This is a normal and, dare I say, healthy response. 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 to check 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 the 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 conveys the ability to talk about things like grace and salvation on a random Tuesday morning.
The thing about God is that our relationship with him resembles other relationships, but it is wholly unique. We become believers when we admit our sins and claim that Jesus is who he says he is and resurrected just like he said he would. At that moment, we immediately come from death, dead in our sin and unable to do anything about it, to life, abundant and grace-filled oneness 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 with homework and sports, yet when it comes to salvation, we can’t earn it! There are three essential steps in explaining salvation accurately.
1.Pray with your child to admit that they are a sinner.
Their understanding of the work of Christ on the cross means they see the story of redemption unfolding and how it includes them.
2.Belief in God is an act of faith that God is 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.In addition to belief, we must 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’s 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 you are overjoyed to journey with them through salvation. 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
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