The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
Romans 8:16 (ESV)
One of the activities that is listed for this training objective is to be able to vocalize or share your conversion to another person. And one of the great calamities of being born into the faith is not having a conversion experience. This is not to say that some don’t turn away and then come back. There are plenty of books out there to that effect.
And I would NEVER say that we do a disservice to our own children to guarantee that they are born into the faith. Mine were baptized before they were a month old. Mine have attended church alongside me since almost the beginning. Mine started Sunday School before they were technically the appropriate age to be allowed. Mine go to the same parochial school that I did.
It is my hope that they would never be without Jesus. That they would never turn from Him. I would expect an ounce of rebellion as well.
But then I look at where I am today and I hope that they are not in the same position that I am in at 40. Questioning. Questioning myself. Not God.
You listen to the confirmands essays and I hear that they are rarely old enough to have experienced some great conversion that has convicted their hearts. They spout what they have learned. They try to fit their lives into some blueprint for why they believe. Why they have the hope. They struggle and few admit that it “just is” and “always has been”. In the end, it is another job completed. Another obstacle to tackle before they can come of age. And “can I be done yet?”
And parents start showing up for the classes, when required. Once confirmation is complete, they disappear again. You do what is required to get the job done. Get your tuition paid by attending the right church. Your child graduates and you’re outta here. What a great role model we are.
And if you’re not living for Christ while you are a Christian, there won’t be much difference in your life when you decide you aren’t a Christian.
I know I don’t pray enough. I know I never think to pray first. I know I run into troubles because I don’t rely upon the ONE. I rely upon my own fallible self. I get what I deserve because I don’t use the tools and the knowledge I have been given. It is like I don’t believe. Or I’m some horrible amnesiac. I am where I am and it’s my own damn fault.
But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
1 Peter 4:13 (ESV)
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