What response can I give to my 11-year-old when he says, "I can't be a Christian because God has a standard too high to actually be a true Christian. Our sin nature is too powerful!"?
He knows God... He prays to God... He ask question. He seeks and examines information. "D" struggles with what is expected against what he sees. Loving his mom who is an nonbeliever and discourages him from knowing more about Jesus.
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Asked August 24 2021
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Peggy Johnson
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Danny Hickman
This 11 year old needs to stop focusing on being a "christian," relax and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
It sounds to me as if he doesn't believe in himself, and that's a good start. He says the bar is too high for him to clear. He's right! But Jesus didn't put the bar up, it was put there by "christians."
There are people who post on this site who are partly to blame for the way this 11 year old thinks about Christianity. They say that if you sin you are not saved. Nonsense like that!! I try to expose them for the harm that they do, and have a stained reputation for my trouble. I'm not nice enough, I don't say "my dear friend" and that sort of thing. (Popularity is way overrated. I was popular back in high-school. It led to nothing good).
Meanwhile, 11 year olds are stiff arming God because of false teaching about how we are to be in relationship with the Lord.
God's "standard" according to the truth, is the lowest of any belief system out here. There is nothing the people who are the object of God's love CAN DO (not must do, CAN DO) to enter into a relationship with God. God selects His children. All we do is believe what He tells us.
This 11 year old sounds like a selection. If he thinks he needs to perform for God, he can be corrected by sound biblical teaching. He needs to Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness (Psalm 37:3). Faith in Jesus' sacrifice at the Cross, not an adherence to anything else...
Danny Hickman
Tell your 11 year old this:
The people wanted to please God. The Pharisees were telling people they had to do all sorts of traditional religious things to please God. Evidently they couldn't get comfortable with what they were being told. So they asked Jesus, "What must we do to be doing the works of God?" (They wanted to please God) Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom God has sent." (John 6:28,29)
Jesus means Himself. Jesus is the Savior of the world whether we believe He is or not. If we believe in His saving power for us our names are written in His book of life. Does He wait until we repent of our sin of unbelief before our names are written? No! We were chosen before the foundation of the world. God isn't watching us like judges at an Olympic gold metal event. He planned on saving those whom He prepared for salvation and it was settled in eternity past.
I'm thankful to God that He created me for eternal life..
The Pharisees of today say this: If it's already decided who will be saved, why preach and teach the gospel?
Life here is tough! WITH THE TRUTH BEING TAUGHT!! We need more truth, not less. Life here is about friends, family, fun, vocation, etc, and a relationship with the Creator. The truth (gospel) helps in these situations.
I didn't get married to get saved. I didn't have children to get saved. I didn't start a business so I could go to heaven. I need the gospel for all these situations. Everybody does...
John Anderson
As Christians we try to sin less…. we are not sinless. No one can meet God’s standard; that is why Christ died to cover our sins and bridge the gap.
Another reason to be a saved soul: so he can be an excellent witness to his mother. She is hopefully the one he can help get saved. God offers salvation as a free gift, knowing we are still sinners, and will continue to sin.
However, it most certainly wasn’t a free gift to Christ; it cost him his life to be the one that died as a sacrifice to cover our sins. And THAT IS AMAZING GRACE!!!