I recently had a conversation with a child about being a Christian. They were frustrated because they felt like they did not know anyone who was a believer. I asked, “What about your parents?” “They are not Christians,” the child replied. I knew these parents really well and knew they were, in fact, very faithful Christians. But you see this child had never been told the story about how their parents came to faith in Jesus. Children are such literal thinkers, and unless we have told them something they are likely to not understand it. The same is true for our conversion experience. Does your child know you have been saved by Jesus?
I can think of many children that have no idea how their parents came to know Christ. The children know their parents believe, however, they are not sure what drew them into a relationship with Jesus. Your story of salvation is also a part of your child’s story of salvation. Therefore, telling them how you met Jesus makes salvation real to them. The more they hear your story about salvation, the more they are likely to experience their own story of salvation. It is one thing for a Pastor to stand in the pulpit on Sunday mornings and talk about coming to faith in Christ, but when your children hear the story of how you came to faith in Christ, it becomes more meaningful to them. This allows the children to grasp what life is like without Christ, to realize their own lostness. But more importantly they get to hear how Christ changed you, and how you are now a new person. All of a sudden salvation becomes more real to them. This can be the beginning of a continual spiritual conversation in the household.
Children should never have to assume their parents are Christians. Parents should tell them confidently. After all, the home was the first vessel God created for discipleship.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9 says, “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
Over and over in the book of Judges a generation arose who did not know the Lord, because the previous generation failed to share their faith with the children. How will your children know unless you tell them? How will we lead others to Christ if our own children are unsure of how we came to faith in Jesus.
After the nation of Israel crossed the Jordan River to enter the promised land for the first time, the first thing Joshua commanded the people was to make a memorial of stones.
Joshua 4:6-7 says, “that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”
Parents were created to pass their faith story on to their children. It is the way God designed it to be. Tell your children. Tell them you were a sinner in need of a savior. Tell them you were hopeless without the saving grace of a loving God. Tell them you were lost and in darkness until you found the light of Christ. Tell them without the love of Christ you would be nothing. Tell them you have committed your life to making Jesus Lord of your life. Tell them you strive daily to serve and worship him. Tell them you mess up. Tell them you need grace daily. Tell them you are thankful for the grace of Jesus. Tell them. They will thank you for it!
