the future?

Taking it much further out into the future, we find ourselves directly influencing each one of our five grandchildren. We are intentionally giving them tools they will need to help them be godly husbands or wives, parents, and grandparents, should they choose to follow Jesus when they get old enough.

Because my wife and I came to faith in Christ while we were in high school, God radically changed one generation. Through my wife and I, God was glorified to a second generation, and now a third.

Our grandchildren will have some children of their own (our children’s grandchildren), which means that our ministry in their lives will directly impact a fourth generation. They will be grandparents someday, which means that God will have reached five generations through two of His children.

Looking at Scripture

Here are some key verses that specifically address our faith as it is passed to the next generation.

The first verse that comes to my mind is 2 Tim. 1:5. This is a beautiful picture of the faith of Timothy’s grandmother, who passed her faith on to Timothy’s mother, and to Timothy as well.

Moses explained to the Israelites as they were about to enter the promised land in Deut. 6:1-2 that they were to teach their children and grandchildren God’s laws so that they would fear the Lord.

Another passage that has deeply touched me is found in Psalm 78:1-7. Listen to this:

My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old—things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. [Italics mine.]

This is something that my wife and I have done as parents and grandparents. We have attempted to show how the Bible applies to every slice of life. We have reminded them of who and where God is.

There is also a promise found in Ps. 103:17, which states, “But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children.”

Proverbs 17:6 is another verse on this particular topic that is near and dear to my heart. It states that “children’s children are a crown to the aged.” In the margin right next to this verse, I have lovingly and ceremoniously written the names of each of my five grandchildren and the year they were born.

Looking inward

Is your Christian faith going to impact five or more generations? Oh, I do believe that it will!

Rest in God’s promises and trust Him. Your heavenly Father will work in the hearts of your children and grandchildren, in spite of all the mistakes you made as human fathers and mothers. Unlike us, God has no grandchildren; only children. By His Spirit, He will draw them to faith in Jesus Christ. Your role, as God’s coworker in this process, is to love each of them unconditionally from day one.

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Russell E. Gehrlein (Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, Retired) is a Christian, husband, father, grandfather, and blogger. He received a B.S. in mathematics from Colorado State University and an M.A. in Biblical Studies from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. God has given him a unique career journey as a junior/high school math and science teacher, youth pastor, and service in the military. Russ has worked as a Department of the Army civilian at Fort Leonard Wood for the past 13 years. He is an ordinary man whose passion is helping other people experience God’s presence and integrate their Christian faith at work.

His first book, Immanuel Labor – God’s Presence in our Profession is A Biblical, Theological, and Practical Approach to the Doctrine of Work. Russ has written for the NCO Journal, Army Chemical Review, Campus Life, and for the Center for Army Lessons Learned. Russ has been published in Christian blogs and websites such as, Center for Faith & Work at LeTourneau University, Institute for Faith, Work & Economics, Coram Deo, Nashville Institute for Faith + Work, Made to Flourish, 4Word Women, and The Gospel Coalition. His blog, Reflections on Theological Topics of Interest, inspires him to write on a continual basis.

Article By Russell Gehrlein, and Photo By Priscilla Du Preez, Published With Permission.