4-minute read
Talking to our kids about salvation can feel so scary because we feel the weight of explaining it properly and fear our inability to accurately communicate the beauty of this incredible gift. This response is normal and, dare I say, healthy! Parent to parent, allow me to remind you that you get more than one shot. You get to have continual conversations about salvation and how to live in the light of God’s grace! This particular conversation can be clearly communicated and still have many layers, depending on age and life season.
Moments add up to hours as we continue the conversation, checking in to see if they have questions or wonderings. This layered approach communicates that you want to keep the conversation going, taking some of the pressure off to make it a picture-perfect interaction. The car is the perfect place to talk about theological questions because it gives your child the sense that it's good to ask questions openly about God. It gives them a way out of the conversation at the end of the ride, and it shows that you can talk about things like grace and salvation on a random Tuesday morning.
Our relationship with God has relational qualities we recognize in other relationships, but it is wholly unique because He is our Creator and Redeemer. We become believers when we recognize our sin, turn away from it, and place our faith in Jesus, believing that He is who He says He is and that He was resurrected just as He said He would be. At that moment, we move immediately from death—dead in our sin and unable to do anything about it—to life, an abundant and grace-filled relationship with God because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.
It is a great irony that we, as parents, try to instill a work ethic in our kids through homework and sports, yet when it comes to salvation, we can't earn it! Three essential truths help explain salvation accurately. These aren't steps we complete to earn God's favor; they help our children understand and respond to the good news of the gospel.
1. Recognize our sin and our need for a Savior.
Pray with your child as they acknowledge that they are a sinner and recognize their need for Jesus. Understanding Christ's work on the cross helps them see the story of redemption unfolding and how it includes them. Repentance means turning away from sin and turning toward God.
2. Believe in Jesus and the work He accomplished on the cross.
Belief in God is an act of faith that recognizes God as trustworthy. When we believe that Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection can change our hardened hearts, we move from death to life.
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
3. Confess Jesus as Lord.
Scripture calls us to confess with our mouths. Speaking our sin and shortcomings aloud is humbling, beautiful, and good. Follow that with a confession of faith in Jesus as the Savior of the world, our beautiful promise of salvation! Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Lastly, rejoice! Celebrate! Bless the Lord for the gospel work He has done in your child's life. This calls for ice cream!
Give thanks to God with your child through prayer, worship, and thanksgiving. Let them know this is a big deal and that you are overjoyed to journey with them as they grow in their faith. Thanks be to God!
“You are my God, and I will praise you; you are my God, and I will exalt you. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Psalm 118:28–29
