Last night around the dinner table, we actually had a family conversation that meant something! It wasn't the typical inhale your food, leave your dirty dishes on the counter, or table, and bolt for the TV or Facebook. It was kinda nice. My kids peeled open a deep theological subject without them even realizing what they were doing. The ensuing dialogue was awesome to say the least. My oldest son asked the question, why would God choose only some people to go to heaven and not others? Then my daughter said, why didn't He just make everybody love Him? Then my youngest son, not wanting to be left out, said what if someone never heard about Jesus? Would he go to heaven? Killer convo going on here. I perked up in my chair, my ears turned up like Spock, and I made my best attempt to explain these huge questions to a trio of adolescents. It was like trying to explain which came first, the chicken or the egg?
Then the question turned to, does Jesus choose us, or do we choose Him? O.K. now we are entering the Calvinism / Arminianism catechisms. What? This is awesome! I tried to explain that God is God and He is sovereign (what's sovereign mean dad?) yeah - He can do what he wants to us, He created us. Who are we to tell the creator of something that they don't have the right to do with it what they please. Simple enough explanation right? "Well, mom created us, can she just choose if she wants us to live or not, just like God?" Yes honey sometimes she can. No, just kidding. I can just imagine Jesus sitting there in the empty chair next to me with a big ol grin on His face, thinking...well Steve what is your answer gonna be on this one? I tried to explain that people way smarter than me (way way smarter than me) have discussed, debated, and divided on whether Jesus chooses us or we choose His free gift. I also told them that they don't have to lose sleep over it, because they know for sure Jesus is in their hearts. Ask Him which it is when you get there, but don't lose any sleep over it. You've already got the golden ticket Charlie. Once we know we are saved we need to work on our sanctification process. Sancti - what process? Getting closer to God, and letting Him be the ruler, and leader of our lives. To build an awesome relationship with Him.
Dinner was so great last night. About as great as the Cardinals making it to the Superbowl! Actually a little greater than that. I am so stoked that I know where my kids are going, and that they are starting to learn why they believe what they believe. Not just because that's what their parents believe, but starting to create their own identity. Thank you Jesus for choosing me to be the father of these three kids. I stinkin love my kids!
1 comment:
Sounds like a lively bunch! It’s cool that your kids are working through their own thoughts on life etc! I’m sure it all comes together when you’re walking it out but raising kids seems a daunting task! I’m one of those raised Calvinist, converted Armenian (spelling?), and now I don’t know people. It seems that at some point the two ideologies meet but I’m not sure where! I guess it’s ok, if I knew all the inner workings of salvation then I could manipulate it instead of having to rely on God.
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