May God Save the Children

The other day my children were sitting around the living room together when my 6 year old (Griffin) began to ask about baptism and being a Christian. I had the thrill of watching my 8 year old (Cayson) walk through a tract he cherishes explaining God’s love, our separation, the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ. He discussed personal repentance and commitment followed by reading the supporting scriptures to Griffin. My oldest was doing the work of an evangelist with his brother.

We are unapologetically, narrow mindedly, and unashamedly a Christian home. I struggle with the challenge of helping my children understand they are not “born” Christians because in our house what mom and dad believe and most importantly, demonstrate, are adopted and learned by them from day one – they know nothing other than what they live (but of course, that is true in any home whether godly or not).

As a result, my children understand that God loves them because we teach them that He does. They know that Jesus is God’s son. My children know that Jesus was born in a manger, did not sin, died on the cross, and rose from the grave. Without question they say prayers of thanksgiving for blessings and concerns for others each night at bedtime. They understand the importance of the words “I’m sorry” and “will you forgive me”. They know that actions, though forgiven, still have consequences. We teach them there are appropriate ways to treat others and what it means to respect authority. We teach them to guard their eyes and behavior and regulate what they watch on TV or games that they play. We spend time explaining that not everyone believes or lives like we do and there is great importance in helping people hear truth and see it lived out practically.

We are always in the process of leading them to Jesus through deliberate and practical efforts in our child rearing. As Christian families, we are at war with culture and the battle not only includes severe finality through life but is an ongoing fight to secure victory. Families must make preemptive and counter strikes on the battlefield of our children in our culture through their families and in their families. It is critical. It is effective. It is biblical.

I have one son who is clearly a follower of Christ in the regeneration sense. He will tell you he knows exactly when he came to terms with his faith and when He asked God to save him through his faith in Jesus. It doesn’t matter if we sat down at the table for our own assurance to discuss it or baptized him several months later, he KNOWS he was in his bed alone one night when he prayed for salvation. How am I to argue against the genuine faith of a child? That day… the dynamics of my role in his life changed from leading him to that realization to discipling his growth from there.

I do not know when (or truth is, if) my other children will become regenerated believers, but I do know that they have as strong of a platform for that faith as any child could have and my responsibility as there father to guide them will never be removed. I also know that they not only have the example of their parents to look toward, but the love of an older brother who is willing and ready to help them understand.

May God save my children and lead them in the way everlasting.