Coffehouse: What are advantages and disadvantages of being raised in a Christian home?

I'm slow getting this posted, and unfortunately don't have time to answer right now, but wanted to hear others' thoughts.

There is a biblical blessing that attends righteous parents, passed on to generations, a blessing of special protection and attention from God. The child of such a home is participant in the grace given to the parents, a partaker of their salvation, and first-hand witness to effective sanctification. Such a child has a correct frame of reference in which to place their own need for salvation, and the education that imparts that knowledge that salvation is needed.

The disadvantage would be that an incorrect understanding of the salvation relationship may lead to a child assuming their own salvation, or presuming upon the grace that belongs to the parents.

The parable of the Prodigal comes immediately to mind as an example of the attendant risks and blessings of a godly home.

I was not raised in a Christian home, and I think there were both advantages and disadvantages to that.

The biggest advantage that I have seen for me is that I was able to truly "work out my own salvation with fear and trembling," coming into faith as an adult (well, 17- or 18- year old) without any preconceived notions about denominations or doctrine. This enabled me to pull from all of the great streams of Christian thought throughout the ages and across denominations. It was also nice to not have to overcome the simplistic VBS and Sunday School ideas that are all over the American church.

Obviously there are advantages to being raised in a Christian home -- my wife was, and obviously my daughter is.

I am a homeschooler, raised by Christian parents. This is a question that I constantly think about.
I've found that in my faith, I don't get as emotional in my convictions as, say, someone who was saved during a time of trouble. I am able to understand my faith, and why it matters. But certain aspects aren't as vivid in my mind and heart.(Say, the idea of Christ saving me from my sin. If I didn't know better, I might not know that I needed to be saved.).
Also, I don't know the taste of true despair. This might have to do with me being so young. But I can see how the feeling of being saved from a real, physical evil can make your conviction to fight it much stronger.
I also know that being raised in a Christian home could make you biased. You have the potential to believe certain things simply because you were taught them. This means that you might never look at your position, challenge it with the statements of the opposing view, dig out the flaws in your arguments, and refine your beliefs so they actually represent Truth.
Nevertheless, I am happy where I am. God has given me a blessed life, that will help me Glorify Him. I wouldn't be who I am without it. But like everything in this flawed world, I acknowledge that there are barriers that I must hurdle over, so that I may do my best, no matter what it takes.

litera9 wrote:If I didn't know better, I might not know that I needed to be saved.

I can relate to this thought. Especially when I get caught in the mentality of comparing my "goodness" to that of others. But in recent years, the more time I spend analyzing my thought life, my motives and the subconscious reasons for making the mundane decisions I do, the more I see that my state is a hopeless one outside the promise of Christ to one day rid me completely of all traces of sin.

As I've been reminded in the current study of Romans, I can't even purely conceive of what absolute and genuine good IS, let alone live it out consistently! I'm broken in ways I can't even detect! Whew! Thank you Jesus for saving me!

And thanks for your thoughts, litera9!