Children and Conversion

Children Becoming Disciples

The goal of parenting: Disciple-making

The start of making disciples: Conversion

Foundational Hope

There is gospel benefit to being the child of believing parents

Acts 2:38–39 NIV

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

1 Corinthians 7:14 NIV

14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

Romans 3:1–2 NIV

1 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.

Being the child of a believer does not save

John 3:18 NIV

18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

John 1:10–13 NIV

10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

Conversion

Conversion is not the result of a ceremonial act of special prayer

Faith

Acts 16:30–31 NIV

30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

Ongoing trust in God’s full promise to save.

How do you know you’re sitting in a chair?

Faith always results in obedience.

James 1:17–18 NIV

17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

The timing of faith

Present posture is better proof than past memory (J.D. Greear)

“What if I didn’t believe then?” “Do you believe now?”

Instead of looking back at the “moment of faith” look back at the Cross

When our focus is on calling our children to a posture of faith, it’s never to early and no moment must be the moment

Repentance (J.D. Greaar)

Repentance is not

Saying the sinners prayer

Feeling sorry about sin

2 Corinthians 7:10 “10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”

Confession of Sin

“It felt good to get that off my chest”

Getting religious

Partial surrender

Perfection

Romans 7:22–24 “22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?”

Mark 9:24 “24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!””

Psalm 86:11 “11 Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.”

Repentance is

The absence of settled defiance (not the absence of struggle)

Romans 7:25 “25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.”

Philippians 1:6 “6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Proverbs 24:16 “16 for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.”

“Faith is not the absence of doubt; it is continuing to follow Jesus in the midst of doubt.” (Greaar)

Starting to follow Jesus not just stopping sin

Mark 8:34–35 “34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.”

Spirit-fueled change of desires

2 Corinthians 5:17 “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

Assurance

The Bible promises security for those who are his

John 6:37–39 “37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.”

John 10:28 “28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

The Bible warns about false faith

Mt 13

Philippians 2:16 “16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.”

Romans 11:22 “22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.”

Hebrews 2:1 “1 We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.”

Once saved, always saved is not false, it’s just not complete.

Repentant faith continues in the present.

Don’t give false assurance, but do give present comfort and exhortation

Comfort with the faithfulness of Christ

Exhort towards present repentant faith

Practical Tools for Evangelizing Children

Grace-based, intentional discipline

Family worship

The priorities you set

Church attendance

Regular conversation