Children and Salvation
QUESTION
My question has to do with the practical implications of teaching young children about God's sovereignty in regards to salvation. I am part of a church and school community where we teach that salvation is a one-sided work of God, but the practical result, sadly, is a great deal of passivity and the attitude (not necessarily expressed, but alive nonetheless) that, "If salvation is a one-sided work of God and I can do nothing towards my own salvation, then I might as well live as I please, because God will convert me if that is what He has decreed to do, and if not, there is nothing I can do about it." I gather you have children of your own. Could you explain how to teach young children about the sovereignty of God without fostering an attitude of hopeless despair or passivity? (Anonymous)
ANSWER
First off, thanks for taking a moment to reach out. I’m encouraged to hear that you have an interest in teaching children. Being a father of three, I have some experience and interest in that domain as well. The question you raise regarding the practical implications of teaching God’s sovereignty in salvation to children is one that the apostle Paul fully anticipated would attend a proper teaching of salvation by grace, not just to children, but to adults as well. So expected was this reaction, that he built a direct response to it into his epistle to the Romans. After spending 5 chapters teaching the absolute sovereignty of God in salvation, the apostle Paul raises the following rhetorical objection:
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Romans 6:1)
In other words, Paul knew that many, whether child or adult, would respond to the preaching of grace by saying, “Well, if that’s the case, I’ll just sin all I want.” He states in no uncertain terms that this is a totally inappropriate response to the grace of God in salvation, saying, “God forbid” (Romans 6:2a). That is because the sheep have been saved unto good works not saved so that they continue in the practice of sin that created the need for their redemption in the first place. Indeed, “How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Romans 6:2b)
AN INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE
Consider this: A godly father loves his son based on his relationship to the child. He cares for his son because the child is his and because he loves him and wants what is best for him. This father might say to his son, “I’ll always love you,” or “My love for you is totally unconditional,” and this testimony is true. If the son responded by saying, “Since your love is unconditional, and since I didn’t do anything to acquire it, and since I can’t do anything to lose it, I’ll just live in open rebellion and hatred toward your instruction and loving care.” That is an evidently inappropriate, selfish, short-sighted, and unloving response to the father’s unconditional love. We recognize this inappropriate attitude when we look at the matter on a horizontal level between father and son. How then when the relationship is between God and man can we suggest that this response is appropriate? It makes no sense. The son’s response is inappropriate whether in reference to an earthly or a heavenly father.
Those who harbor this illogical response to grace are invited to consider the following, “Should you disobey your father’s good advice just because he will love you anyway? Or is it better to listen to his loving advice and enjoy the blessings of the father/son relationship that is born of respect and thanksgiving?” While the advice and instruction given to us by our earthly parents is not always correct, nevertheless there is no error in the teaching of our heavenly Father. Much of the New Testament deals with how God’s people should live in response to the gospel of God’s grace. Paul refers to it as their, “reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1) Grace teaches us that we do not obey God so that we can obtain eternal life, but rather because we love God, and believe that he has taught us how to have a more abundant life (John 10:10) that enjoys and profits from the gift of eternal life we already possess.
The Difference between Knowing and Living
There is a distinction between KNOWING one is saved by grace and LIVING in accordance with that truth. One might know that smoking causes cancer. They might sincerely believe that fact. Nevertheless, if they choose to smoke anyway, their merely academic affirmation is of NO PRACTICAL BENEFIT to them. Those who oppose the practical conclusions that arise from this truth - namely that smoking is contrary to good health - will not reap the practical benefit of that instruction.
It occurs to me that the “I’ll just sin all I want” response exposes a false belief that lurks in the minds of many - namely that living in sin is a sort of heaven-on-earth, an indulgent carnival of earthly delights full of fun and fulfillment. That is a lie, though it is one that God’s people are apt to believe. Jesus instructs us to obey his commandments because doing so is best for us in the here and now and because this is how we express our love for the Lord and for the brethren (John 14:15). While the bible certainly makes reference to the “pleasures of sin” it is important to note that this pleasure is “for a season” (Hebrews 11:25) and that season comes to an end sooner than you think (Proverbs 23:32). While Jesus has paid the eternal sin debt for his covenant people, nevertheless, the practice of sin still has temporal consequences in this lifetime that can be devastating to one’s life. Want to go drink your fill of sin in this lifetime? You are at liberty to do so, even if you are a regenerate child of God, but, “be not deceived, God is not mocked. for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7) Want to drink and gamble? Have fun, but know that sickness and poverty may not be far behind. Want to indulge in sex outside of marriage? You will find a lot of carnal company in that endeavor, but do not be surprised when you end up with an STD, an unwanted pregnancy, an abortion to cover your tracks, or an inability to engage in proper marital relations that may affect you for the rest of your life. The bible is literally filled with examples of saints of God who went down some of these roads with devastating consequences to their temporal lives (David, Samson, Solomon, Lot, etc.).
Two Biblical Observations
All that said, I would point out that there seems to be an indication in the question that you believe that the sovereignty of God in eternal salvation is the same as the absolute predestination of all things. In other words, if God has predestinated and directly and causatively brought about our eternal salvation, then he therefore has absolutely predestinated, directly and causatively brought about everything that ever comes to pass, including every act of heinous sin that has ever been committed. This is not the case. God does not MAKE you sin - and that observation is critically important to a proper view of divine decrees. If God MAKES us sin, then responding that, “God will convert me if that is what He has decreed to do, and if, not there is nothing I can do about it” is reasonable. To avoid this crass error, we must maintain two biblical observations:
God does not force us to sin, but rather long-suffers (permits) us to rebel against him. That difference may seem subtle but it is important to avoid casting God as the direct cause and author of sin and to avoid the errors of fatalism (absolutism). “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” (I John 1:5)
God’s provision to help us avoid sin is always available to his children. We are admonished to avail ourselves of it. "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (I Corinthians 10:13)
There is much to say on this topic and it is one of the most difficult matters to discuss without stepping on a logical or unscriptural landmine, but I’ll leave it be for now in the hope of avoiding a ponderous response.
Thanks again for reaching out. Let me encourage you in your endeavors to teach children the sovereignty of God in salvation. It is the truth of how God saves sinners. When properly understood, it comforts the mind and inspires the soul to worship and serve Him in obedient discipleship.
- Elder Daniel Samons