12/23/16 WHY WE SHOULD LEAD CHILDREN TO CHRIST (and the sooner the better).
God saves children. I am not referring to His sovereign and benevolent act of atonement for all pre-born babies or new born babies or infants; I am talking about His redeeming act of salvation for children who have rebelled against God and then sought reconciliation.
Yes, I said, "reconciliation." No, a child will probably not know the word, and he will not be able to explain the theology of the doctrine of reconciliation, but being reconciled to God is exactly what happens when a child gets saved. A child who has godly sorrow for sinning does not simply seek forgiveness. A child who is truly sorry for his disobedience to God wants to please God, and this means, STOP DISOBEYING GOD.
There are various advantages in getting saved at an early age, but let me also mention something that might be overlooked.
Getting saved as a child will shape a person's attitude and point of view and habits, which determine the kind of adult that child becomes.
Obviously getting saved as a child can save that child from
becoming a slave to various sins that will destroy him/her.
Obviously getting saved as a child will help that child mature without the baggage of a mind cluttered with sinful images and ideas.
Obviously getting saved as a child gives a person a greater amount of time and more opportunities to develop his spiritual and moral and social standards and relationships.
Obviously getting saved as a child provides more time to serve God and share Christ with others.
But getting saved as a child can save a person from attitudinal and world view corruption. For instance...
* A saved child will not allow deceit to fill his life. If a child is deceitful, sneaky, duplicitous, then he will probably continue to be the same as an adult, but to a greater degree. Also, the adult will find it progressively more difficult to turn from his dishonesty.
* A saved child will not allow anger or hatred or meanness to fill his life. If a child is angry, then he will probably continue to be the same as an adult, but to a greater degree. Also, the adult will find it progressively more difficult to turn from his anger and hatred and meanness.
* A saved child will not allow selfishness to fill his life. If a child is self oriented, then he will probably continue to be the same as an adult, but to a greater degree. Also, the adult will find it progressively more difficult to turn from his self will.
* A saved child will not allow negativity to fill his life. If a child is negative, then he will probably continue to be the same as an adult, but to a greater degree. Also, the adult will find it progressively more difficult to turn from his negativity.
* A saved child will not allow perversity to fill his life. If a child is twisted, then he will probably continue to be the same as an adult, but to a greater degree. Also, the adult will find it progressively more difficult to turn from his deviance.
* A saved child will not allow arrogance to fill his life. If a child is prideful, then he will probably continue to be the same as an adult, but to a greater degree. Also, the adult will find it progressively more difficult to turn from his exaggerated self esteem.
* A saved child will not allow selfishness to fill his life. If a child is self oriented, then he will probably continue to be the same as an adult, but to a greater degree. Also, the adult will find it progressively more difficult to turn from his selfishness.
* A saved child will not allow resistance to authority to fill his life. If a child is rebellious, then he will probably continue to be the same as an adult, but to a greater degree. Also, the adult will find it progressively more difficult to turn from his lawlessness.
* A saved child will not follow a false Christ, or a false spirit or a false revelation. If a child is a follower of false doctrine, then he will probably continue to be the same as an adult, but to a greater degree. Also, the adult will find it progressively more difficult to turn from his false religion.
These are just a few examples of the importance of letting Christ form a child into the adult that God wants him to be.
A salvation that only forgives us of our sins is no salvation at all.
A salvation that only forgives a child of his/her sins is no salvation at all.
God not only wants to forgives us of our sins, but He wants to, "lead us not into temptation" (He wants to lead us away from temptation) and form us into the person we were meant to be, and the sooner we start, the better.
