A Child's Salvation

I might be in over my head in this blog but it's something on my mind. I will try to map it out with the hopes of making sense (which a lot of times I don't).

Austen is a brilliant child. I take full credit for this. If you know Stacy and I then you will know exactly where I am coming from. I learned in Psychology classes that if two parents have high IQ's then it is likely they will have a child with a low IQ. Thank God I can provide a lower IQ than Stacy so our kids will be smart (the jury is still out with Landon, it seems he has more my genes than anything...poor kid).

Austen grasps on to the stories of Jesus so easily. When Stacy and I explain to him "the things of God" (in ways you would to a 4 year old) he internalizes it and then expresses it back to us at random times. The other day we were at the dinner table and Austen busts out of nowhere, "Jesus love everybody." Of course from my wife and I we shout out a big, "hallelujah," "here, here," and a "preach brother Austen." This is the beginning knowledge of salvation, right? By no means is it the end all or the basic knowledge of salvation but it is teaching that Jesus is real and that He cares about you. I am proud my son internalizes these thing.

This stage in my sons life is exciting but it's technically a conditioned response. Salvation begins in a person when they make the choice to give their lives to Christ. How many teenagers do we know that have given their lives to Jesus at an early age, because they grew up in church, but then as a young adult they fall away from the faith.

When I see a child baptized my mind races. I know it's not my place to judge anyone but it's hard as a dad to not put myself in their shoes. The day my kids decide to place their trust in Jesus will be an exciting day but how do I know it's not a conditioned response to Stacy and my faith. I don't want to let my kids be baptized in their faith if it's really my faith they lean on. The reality is, I am going to fail my kids in my faith because I am FAR from perfect.

How many stories do we know (stories just like mine) of individuals giving their lives to Jesus at an early age but not really following Jesus till their adult life (sometimes this is 18, sometimes it's not till 40).

Maybe this child's choice (conditioned or not) is not really a choice at all but the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit. My salvation experience at age 7 was a mile stone in my life though it wasn't till 18 that I really "gave my life" to Christ. What if this "choice" is the beginning work of a foundation that will complete itself at age 18. What if this has nothing to do with us at all but all about the work of God.

The parable Jesus gave in Luke 8 (also in Matthew 13) speaks of the seeds falling on the beaten path, falling amongst the rocks, falling with among the thorns and weeds, and falling on the good soil. Maybe the responsibility of us as parents is greater than the church as ever really expressed to us. With the understanding that God is the one who is responsible for making the seed grow, we have the responsibility to represent a godly lifestyle. So as your child grows God can use your life in Christ as a catapult for the maturity (the good soil) for your child's life in Christ. A lot of discipling and a lot of prayer can set our kids up for success in understanding the one true God.

God has chosen us and given us the responsibility to grow out kids in Him. Wow, what a responsibility that I take for granted often.