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Talking to Your Child About Salvation

At The Point, we have the incredible opportunity to share the good news of Jesus Christ with your child every week. As those conversations continue at home, we want to provide guidance and support in leading your child to follow Jesus.

The weight of communicating the Gospel may feel daunting but the good news is you have the Holy Spirit equipping you. As believers we are called to share the Gospel and live it out, but we cannot and should not force our children to make a salvation decision. Your child’s decision to put their faith in Jesus is ultimately theirs and between them and God. 

Some helpful guidelines are:

  1. Have conversations without expectations

  2. Ask open-ended questions

  3. Share the gospel

  4. Don’t assume you know what God is doing in their heart

  5. Rely on the Holy Spirit

What is Salvation?

Salvation is the process by which a person is delivered from sin and reconciled to God. It is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and rose again to free us from the penalty of sin. Simply put, salvation is repenting of sin, trusting Christ as Savior, and committing to follow Him as Lord of your life.

The Gospel

Creation

When God created the world, everything he made was good. God made Adam and Eve in His image and saw that it was very good. God gave Adam clear instructions out of love and protection. (Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 1:31, Genesis 2:16) 

Fall

God made Adam and Eve good and with the freedom to make their own choices. Through the temptation of Satan, they made the choice to sin against God and brought sin into the world. (Genesis 3:6-7, Romans 5:12, Romans 3:23)

This sin changed the original innocence of man and we are more inclined towards sin. As soon as we are able to act on right or wrong, we go against the commands of God (we are transgressors) and we are guilty (under condemnation). (Isaiah 59:1-2)

Redemption

Although sin entered the world, God had a plan to rescue us from sin and separation from Him. He gave us Jesus, who was perfect and without sin, to take the penalty for our sins by dying on the cross and forgiving us of our sins. (John 3:16, Romans 5:8, Act 4:12)

Three days after Jesus’ death on the cross, He was raised from the dead. Jesus’ resurrection proves that He has power over death and therefore is able to redeem us to God. All we have to do is believe in His resurrection and accept this gift of salvation. (Romans 3:24-25, Romans 10:9) 

Salvation in Jesus Christ means that because of what Jesus did for us, we can be forgiven for our sins and have a relationship with God. It's a free gift from God that we just have to believe in and ask for. (Romans 5:1, 1 John 1:9)

Restoration

One day Jesus will come back and restore His people and creation. We will either exist in eternity with God or be eternally separated from God in hell. (Rev 21:1-4, Romans 8:17-18, 37-39)

If your child is wanting to accept Jesus Christ you can pray this prayer. It is not the prayer that saves you but the heart to turn from your sins and live for Jesus. See the example salvation prayer below:

Dear God,

Thank you for your son, Jesus. Thank you for sending him to die on the cross for my sins. Come into my heart, cleanse me of my sins, and give me the courage to live for you from this day forward.

If your child has made a decision to give their life to Jesus, we would love to know and celebrate with you. Fill out this form to share your child’s story! We have a free resource for your child as they begin their faith journey. Our desire is to support, strengthen, and encourage your child in their faith journey. If your child is interested in baptism please reference our Baptism parent resource.

Common Salvation Questions

  • After we receive salvation, we become part of God's family and are given the Holy Spirit to guide us in our walk with Him. We also have the assurance of eternal life with God in heaven.

  • Even after we receive salvation, we may still sin. However, we can confess our sins to God and ask for His forgiveness. God gives us grace, through Jesus Christ, when we ask for the forgiveness of our sins in the past and the sins we commit after salvation, and the day we stand before God. The Bible teaches us in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

  • We need salvation because we are all sinners and the penalty for sin is death. However, because of God's great love for us, He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for our sins through His death on the cross. Through Jesus' sacrifice, we are forgiven and saved.

  • Salvation is a gift from God that we cannot earn or deserve. It is through faith in Jesus Christ that we receive this gift. When we repent of our sins and turn to Jesus, we are made new and are given eternal life.

  • No, salvation is for everyone, regardless of how good or bad they have been. The Bible teaches us that salvation is not based on our own good works or efforts. It is a free gift from God, given to us out of His grace and mercy.