Should Parents Pressure Kids Into A Salvation Decision?

Should parents try to pressure children into being saved? What is wrong with this approach?

Preach the Gospel

We are compelled to preach the gospel to all people (Matt 28:19-20) but particularly to our own children. A parent’s first earthly ministry is their immediate family but even adults must humble themselves before God will give them His grace (James 4:6) just as Jesus said “anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (Mark 10:15). After Jesus’ disciples had been asking Him who would be the greatest in the kingdom, He said “whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 18:4). Greatness is not measured by how many serve us but how many we serve and our first service is to provide for our own household. Paul wrote that “if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1st Tim 5:8). Providing for the family is not just feeding them and putting a roof over their head. It is so much more than that.

Let the children Come

It is always best to be patient with children and never force them to convert. That is contrary to God’s calling. Jesus said that “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44). Jesus didn’t go out and seek children any more than He did converts. They came to Him. He never forced Himself on anyone at any time and even with children Jesus said “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matt 19:14). The children should be allowed to come to Jesus of their own free will. If parents put pressure on a child then they may become false converts, only professing faith in Christ to either please their parents or by caving into parental pressure. It must be the child’s own decision, 100%, and not a parent-forced decision. If not, parents risk that there will be no genuine decision for Christ.

Evangelization

When we witness to adults who are not saved, we don’t ever try to force believing in Christ or the Bible or at least we shouldn’t. We are not responsible for saving anyone. God gives the increase in the kingdom. He sends His Spirit to reveal Who Christ is and why they need the Savior. We can’t. It is not our responsibility to save anyone, but it is our responsibility to witness for Christ, and of course that would include children. It is their response to His ability.  Whoever “will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (Luke 18:17). The actual power is in the gospel and not in us (Rom 1:16) so all parents can do is teach their children the gospel and pray for their souls because ultimately, God alone saves.

Parental Responsibility

We cannot force any child or any adult to be saved against their will. God never forced Himself on anyone but parents are responsible for teaching their children. The Old Testament commands parents, “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Duet 6:7) and this means when they are at home, when they go to bed, when they rise up in the morning…it is to be done at all times. God says by teaching our children “they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so” (Duet 3:10b). Fear isn’t what we think of fear but a deep, abiding holy and reverential respect and awe for God and His Word. That’s commanded of all Christian parents.

Conclusion

Solomon wisely wrote “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Prov 22:6). This doesn’t mean that they will be certain to go in the way you train them but you’ll more than likely help them to lead a more godly life. They will never go where you do not lead them. Train up a child in the way that he or she should go but make sure to go there yourself.

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.