A few weeks ago my five year old and
I were whispering before the church service started. I said, “Buddy, today we are taking the Lord’s Supper. You can’t have the juice and the bread this time, but when you ask Jesus into your hear…” and I stopped suddenly. My husband and I have discussed at length about how to talk to our boys about salvation. He wants to carefully avoid the phrase, “Ask Jesus into your heart.”
I have to be honest, I’ve struggle with his opinion. I clearly remember asking Jesus to live in my heart when I was six. I remember telling my mom and us praying together. I remember talking to my pastor in his office and getting baptized. But I also remember about ten years later doubting my salvation experience. I knew at six I understood wanting Jesus in my life, but did I really understand the depth of my sin and my great need for a Savior?
When Jesus taught about salvation, He certainly didn’t make it sound as easy as just “asking Jesus in your heart.” Here are some of His words:
- “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Matthew 7:14
- “And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 10:38-39
- “But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Luke 7:47
The generation we are raising needs the child-like faith that believes salvation is as easy as saying a prayer, but they also need the understanding of words like sin, grace, forgiveness, and salvation. If I can get past the simple phrase “ask Jesus into your heart” and can really help my boys understand the gift of salvation, I hope (and pray) they won’t doubt that moment like I did.
So next time the topic comes up, instead of talking about “when you ask Jesus in your heart…,” I will try to say “When you understand that you are a sinner and accept God’s forgiveness through Christ…”
Do you have any advice, especially for those of us with young children, on how to help them understand salvation?
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Excellent point and I love how you rephrased it – its still simple but the message is much clearer.
Sandra, it was as if I had written this article myself! Cameron and I have had this same conversation and try to avoid the phrase, “ask Jesus into your heart,” with our boys as well. Like you, I also doubted my salvation later on as a teenager. I want my boys to understand their decision and not ever have to doubt it later on. Parker, our almost 9-yr-old, is starting to figure it out, but I don’t think he “gets it” just yet. Thank you for sharing this!
Great post. I was never sure about my salvation when I was younger. I don’t remember ever even “asking Jesus into my heart”. I remember my baptism, but not any real discussion surrounding salvation or anything like that. I’m anxiously awaiting any comments and suggestions left here as I try to raise Godly boys myself.
Zekesmom10´s last [type] ..WINDSday
I’ve never understood the process or question of asking Jesus into one’s heart (though, admittedly, I come from a different faith tradition). The phrase doesn’t seem to have much biblical support or precedent, and the concept seems fairly vague.
Zekesmom’s remembrance of baptism is a helpful one to me. In the NT, baptism is deeply linked with conversion (Acts 2, 8, 9, 16, etc; Gal. 3; 1Peter 3; …), discipleship, and death to self and sinful life (Romans 6). It also provides a strong metaphor and parallel to Jesus’ own death, submission to God, and resurrection into new life.
We try to frame the discussion with our boys as a decision to reorient their lives around the Kingdom rather than mental assent to a need for a savior. I find it easier to explain and expound on the need to be a faithful disciple than to invite Jesus into their heart.
Love this! I have a 12yo boy who ‘asked Jesus into his heart’ when he was 5…and later on he had know idea exactly what he did. I think your phrase ‘When you understand that you are a sinner and accept God’s forgiveness through Christ’ is MUCH better. I work with teenagers and even they need to know that it is their SIN that separates. Sometimes people just want to use the Savior as a ‘get out of jail free’ card so to speak. They MUST understand the reason they need a Savior and that is because of their SIN! Well done!
I have always found that phrase to be a bit trite… but haven’t really found a better way to explain it..I would love to hear suggestions from other parents.
Sandra,
I really appreciate this post. I, too, remember “asking Jesus into my heart,” but in the last few years I’ve really come to doubt the wisdom of using those words. If you compare just the syntax of it, it sounds a whole lot like a lot of new-agey type phraseology. That’s only one of my concerns. I think the idea of it is often too feminine for guys. And since you’re talking about boys, that’s why I bring it up. Even in Scripture, when the heart is mentioned it usually is talking about the seat of the will, not the emotions. Another concern is that the phrase is really churchy. And as long-time church-going Christians or someone who’s simply never heard it put any other way, we say it a lot. I just doesn’t communicate the nature of the decision, in my opinion. And that’s the biggest thing to me, that it is a decision. I do believe even young children can understand sin and their need for salvation. As we grow and mature, hopefully our understanding of our sin and our need for salvation grows too. But their needs to be a specific point of decision to transfer ownership of our lives to Christ and giving up our own desires to follow Him obediently. That, too, can be a growing understanding and level of obedience, but the conscious decision comes first. All that being said, I like your response to your son. It is truthful and it keeps the door open for more conversation. Kudos!
This is something my husband and I talk about frequently, so please forgive me while I step on my nerdy soap box for a second.
I understand the desire you have to teach your child about the gospel in a way that will stick until adulthood. It’s a good and important thing to do.
I’m not sure you realize that to teach your child that they must “understand that you are a sinner and accept God’s forgiveness through Christ…” you are teaching them a gospel that has it’s only power in shame.
Think about it. If the gospel story only has power if you know that you are bad then in order to teach it to your children you must first make them feel bad. You must shame them in order to for the gospel to be good news to them.
May I suggest a different approach?
First, God was always forgiving, long before Jesus, God was always forgiving. Read the old testament. What Jesus did was set us free, bought us back, (That’s what redeem actually means) and gave us His spirit so we have his power to not return to the bondage that sin kept us in.
So first, don’t tell your kids that God was angry at you because you were bad but then he killed his son whom he loved so now he doesn’t have to be mad at you any more. One, that isn’t the case, and two, it’s not the kind of guy they are going to want to talk to, and three, this is the kind of thing they will have a problem with when they grow up and question their faith. (Former youth worker here, I know what I’m talking about.)
Jesus willingly offered himself in exchange for all of us, to set us all free. When we invite him in we are asking him to put his life into us, so that we can, right now, be participants with him in his kingdom, and with him do the work of redeeming the world, which was our original job before we ate the apple and lost the life of his spirit. That’s an exciting reason to be following him.
The gospel isn’t about sin management, it’s about being fully human and fully alive. And that’s something even a 5 year old can understand.
I would say this with the juice and the cup, and I do to my kids “here, this is to remember that Jesus gave himself to set us free, and make it so we have the power to live righteously. Let’s ask him again, right now, to give us his spirit and help us to love him and others today, and every day. Because we will need his help.”
There are stages of realizing grace. Don’t make your kids wait for a magical crisis moment to learn that they can ask for help to live righteously. DOnt’ teach them that they need a crisis moment that they remember to truly be “saved”. Many children raised in Christian homes remember walking with God from birth. Isn’t that infinitely better?
Carrien, you are RIGHT ON POINT!!! Read all of your comments and I couldn’t have said it any better. Law vs. Grace. The law was abolished when Jesus went to the cross. GRACE!!!!
Thank you for pointing us back to scripture, and in context for that matter.
Judy D.´s last [type] ..Taking a sick day
Thank you for the wonderful words. You have summed up the words I have struggled with. We faced this issue recently when our 6 year old came to us and wanted to be baptized. Problem was, our pastors didn’t want to baptize him because of his age. This sent my husband and me on a search of our own about what, exactly, the bible does say about salvation and baptism. Does it say you have to have a certain level of knowledge to receive His grace? It came down to, our son understood his need for a Savior and why Jesus came to this earth. He will continue to grow and mature in his walk, just as all Christian’s do. It’s not about a “crisis” moment. We have since found a new church home because the whole situation did cause a bit of a crisis moment for my husband and I and it’s not something I want to repeat and have doubts about with our youngest son. (Having been baptized at the age of 8 myself, I felt like I was being told I couldn’t have truly understood enough to be baptized at that age, when I have never had any doubts about my own salvation.)
” There are stages of realizing grace. Don’t make your kids wait for a magical crisis moment to learn that they can ask for help to live righteously. DOnt’ teach them that they need a crisis moment that they remember to truly be “saved”. Many children raised in Christian homes remember walking with God from birth. Isn’t that infinitely better?”
So true! Grammatically, “asking Jesus into your heart” is what I’ve told my boys is a “couch potato mentality” – meaning it’s very one sided. Jesus is doing all the work in a very one-sided way. In reality, we are called to a convenant relationship similar to a Lord and his vassal (us being the vassal). We pledge ourselves to him, to uphold his values, protect his people, support his people and to honor him – and then he fulfills his side of the convenant (healing, provision, leadership, salvation et al). Being in relationship to the trinity is action-based – prayer, seeking time, reading His word, standing on faith, understanding – and helping our neighbors).
bluecottonmemory´s last [type] ..Literally Holding Boys Back
I have always avoided the “ask Jesus into your heart” phrasing just because it sounds like you are doing Him a favor…inviting Him in. I never want my kids to forget that we serve a Holy and Omnipotent God…yes, He stands at the door and knocks but He also hung on a cross for everyone to live eternally and that act deserves our unending gratitude and respect.
I also agree with one of the previous commenters that I don’t think the traditional salvation prayer is biblical as much as the way we have always done it during altar calls, etc.
Bottom line is that boys need to be taught how to have a personal relationship with God as their Heavenly Father, Savior and friend. It is a relationship that will grow as they do.
This is an excellent post! I have really had to re-train myself in using this type of language too! I ‘prayed the prayer’ at the age of 20 and though I understood it on a surface level, I questioned my decision many times. It wasn’t until 13 years later that I finally truly got the depth of it all and stopped doubting. (and that was also after hitting the mission field AS A MISSIONARY.) -yes you read that correctly.
A lot of the doubting was owed to legalistic preaching. I could never measure up to what I was ‘supposed to be’ in THEIR eyes. I am thankful God revealed his TRUTH to me and helped me realize I was to fear Him not them.
I fell into that trap with my own daughter and pushed her to pray at the age of 5, thankfully she has reconfirmed her decision over the years. I struggle with using that phrase, “you’re not doing —- you better CHECK YOUR SALVATION.” I heard it too much and that only serves to put doubt in your mind and push legalistic, work-based salvation.
Sharon´s last [type] ..Amazing Grace- Penny Whistles- and Bagpipes
Interesting conversation.
I’ve worked with kids all my life and I think that sometimes we as adults have to make everything more difficult. We worry about the terminology we use as if we could stand in the way of an all powerful God.
We want to gloss God over as though He is only love and see only grace, not the depravity of who we are without a Savior. If we aren’t ashamed of how we are/were why do we need salvation? God’s wrath is not focused at us individually but as mankind because of one man’s sin. We were born sinful and in need of a Savior.
We say oh don’t worry about ….God is love, He doesn’t mind…we don’t want you to feel ashamed. The bible clearly says that God is holy just, & righteous, He HATES sin regardless of who has sinned. John 3:36 (NIV) “Whoever puts his faith in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see that life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” God does love every single person, but He cannot ignore our sinful nature. Those who believe in Christ have had the “wages” of sin paid for…those who don’t will have to pay for themselves.
We cannot save ourselves so in a way our salvation is one sided. Nothing we do, good or bad, will make God loves us any more or any less or make us have any less need for a Savior. He has fulfilled His part of the covenant, we now are obligated to fulfill ours.
It is hard to talk about salvation with kids in terms they understand. The need for a Savior, the need for salvation, the gift of salvation, the evidence of salvation, sharing of salvation.
Please don’t miss the opportunity to talk to your kids or anyone about Jesus because you are afraid of using Christianese…or the wrong words. The Holy Spirit is there to help us and to fill in our inadequacies in the tender heart of someone seeking salvation.
Perhaps it is a bit different on a farm, but you can see how God’s creation is part of life on a daily basis, we can build from day one that relationship and understand that He created us and He loves us. Redemption, forgiveness, sin, grace and above all love are taught as we grow in a relationship with God, as we lead our young son to be able to have a child like faith and a mature relationship with Jesus.
We don’t ask Him into our hearts, He IS our heart. We don’t ask Him to ‘join our lives’, He IS the reason we have life.
When I was younger I was often confused by the ‘Ask Jesus into your heart” because it seemed He was already there or why else would I have sought Him? I needed Him in other places, every other place, in my life with peace, grace, love, redemption and more love. I needed, craved and cried for something MORE.
Great responses, and I’m honoured that God thought me worthy enough to be mother to one of His children, and I’m so pleased when I hear my son making songs for God and Jesus just because, “I love them Mama!”
Shanyn´s last [type] ..God Speaks When Eagles Soar
Interesting points. As a rededicated Christian that feels like quite the babe in Christ, I struggle to explain “asking Jesus into your heart” when the kiddos clearly already have him in their hearts and little minds. So how is that different than where they are right now? Raised as a Roman Catholic (now a practicing Baptist) it’s all very new to me. I like the direction this article suggests taking.
Jamie (va_grown)´s last [type] ..Some Hard Won Sewing Wisdom
Love this post, Sandra – I have wrestled with how we explain salvation to children for YEARS. I’ve tried to avoid the “in your heart” phrase, too- I think it’s vague and confusing to concrete thinkers, not to mention not terribly Biblically founded. Definitely agree with you that Jesus’ description is a lot different than our typical evangelical phrasing…
I firmly believe that AG understands and trusts Jesus for her salvation – but I can’t necessarily give a date that she “prayed a prayer.” I think it’s been a gradual process of understanding and belief. She’s asked Jesus/thanked Him for washing away her sin multiple times – which one do I write in her Bible flap? I’m just trusting that only God knows when understanding, faith, accountability, etc. intersect!
I think it’s interesting that when Paul talks to Timothy, he says that he is “persuaded” that true faith now lives in Timothy, also. He doesn’t give him a date that he went forward for an altar call or said a certain prayer – he has examined the pattern of Timothy’s life and belief and is convinced that Timothy’s faith is genuine.
Sorry for the book…
Sometimes a story can’t be brief.
One Christmas each member of my family received a uniquely and individually designed wrapping around a simple Hershey candy bar. My husband’s was in the frig, for later. At some point, our 5 year-old daughter got into her father’s candy-because she had immediately devoured her own and found herself unsatisfied. Overridden with guilt, she came to me in sobs, afraid of the punishment that might lie ahead of such a serious crime (in her eyes…). I thought it would be a good opportunity to teach her about the Covering of God’s Grace. I told her that she was forgiven of her transgression, and she promised to never do such a heinous crime again. I told her then that I would replace his candy bar with mine, sliding mine out of my wrapper and into his, just as Jesus replaced us with Himself on the Cross, His blood covering our sins. And her father would never know she had stolen from him. I thought all the bases were covered: remorse, confession, repentance, forgiveness, sacrifice, living changed. Nothing more was said until her father came home, where she ran to meet him at the door, falling at his feet in tears with “Daddy, daddy, I’m so sorry I ate your candy bar!” Always a lover of Jesus, she knew more about this relationship of unconditional love at five than I did at 35.
She didn’t need to ever ask Him into her heart, because He had always been there. She did, at the age of six, make her own call to be immersed in baptism simply because she believed that was what He wanted her to do. Her brother, witness to this entire event, followed her in a matter of days. At 19 and 22, they still carry Him within their being, still following, still confessing, still loving.
The moral of this story? Why ask them to do something they are already doing? No place in Scripture do I read where this asking Him to come into your heart in prayer exists. It’s cultural, IMO, and confusing to one who has believed and loved from birth. Learning to confess a wrong, finding unconditional love and forgiveness is critical to understanding this Christ Whom we follow.
Agreed. In theory, anyone could “ask Jesus to come into their heart” or their lives, their mind, whatever, just to feel good, just to add another lucky charm to their life, without ever repenting and putting their hope and trust in Christ…
ali @ an ordinary mom´s last [type] ..Saturday Snapshots 120410
My friend always told her little girl that Jesus lived in her heart. One day she found her daughter with a pair of scissors and she was unbuttoning her shirt. She asked her 4 year old daughter what she was doing and the girl said, “Cutting Jesus out of my heart!”
It was a couple years ago that she told me that but I’ve never forgotten, and if only for that reason I will never use that wording! It does seem strange. Especially to a child. Why WOULDN’T they think that a tiny Jesus was actually hanging out in their hearts?? That’s why I think Catechism can be so important. One of the first questions in the Westminster catechism is: What is God? He is Spirit. I think we need to be teaching our kids these things from an early age.
I think the “ask Jesus into your heart” comes from Revelation 3:20, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” I know he doesn’t specifically say “door of your heart”, but the idea is that Jesus IS standing at the door of your life and waiting for your to invite Him in. So, although the phrasing can be confusing for kids, I don’t think it’s inappropriate. But there are MANY confusing concepts for kids…how can Jesus be here and in heaven? how can he and the Father be one? How can the HS be in our lives and is He the same as Jesus? How can He be God and be a baby in a manger? How did he heal people with a word? It’s the same questions adults have.
As a former Children’s Pastor (which doesn’t make me an expert, I’ve just talked to more kids/parents than the average bear), I think there is NO way to explain it w/complete clarity. Because if we admit it, WE don’t understand it all. We have a relationship w/God because we love Him and can’t live w/o him, not b/c we’re so smart and all our questions are answered!
We sometimes forget that GOD is the one wooing our kids. It’s not up to us to get all the words and theology right. It’s up to us to introduce our kids to His love and laws. God will woo them. He will convict them and if they say the sinner’s prayer, or jump up and down during a worship song and say, “Jesus, you are my best friend!” or quietly weep on their beds and say, “I need you, Jesus”, it’s the heart and the intent that Jesus hears and understands.
I want my daughter (4yo) to pray that “sinner’s prayer” but I also know how deeply she loves Jesus and how she wants to honor him. Soon, she will be asking me why and how and when she can make her relationship “official”. But as with any relationship, there is growth and development. As parents, we are to facilitate that with our kids and Jesus. And not “look down” on them because they are young–but to set them up to know and love and understand God!
Great post–thanks for a good discussion! And keeping this question and idea in the forefront of our minds!
a
wow. that was super long. sorry.
My husband and I also stay away from the “ask Jesus in your heart” phrase. For many of the reasons given here. It’s not something we see modeled by Jesus, the disciples, or apostles in the Bible. Jesus’ usual response was more along the lines of “Go, your faith has made you well” (Mt 8:5-13; Lk 17:11-19; Lk 8:40-48).
I think the danger in the “ask Jesus in your heart,” even with adults, is that it can give a false security. It’s not the praying of a prayer that saves you, it’s faith in Jesus Christ as the crucified and risen Son of God that saves you. I’ve met plenty of adults and children who’ve “asked Jesus in their heart” and they think that’s all they ever have to do. A life of faith isn’t a single instance marked on a timeline…it’s continual and growing.
In our family, we teach our son about Jesus’ sacrifice and that he died to pay the price for our sins. I fully believe that a child can understand the concept of atonement.
It may need to be broken down in terms they can better comprehend, but if they can understand that if they broke something in a store and their parents have to pay for that then they can begin to understand that sin also needs to be paid for.
And I don’t think that telling children (or anyone) that they are a sinner is shaming. If we heap condemnation and give no hope for the sinner, then yes. But the Bible clearly states over and over again that we’re all sinners and all sin is offensive to God and that we cannot have a right relationship with Him as unrepentant sinners.
Sin reveals our need for God, and when are kids sin it’s an opportunity to show them that they need God. I don’t think we should give them an assurance of salvation (as in Jesus has always been with you) when they haven’t been redeemed. That can be an equally or even more so dangerous assumption to build a life upon. We present the Gospel, but they have to believe on their own…we cannot believe for them.
***Whew…sorry that was so long! Too many thoughts!***
Jessica´s last [type] ..Promises Hanging
I’m guessing you are replying to my comment. So I’ll try and clarify a few things.
First,
I didn’t say that telling your kids that they are sinners is shaming. I said that if you tell them they can’t truly be saved until they realize they are sinful and accept grace you are teaching them a gospel that has it’s only power in shame. If the good news of Christ’s coming is only that he forgives us our sins, that’s a really, really small view of what was going on, and focusing on the least important aspect of Jesus work of redemption, of the whole world.
Imagine if you based you relationship with your children on a single moment when they disobeyed and you forgave them. Imagine if you said that before that moment they weren’t truly your child, or part of your family, because they first needed to realize that they were capable of doing bad things before they could really appreciate how much you love them in order to forgive them. Imagine if you expected them, their whole lives, to relate to you based on that one moment where you forgave them and to remember and dwell on that.
That would be completely messed up and unhealthy. Yet, this is what you think you need to tell children about God? “You, being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more your father in heaven?”
Second,
“I don’t think we should give them an assurance of salvation (as in Jesus has always been with you) when they haven’t been redeemed. That can be an equally or even more so dangerous assumption to build a life upon.”
Ummmm… I’m so shocked I don’t know where to begin. THe Bible I read says that the work of the cross redeemed us all. Jesus said, “It is finished.” He already saved all of us, 2000 years ago, there’s nothing left to be said about that. He redeemed the whole cosmos.
So it’s a very safe assumption to base a life upon, that Jesus did in fact redeem us. We are all redeemed, we are all part of GOd’s family, we are all his children. It’s our choice whether we want to enter into his house and participate in his Kingdom/family or whether we choose, as the prodigal did, to travel to the far country and squander our inheritance. But the father never stops watching for our return, and he never stops being the father.
I teach my children to assume that God is about saving people, because he is. I teach them that he always wants to love and save, because he does. I teach them that if they want to be saved that is God’s spirit in them already working them toward himself. Because it is. The work of the cross is finished. We only get to say yes or no.
We talk about Jesus being the “boss” of your life. We have a 4 1/2 daughter who can tend to be very bossy so she understood what that meant. I also have a friend who talks to her kids about having God be “in control.” You can read more about my little girl’s salvation experience at our blog http://www.irbyroad.com and the article name is “God Uses Little One, pt. 1″
Taylor´s last [type] ..Goodbye Shannon- Hello Jacksons and SNOW!
Thank you for writing this as I have struggled with how to go about telling not only my kids but my kindergarten class about salvation and what it means in a way that is clear to them.
Thank you for the post! I’m learning so much from the article and the discussion! This has been a hard concept for me, coming from a Catholic background, and now practicing in a Baptist church and being newly re-dedicated to my faith.
My children clearly already have a heart for Jesus and love him and understand about him, so how is “letting him into your heart” different from where they are right now? The idea from the article is so much better! I think it’s just the beginning of the discussion though, which Sandra indicated with the “…” I think part of this issue is that you can’t fit an understanding of salvation in a neat little one line package, the discussion has to continue.
I would consider the discussion of “living your life for God” or letting God “lead your life” a primary next sentence in the explanation. Salvation is just the beginning. I don’t think you can say they are “saved” until you’re sure they understand that it’s much more than just this moment. It’s a completed dedication of their future as well.
Jamie (va_grown)´s last [type] ..Some Hard Won Sewing Wisdom
I really liked the comments of Zeke’s mom and Luke. I know there were other good ones, too, but didn’t get to read the others.
Luke is right, “ask Jesus into your heart” isn’t in the Bible. It is a formula we have. The Bible speaks of obedience, friendship and relationship. 2 Thess. 1:8 speaks of those who will be punished who “do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
But, that verse doesn’t negate the idea of wanting Christ in our hearts! In fact, it puts some real spark into seeing that we do all we can.
I like the idea of the baptism ceremony. For years our church made a big deal out of the kids’ baptisms: a reading before the ceremony, talking about relationship with Christ and brothers and sisters, and often a dinner afterwards (usually Pizza Hut!). We wanted the kids to look back years later and remember that something special happened that day. They were united with Christ, clothed with him (Galatians 3:27).
There is a lot to think about here. Thanks for sparking some great discussion!
Warren
Well, I’m certainly no expert here – my children are *still* young, and we haven’t necessarily seen the fruit yet of much of what we’ve done with them. But, with that said…
We have our children memorize verses, and we talk about theological ideas, that we don’t worry too much about whether they’re “over their heads.” Which is not to say that we don’t ever talk about things in terminology we think they’ll understand now – because we do – but we believe it’s important to plant those “deeper” concepts in their hearts so they’re already there to draw on when they develop the mental capacity to understand it. And some of these are things that fairly young children actually *can* understand – if they meditate on them regularly. I don’t think my children know John 3:16. They’re familiar with it, but I don’t know that they have it memorized. (Memorizing John 3:16 isn’t a bad thing; we just haven’t done that yet!) But they know 2 Corinthians 5:21: “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” IMO, that sums up the Gospel!
BTW, I have to completely disagree with Carrie that an emphasis on our sin is bad because it “teaches our children a shame-filled gospel”. Without a very clear recognition of our own sinfulness, redemption is meaningless. That’s why Jesus emphasized the need to “REPENT, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,” and why Paul talked about the importance of the law.
Rachel R.´s last [type] ..Our Christmas Tree part 2
“Repent” or the Greek word “metanoia” that we translate as “repent”, does not mean feel sorry for the bad stuff you do, know how bad you are, or feel remorse for your badness. That is something we in english have attached to a greek word that most literally translates think differently or change your mind. It has no inherent relationship to sin. None.
When Jesus says, “repent for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” He’s not talking about sin (as in the bad stuff we do) at all. He says that on the heels of healing the sick, casting out demons and the like and then announces: “think differently, change your mind, the Kingdom of Heaven is within reach of your hand, nothing is as you thought it was. The Kingdom has in fact finally come near, see, I am standing right next to you. Change your mind: believe that I am truly the presence of the Kingdom of God.”
“Without a very clear recognition of our own sinfulness, redemption is meaningless.” I’m sorry, I think that I haven’t been as clear as I’d like to be. I am not trying to debate the importance of the forgiveness of sin. I’m simply trying to say that it’s only part of the story and that if the gospel you teach your children focuses only on that part of the story there’s a good chance that it is not a gospel your children will choose to take into adulthood. I applaud everyone here for their desire to impart true faith to their children. I simply comment in an effort to give tools to do that. My comments from my experience in mentoring disillusioned and ex-Christians.
I LOVE the “Jesus in my heart” imagery, and my 3yo is fascinated with it, also. I don’t think there is any perfect age or time when we fully understand salvation on this earth – I’m 37 and still struggle with its application daily.
“When you understand that you are a sinner and accept God’s forgiveness through Christ…” sounds far more difficult for me to explain to my child. And it’s still only a glimpse of the full picture.
Yes, she knows she does wrong and is disciplined regularly. She KNOWS God loves her, no matter what, though sometimes He is sad about what she does. She LOVES Jesus with all her heart, regardless of its size. As she gets older, more and more pieces will fit together. But I want her to know, right here and now, that Jesus has died for her and will forgive ANYTHING she does and will take her home with Him. Nothing thrills me more than hearing from her lips how Jesus lives in her heart.
I think the problem you’re mentioning has to do with the idea that asking Jesus into your heart is a one-off experience. It is a MOMENT BY MOMENT experience! God has predestined all to be saved, but it is up to us to accept that salvation, moment by moment.
Mozi Esmes Mom´s last [type] ..Messages
This brings up a hot button issue in our personal lives. My husband and I have friends who disagree vehemently with us on this issue, so I understand if you do also. But here goes:
Let me start off by saying that no one in the history of mankind ever received eternal life by asking Jesus into their heart.
I must have asked Jesus into my heart a dozen times. It can be very confusing, which is why people continue to do it. There is no assurance.
I have three sons and I will never have them do that. I want them to be sure of their salvation, not question it for the rest of their lives.
Jesus, not once in all his interactions, ever led a person to ask Him into their hearts. Niether did any of the apostles. A person gets eternal life by believing in Jesus. (John 1:12-13,3:16,5:24,6:47)
When the jailer of acts 16 fell to his knees and said, “Sirs what must I do to be saved?” Paul did not respond with, “You need to ask jesus into your heart and you shall be saved.” He said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”
So while you state “Don’t just ask Jesus into your heart”. I would recommend not to ask him in at all when you are sharing the gospel of salvation.
I really do believe that salvation is simple, it’s theology that muddles it up. Yes,even for a child. Salvation is a “free gift”, it is discipleship that costs everything. And not everyone who believes is a disciple, though they are still children of God.
Do I want my children to become disciples? Absolutely. But they will know that with every stumble and failure in their christian walk, their relationship with their Savior is secure, it’s their fellowship that will be damaged.
That’s why Jesus is standing at the door in Rev. 3. He wants fellowship with those who have believed in his name, but have failed to become his disciples.
Thank you so much for your insight and I am loving this website.
Judy D.´s last [type] ..Taking a sick day
I appreciate this post and all the comments. The Bible is clear in John 3:3, “No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” I take this to mean there must be a time when a person is born again. And, the Bible is also clear that we must repent and believe. Repenting means being convicted of our sin and turning completely from it while trusting Jesus as our Savior, knowing He paid the price for our sins. This is all it takes because He did the work on the cross. All we bring is our sinfulness. The ability to repent and believe even comes from Him. When I talk to my 5 year-old we talk about salvation as “knowing and loving Jesus.” We talk about the cross and Jesus dying for our sins, but he’s not ready yet for more. I know my God will pursue him in His timing. I need to be faithful to share truth. My prayer is that God will give him the ability to say “yes” to Him in His time. Salvation is all about Jesus. Adding any action on my part, other than saying “yes,” cheapens His sacrifice.
For about a week now, my son has been asking questions. We have talked to him his whole life about salvation. But we are between pastors and he visited his grandmother’s church last week. He came home and said that he was starting to understand the salvation thing. He said(his words here) that before there had been a barrier, and that it was starting to break through. We had some good discussions, and at one point I asked if he was ready, and he said that he didnt think that it was far away. I sent a prayer request to my cousin Lindsay, a true believer, and she also prayed for him along with myself and my husband. Yesterday, we returned to his grandmother’s church. They had a visiting minister who spoke of salvation and confession. At the end of the sermon, I saw my son gripping the bench and praying. He looked up and said that he had asked Jesus in his heart and thought he had been saved. His eyes were so different. We took him up front, after he said that his heart had felt funny, and that now he was so happy. He made the good confession. He cried and I cried, and I believe with all my heart he was genuine. As we were riding to grandma’s house, I told him to make sure he had repented of his sins. He prayed, and did so with faith. He was SO happy. His grandma had told him that what he needed to do was to ask Jesus in his heart. But I believe he had been wanting to make the decision all week, and when she told him to, he thought that was it. If you could have seen his eyes! Last night, I read with him from Romans about confession and salvation, also stressing that he needs to be baptised soon, which he knows. I told him I wanted to make sure we had all bases covered. I asked him did he know he was a sinner, and without missing a beat, he said that yes, we were born sinners. I asked him if he had repented of his sin, and he said yes, awhile ago in the car. I asked him if he believed Jesus was who he said He was, and led him in a prayer. He dedicated his life to Christ/ My son understood that Jesus died for our sins. He understands that Jesus is the Son of God, and did not question. He repented of his sin. And during that Church service yesterday, he understood more of his decision than the simple asking of Jesus in his heart. I believe that those were the words he thought he had to say to cement a decision that he made, and that God knew he was making yesterday morning in church. The act of surrender and acceptance meant more to him, and I think, to Christ, than simple words. He believed. And right before I closed his door last night, I asked him, did you commit your life to Christ? And without even having to think, he said yes,it(my life) isnt mine anymore. I believe he understood that in Church when he asked Jesus into his heart.
Was this just a case of me making things more complicated when it was, and is so simple? He meant it in Church, and he meant it last night, and my boy is saved. I know that there is more to it than asking Jesus into your heart, but I think Connor surrendered, and I think God touched his heart. What a day.
How exciting Diana! Praising God with you for the work in your son’s life! Thank you for sharing.
Sandra´s last [type] ..Warrior Prayers