Many parents, though dedicated Christians themselves, are bewildered when confronted with a child’s questions about salvation. Some pastors seem to believe that the child, even though safe in the grace of God, has no spiritual contact with God. Others see the child before the “age of accountability” as being in somewhat the same position as was Adam before the fall. Still others say that a child can pray, but God will not hear that prayer unless it is one asking for salvation.

This workshop is intended to provide information about children and salvation and offers suggestions for parents, pastors and Sunday School teachers who work with children.

It is generally recognized that there is a period in life in which God doesn't hold one accountable for his sins. Beyond this there seems to be a wide variety of opinions. Even the very young children should be taught the Bible at home and in the church. These children can learn many things about God.

Today's children are exposed to abstract ideas at an earlier age. Although many children make a profession of salvation and are baptized at an early age, a significant number of these realize later in life that they did to actually experience salvation and are actually saved while in their teen years or even in later adult life. This raises questions for those who minister to the very young.

More Questions Than Answers

There are many more questions about the spiritual standing of the very young than there are answers. Does a child have contact with God? What happens when a child prays? Can a child who is not yet accountable glorify God, not being a church member? Can a child learn anything about spiritual things? If so, just what things can a child learn about God?

All these are important questions to the serious parent, pastor and youth worker. If a child can grow in "head knowledge" only, then memorization of Scriptures and Bible names and places are the most important things involved in teaching children. If children have spiritual life they can learn about such spiritual subjects as love, kindness, patience and other things of this nature.

“Safe” Children Have a “Seeming” Life

In his Word Pictures in the New Testament, Dr. A. T. Robertson reports that Paul's comment, “I was alive without the law once . . .,” is “Apparently, the lost paradise in the infancy of men before the conscience awoke and moral responsibility came....” Robertson calls this a “seeming life.” The idea is that before the awakening of his conscience, Paul’s life was lived as though he had complete contact with God. His sin nature was there, but God must have overlooked it because of His grace and because of Paul’s ignorance of the law. When Paul reached the point where he could understand his responsibility under God’s Law, sin came alive and he died, or was separated from God.

The period in early childhood before one matures to the point of understanding responsibility under God’s Law, the period of “seeming” life, is referred to by most Missionary Baptists as the “safe” period. David’s child who died must have been in this safe period. David, who surely was a saved person, declared that he would be reunited with the child.

Several things should be kept in mind when helping children who have not reached the point of accountability, children who are in the “safe” period.

Let the Children Come

“Suffer little children, and forbid them not...,” Jesus said, “for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” That is to say, “Let the children come.” Thus, we know that Christ loves and recognizes little children.

Children are real. They are people, little people for sure, but people. If children are real and Jesus recognized this, then so must we. If Jesus is God and if He rebuked His disciples for attempting to prevent children from coming to Him, then God wants children to come. If God wants children to come, then there must be some way in which He can be glorified in their coming. God does relate to children. Children can learn spiritual things. So, let them come!

The Example of Parents

Children learn from experiences. Experiences gained through interactions with parents are numerous in the life of every young child. The first experience of love is parental love. This is also true with other abstractions. Respect, devotion, loyalty, honesty and many other qualities are first learned from parents.

Children readily learn to distinguish between genuineness and hypocrisy. It is important for parents to be Christians at all times. The parent who regularly attends church but doesn’t practice the ideals of Christianity soon becomes a negative influence on the children.

It is important for children to be taught by parents. Parents should read the Bible to the children. There are many Bible storybooks available for the very young. Parents can help with Scripture memorization.

Parental example can help prepare a child for the time when he is confronted with a choice between Christ as Savior and the world as a way of life.

What Is Learned Must Be Correct

Repentance is difficult. It is not easy to stop a train once it is going. Just as moving objects tend to travel in a straight line, resisting any change in direction, it is extremely difficult to alter the mind once an error has been planted there.

When teaching “safe” children of God’s love, wrath and judgment, it is important to present more than just one aspect. If the child learns only of love, it will be difficult to understand why God called for the destruction of the Canaanites.

One of the best ways to teach the very young about God is for the parent or teacher to display godly attitudes.

Parents Must Have Faith

Jesus came to call sinners to repentance. He promised to draw all men. None will be left out. It is difficult to understand how God’s grace works, but it works.

Parents must be careful not to pressure the pastor into “having a little talk with my child.” It happens too many times. Anxious parents assure the pastor that it is surely time for little Johnny to be saved. The pastor is encouraged to talk with the child. Many times the child has simply been exposed to the anxious parent’s attitude, and wanting to please, says what he assumes is the right thing to say. False “conversions” may result.

Other children may be put off. “You must have a real emotional experience!” some are told. Parents, youth leaders and sometimes pastors might fail to take into consideration the different emotional personality of the individual. Children who have been saved may be put off.

We would do well to remember that we can never judge wisely enough to pronounce a person “saved.” The child must be mature enough to understand how to be saved. But we must be content to teach the truth and depend upon the Spirit of God working in the child’s heart to give the child assurance of salvation.

Parents should have confidence in God. Do not rush the Spirit. Give the child room. God will keep him safe until the time for salvation comes.

Christians, especially Baptists, down through the years have often discussed the question of the “age of accountability.” This has been a confusing and intriguing question to many people. It has caused hours and hours of discussion.

The term age of accountability means “that time when one comes to the realization of one’s individual need of Christ as a Savior.” Every child is protected by the grace of God from conception until reaching this point in life.

No specific age can be set for this time. Teaching, background, maturity, mentality and accessibility to the gospel all help determine the point at which one becomes accountable to God for sin and the sin nature. It should be pointed out clearly that it is impossible for a person to be saved UNTIL HE IS LOST. God came into the world to save sinners.

In the twentieth century, mass evangelism, child evangelism and similar programs have added to the pressure on children to be saved. These programs have many good points and serve a purpose. Evangelizing (preaching and teaching the message of salvation) is important. However, children should not be left with the impression that simple trust is all that is needed for salvation. Conviction—knowing that they are sinners—must precede trust.

Many children who make professions of faith may later become aware they are lost. These professions of faith were made during an “age of fear” rather than at the point of accountability.

Children are afraid of the dark. They are afraid of being alone. They hear messages on hell and do not want to go there. However, the fear of hell is not necessarily the point of accountability. A child is not accountable until he or she knows what makes him or her a sinner and why salvation is needed.

There are several reasons children to make professions of faith when they are not accountable for their sins.

(1) Parental anxiety. Parents are well meaning and want to be sure that when their children reach the point of accountability they accept the Lord as their personal Savior. There are times when parents misjudge and see the “age of fear” for their children as the point of accountability. As a result, they encourage children to take this as their immediate need for action in regard to accepting the Lord.

(2) Peer pressure. Children who have made professions of faith often start “evangelizing” other children who have not done so. When a friend commits his life to the Lord a child may copy him. Young lives must be handled with care and dealt with prayerfully.

(3) Allurement of wonderful things. Being able to be baptized and to partake of the Lord’s Supper is what some young people look forward to after they are saved. They feel that since they have grown up under the teachings of the church that they are ready to launch out into this important time of life even though they have not felt conviction as a sinner.

(4) Drive to be accepted. Many children feel that opportunities for special favors will be enhanced by making a profession of faith. An emotional desire to be accepted may be mistaken for conviction.

(5) The right thing to do. Many children who grow up in well established homes and churches feel that making an early profession of faith is the right thing to do. It is the right thing to do if the child fully understands that he or she is a sinner. If he is unable to understand that he is a sinner, it is the wrong thing to do.

Trusting the Savior must be a matter of the “heart.” “Head knowledge” is not sufficient. Not knowing when the point of accountability will occur in the life of a young person, parents and teachers should instruct them so that they will know what to do and how to react when that moment comes.

In order to answer the question of what is necessary for a child to be saved, one must first determine the extent to which a child can understand spiritual things. Upon the accomplishing of this, one must determine what is necessary for anyone to be saved.

Only One Way

First, let us establish for certain that there is and has always been only one way for salvation. Children are saved today in exactly the same way they were saved in Old Testament days. Adults are saved today in the same way they were saved in Old Testament days. Children and adults are saved in the same way.

God has designed and executed His part of the plan of salvation for the benefit of mankind. The salvation of an individual is now dependent upon the individual. The way to be saved is to make the deliberate choice to turn from the sinfulness of man to the righteousness of Christ. We will look more into this later.

From birth, children develop spiritually, mentally and physically. According to Romans 7:9, a child has at least a “seeming” life before he reaches the point of accountability. He is born with a spirit which must in some way be in contact with God, or else God could not take him and keep him safe through that stage of development toward accountability.

A growing child can respond to many spiritual stimuli. He first responds to mother’s love. If God is love, then love is God, and response to love is a response to God. But does that child understand enough about God to be saved? No, he does not yet understand enough to be lost.

Since he cannot understand enough about spiritual things to grasp the way of salvation, Scripture memorization is very important. Since a child can respond to some spiritual things, we must be diligent to expose the child to more than just exercises in memorization.

As spiritual and mental development progress, the child will have enough information about salvation to be saved when the time comes.

The individual’s part in salvation consists of repentance and faith. Repentance and faith must be exhibited from the head, the heart and the hand. That is, one must have a “head knowledge,” he must believe in his heart, and he will display salvation in his life.

But what must one know about? And what must one believe? And with what heart will he believe? And what does repentance mean?

Let us begin with our last question about repentance. Repentance means to “turn around and go the other way.” When an older adult is saved (one who has lived in sin for many years), his life must take a distinct, radical turn toward God. Although a child has the nature to sin and rebel, his early life may have been pointed toward Christ. If this child is saved soon after reaching accountability, he must feel sorrow over his sin nature, but the actual turn-around in his life may be minimal. Where sin abounds grace does much more abound.

As to the question of what one must believe, we need only search the Scriptures. A study of Acts 2: 14-36; 3:12-26; 4:8-12; 5:30-32 and 10:36-43 reveals five basic facts about the gospel message. William L. Hendricks lists these five in his book, A Theology for Children, as follows: “(1) Jesus came from God, the God of Israel who made heaven and earth. (2) Men killed Christ. The idea is later broadened to assert that all men and man as a unit in his sinfulness is responsible for Christ’s death. (3) Yet, Christ’s death was according to God’s plan. That is, God was acting through Christ’s death to bring man to Himself. (4) Christ is raised. God in Christ has conquered even man’s last enemy, death. (5) God through Christ has sent the Holy Spirit to bear witness to what God in Christ has done for man.”

Paul, in Romans 10:9, declares that one must believe in his heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead. When all these Scriptures are placed together, the basic things involved in man’s part of his own salvation may be found. One must know, believe in his heart and confess with his mouth. He must know, believe and act upon all these things. This may require a bit more maturity than some pastors have asked for on the part of children.

One cannot believe with his blood pump. The heart with which one believes is sometimes called his control center. It is the part of man in which spiritual, mental and emotional decisions are made. We would more likely describe this as the brain than the blood pump. The brain is said to be man’s control center. It is with this control center that a person commits his eternal destiny into the hands of Jesus. This commitment requires “head knowledge” and results in the outward action of “confession of Christ as Lord.”

Salvation Results from Confrontation

In addition to hearing and understanding one must also become sorry for sins and the sin nature, and he must have faith. These things require a confrontation. He must know and understand enough about God and about his sin nature to be confronted with the sinfulness of sin. This confrontation must result in a deliberate choice. The choice will be a positive one. He must chose to depend upon Christ or, rejecting Christ, he will continue to depend upon self.

Until a child can understand, believe and accept the things listed as being involved in the gospel message, he cannot experience the confrontation nor can he make the decision required in salvation. Until he is mature enough to make the decision after the confrontation, he is kept by the grace of God. He has not reached the point of accountability.

Parents, pastors and children’s teachers must have faith that God knows what He is doing. He loves children. He has made provision for the salvation of everyone. The Spirit will draw at the proper time. Let us be careful not to push children into premature, insincere statements of faith.

We Must Guard Against Legalism

One must not impose exact requirements upon children who ask about salvation. In past times, children were simply told that at the age of twelve they could be saved. Today this is generally regarded as an invalid law. Some people have been told that their childhood conversion was not genuine unless certain emotional aspects can be remembered. Others have learned to trust the Word, not memory or emotions.

One cannot be baptized before he is born again. We do not believe in infant baptism. However, some have been baptizing some very young children. It is difficult to refrain from legalism while assuring that children are not baptized before salvation, but an effort must be made.

It may help for a parent to use simple illustrations to help children comprehend spiritual concepts. A parent may explain that faith is like when your dad stands you on the table and asks you to jump. Before you jump you think about what would happen if he did not catch. But you know your dad is strong enough and he cares enough. He will not let you fall. Now, as soon as you jump you are in dad’s care. If he fails, you will be hurt. Do you believe dad would fail? Now, do you believe Jesus will catch you and keep you from falling into hell? To jump you simply ask God to save you.

What a blessing it would be for parents to lead their children to salvation. God had made the spiritual training of children the parent’s responsibility.

© 2004, International Christian Publishers, Texarkana, AR. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reporduced or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from International Christian Publishers, Inc. For informatin on obtaining permission for reprints and excerpts, contact ICP.

Return to top Home


	Children and Salvation by Bill Johnson INTRODUCTION Many parents, though dedicated Christians themselves, are bewildered when confronted with a child’s questions about salvation. Some pastors seem to believe that the child, even though safe in the grace of God, has no spiritual contact with God. Others see the child before the “age of accountability” as being in somewhat the same position as was Adam before the fall. Still others say that a child can pray, but God will not hear that prayer unless it is one asking for salvation. This workshop is intended to provide information about children and salvation and offers suggestions for parents, pastors and Sunday School teachers who work with children. BEFORE ACCOUNTABILITY: WHAT IS IMPORTANT? It is generally recognized that there is a period in life in which God doesn't hold one accountable for his sins. Beyond this there seems to be a wide variety of opinions. Even the very young children should be taught the Bible at home and in the church. These children can learn many things about God. Today's children are exposed to abstract ideas at an earlier age. Although many children make a profession of salvation and are baptized at an early age, a significant number of these realize later in life that they did to actually experience salvation and are actually saved while in their teen years or even in later adult life. This raises questions for those who minister to the very young. More Questions Than Answers There are many more questions about the spiritual standing of the very young than there are answers. Does a child have contact with God? What happens when a child prays? Can a child who is not yet accountable glorify God, not being a church member? Can a child learn anything about spiritual things? If so, just what things can a child learn about God? All these are important questions to the serious parent, pastor and youth worker. If a child can grow in "head knowledge" only, then memorization of Scriptures and Bible names and places are the most important things involved in teaching children. If children have spiritual life they can learn about such spiritual subjects as love, kindness, patience and other things of this nature. “Safe” Children Have a “Seeming” Life In his Word Pictures in the New Testament, Dr. A. T. Robertson reports that Paul's comment, “I was alive without the law once . . .,” is “Apparently, the lost paradise in the infancy of men before the conscience awoke and moral responsibility came....” Robertson calls this a “seeming life.” The idea is that before the awakening of his conscience, Paul’s life was lived as though he had complete contact with God. His sin nature was there, but God must have overlooked it because of His grace and because of Paul’s ignorance of the law. When Paul reached the point where he could understand his responsibility under God’s Law, sin came alive and he died, or was separated from God. The period in early childhood before one matures to the point of understanding responsibility under God’s Law, the period of “seeming” life, is referred to by most Missionary Baptists as the “safe” period. David’s child who died must have been in this safe period. David, who surely was a saved person, declared that he would be reunited with the child. Several things should be kept in mind when helping children who have not reached the point of accountability, children who are in the “safe” period. Let the Children Come “Suffer little children, and forbid them not...,” Jesus said, “for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” That is to say, “Let the children come.” Thus, we know that Christ loves and recognizes little children. Children are real. They are people, little people for sure, but people. If children are real and Jesus recognized this, then so must we. If Jesus is God and if He rebuked His disciples for attempting to prevent children from coming to Him, then God wants children to come. If God wants children to come, then there must be some way in which He can be glorified in their coming. God does relate to children. Children can learn spiritual things. So, let them come! The Example of Parents Children learn from experiences. Experiences gained through interactions with parents are numerous in the life of every young child. The first experience of love is parental love. This is also true with other abstractions. Respect, devotion, loyalty, honesty and many other qualities are first learned from parents. Children readily learn to distinguish between genuineness and hypocrisy. It is important for parents to be Christians at all times. The parent who regularly attends church but doesn’t practice the ideals of Christianity soon becomes a negative influence on the children. It is important for children to be taught by parents. Parents should read the Bible to the children. There are many Bible storybooks available for the very young. Parents can help with Scripture memorization. Parental example can help prepare a child for the time when he is confronted with a choice between Christ as Savior and the world as a way of life. What Is Learned Must Be Correct Repentance is difficult. It is not easy to stop a train once it is going. Just as moving objects tend to travel in a straight line, resisting any change in direction, it is extremely difficult to alter the mind once an error has been planted there. When teaching “safe” children of God’s love, wrath and judgment, it is important to present more than just one aspect. If the child learns only of love, it will be difficult to understand why God called for the destruction of the Canaanites. One of the best ways to teach the very young about God is for the parent or teacher to display godly attitudes. Parents Must Have Faith Jesus came to call sinners to repentance. He promised to draw all men. None will be left out. It is difficult to understand how God’s grace works, but it works. Parents must be careful not to pressure the pastor into “having a little talk with my child.” It happens too many times. Anxious parents assure the pastor that it is surely time for little Johnny to be saved. The pastor is encouraged to talk with the child. Many times the child has simply been exposed to the anxious parent’s attitude, and wanting to please, says what he assumes is the right thing to say. False “conversions” may result. Other children may be put off. “You must have a real emotional experience!” some are told. Parents, youth leaders and sometimes pastors might fail to take into consideration the different emotional personality of the individual. Children who have been saved may be put off. We would do well to remember that we can never judge wisely enough to pronounce a person “saved.” The child must be mature enough to understand how to be saved. But we must be content to teach the truth and depend upon the Spirit of God working in the child’s heart to give the child assurance of salvation. Parents should have confidence in God. Do not rush the Spirit. Give the child room. God will keep him safe until the time for salvation comes. THE AGE OR POINT OF ACCOUNTABILITY: WHAT IS IT? Christians, especially Baptists, down through the years have often discussed the question of the “age of accountability.” This has been a confusing and intriguing question to many people. It has caused hours and hours of discussion. The term age of accountability means “that time when one comes to the realization of one’s individual need of Christ as a Savior.” Every child is protected by the grace of God from conception until reaching this point in life. No specific age can be set for this time. Teaching, background, maturity, mentality and accessibility to the gospel all help determine the point at which one becomes accountable to God for sin and the sin nature. It should be pointed out clearly that it is impossible for a person to be saved UNTIL HE IS LOST. God came into the world to save sinners. In the twentieth century, mass evangelism, child evangelism and similar programs have added to the pressure on children to be saved. These programs have many good points and serve a purpose. Evangelizing (preaching and teaching the message of salvation) is important. However, children should not be left with the impression that simple trust is all that is needed for salvation. Conviction—knowing that they are sinners—must precede trust. Many children who make professions of faith may later become aware they are lost. These professions of faith were made during an “age of fear” rather than at the point of accountability. Children are afraid of the dark. They are afraid of being alone. They hear messages on hell and do not want to go there. However, the fear of hell is not necessarily the point of accountability. A child is not accountable until he or she knows what makes him or her a sinner and why salvation is needed. There are several reasons children to make professions of faith when they are not accountable for their sins. (1) Parental anxiety. Parents are well meaning and want to be sure that when their children reach the point of accountability they accept the Lord as their personal Savior. There are times when parents misjudge and see the “age of fear” for their children as the point of accountability. As a result, they encourage children to take this as their immediate need for action in regard to accepting the Lord. (2) Peer pressure. Children who have made professions of faith often start “evangelizing” other children who have not done so. When a friend commits his life to the Lord a child may copy him. Young lives must be handled with care and dealt with prayerfully. (3) Allurement of wonderful things. Being able to be baptized and to partake of the Lord’s Supper is what some young people look forward to after they are saved. They feel that since they have grown up under the teachings of the church that they are ready to launch out into this important time of life even though they have not felt conviction as a sinner. (4) Drive to be accepted. Many children feel that opportunities for special favors will be enhanced by making a profession of faith. An emotional desire to be accepted may be mistaken for conviction. (5) The right thing to do. Many children who grow up in well established homes and churches feel that making an early profession of faith is the right thing to do. It is the right thing to do if the child fully understands that he or she is a sinner. If he is unable to understand that he is a sinner, it is the wrong thing to do. Trusting the Savior must be a matter of the “heart.” “Head knowledge” is not sufficient. Not knowing when the point of accountability will occur in the life of a young person, parents and teachers should instruct them so that they will know what to do and how to react when that moment comes. FOR A CHILD TO BE SAVED: WHAT IS NECESSARY? In order to answer the question of what is necessary for a child to be saved, one must first determine the extent to which a child can understand spiritual things. Upon the accomplishing of this, one must determine what is necessary for anyone to be saved. Only One Way First, let us establish for certain that there is and has always been only one way for salvation. Children are saved today in exactly the same way they were saved in Old Testament days. Adults are saved today in the same way they were saved in Old Testament days. Children and adults are saved in the same way. God has designed and executed His part of the plan of salvation for the benefit of mankind. The salvation of an individual is now dependent upon the individual. The way to be saved is to make the deliberate choice to turn from the sinfulness of man to the righteousness of Christ. We will look more into this later. Can a Child Understand Spiritual Things? From birth, children develop spiritually, mentally and physically. According to Romans 7:9, a child has at least a “seeming” life before he reaches the point of accountability. He is born with a spirit which must in some way be in contact with God, or else God could not take him and keep him safe through that stage of development toward accountability. A growing child can respond to many spiritual stimuli. He first responds to mother’s love. If God is love, then love is God, and response to love is a response to God. But does that child understand enough about God to be saved? No, he does not yet understand enough to be lost. Since he cannot understand enough about spiritual things to grasp the way of salvation, Scripture memorization is very important. Since a child can respond to some spiritual things, we must be diligent to expose the child to more than just exercises in memorization. As spiritual and mental development progress, the child will have enough information about salvation to be saved when the time comes. What Is Necessary for Anyone To Be Saved? The individual’s part in salvation consists of repentance and faith. Repentance and faith must be exhibited from the head, the heart and the hand. That is, one must have a “head knowledge,” he must believe in his heart, and he will display salvation in his life. But what must one know about? And what must one believe? And with what heart will he believe? And what does repentance mean? Let us begin with our last question about repentance. Repentance means to “turn around and go the other way.” When an older adult is saved (one who has lived in sin for many years), his life must take a distinct, radical turn toward God. Although a child has the nature to sin and rebel, his early life may have been pointed toward Christ. If this child is saved soon after reaching accountability, he must feel sorrow over his sin nature, but the actual turn-around in his life may be minimal. Where sin abounds grace does much more abound. As to the question of what one must believe, we need only search the Scriptures. A study of Acts 2: 14-36; 3:12-26; 4:8-12; 5:30-32 and 10:36-43 reveals five basic facts about the gospel message. William L. Hendricks lists these five in his book, A Theology for Children, as follows: “(1) Jesus came from God, the God of Israel who made heaven and earth. (2) Men killed Christ. The idea is later broadened to assert that all men and man as a unit in his sinfulness is responsible for Christ’s death. (3) Yet, Christ’s death was according to God’s plan. That is, God was acting through Christ’s death to bring man to Himself. (4) Christ is raised. God in Christ has conquered even man’s last enemy, death. (5) God through Christ has sent the Holy Spirit to bear witness to what God in Christ has done for man.” Paul, in Romans 10:9, declares that one must believe in his heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead. When all these Scriptures are placed together, the basic things involved in man’s part of his own salvation may be found. One must know, believe in his heart and confess with his mouth. He must know, believe and act upon all these things. This may require a bit more maturity than some pastors have asked for on the part of children. One cannot believe with his blood pump. The heart with which one believes is sometimes called his control center. It is the part of man in which spiritual, mental and emotional decisions are made. We would more likely describe this as the brain than the blood pump. The brain is said to be man’s control center. It is with this control center that a person commits his eternal destiny into the hands of Jesus. This commitment requires “head knowledge” and results in the outward action of “confession of Christ as Lord.” Salvation Results from Confrontation In addition to hearing and understanding one must also become sorry for sins and the sin nature, and he must have faith. These things require a confrontation. He must know and understand enough about God and about his sin nature to be confronted with the sinfulness of sin. This confrontation must result in a deliberate choice. The choice will be a positive one. He must chose to depend upon Christ or, rejecting Christ, he will continue to depend upon self. Until a child can understand, believe and accept the things listed as being involved in the gospel message, he cannot experience the confrontation nor can he make the decision required in salvation. Until he is mature enough to make the decision after the confrontation, he is kept by the grace of God. He has not reached the point of accountability. Parents, pastors and children’s teachers must have faith that God knows what He is doing. He loves children. He has made provision for the salvation of everyone. The Spirit will draw at the proper time. Let us be careful not to push children into premature, insincere statements of faith. We Must Guard Against Legalism One must not impose exact requirements upon children who ask about salvation. In past times, children were simply told that at the age of twelve they could be saved. Today this is generally regarded as an invalid law. Some people have been told that their childhood conversion was not genuine unless certain emotional aspects can be remembered. Others have learned to trust the Word, not memory or emotions. One cannot be baptized before he is born again. We do not believe in infant baptism. However, some have been baptizing some very young children. It is difficult to refrain from legalism while assuring that children are not baptized before salvation, but an effort must be made. IN CONCLUSION It may help for a parent to use simple illustrations to help children comprehend spiritual concepts. A parent may explain that faith is like when your dad stands you on the table and asks you to jump. Before you jump you think about what would happen if he did not catch. But you know your dad is strong enough and he cares enough. He will not let you fall. Now, as soon as you jump you are in dad’s care. If he fails, you will be hurt. Do you believe dad would fail? Now, do you believe Jesus will catch you and keep you from falling into hell? To jump you simply ask God to save you. What a blessing it would be for parents to lead their children to salvation. God had made the spiritual training of children the parent’s responsibility. © 2004, International Christian Publishers, Texarkana, AR. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reporduced or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from International Christian Publishers, Inc. For informatin on obtaining permission for reprints and excerpts, contact ICP. Return to top Home