How do you teach the Doctrines of grace to children?

[theseed]

Somebody in B/Ab asked for Calvinism to be explained as though you were talking to a child. However, the Doctrines of Grace are not easy to understand for adults, let alone children. So how do you explain the Doctrines of Grace? I was thinking (when I have children) I would start with the simple things, and introduce more as they got older. In fact, Spurgeon had simple ways of explaining Calvinism--I might borrow from him. What do you all think?

 

[ClementofRome]

Somebody in B/Ab asked for Calvinism to be explained as though you were talking to a child. However, the Doctrines of Grace are not easy to understand for adults, let alone children. So how do you explain the Doctrines of Grace? I was thinking (when I have children) I would start with the simple things, and introduce more as they got older. In fact, Spurgeon had simple ways of explaining Calvinism--I might borrow from him. What do you all think?

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The Children's Catechism is a wonderful tool. My girls were not into the memorization AT ALL, so we worked through it and discussed each question and response several years ago.

 

[wsgm]

I grew up with the blessings of reformed parents and an excelent church, and I think I understood the basic ideas behind the doctrines of grace at a very early age, but I did not learn what TULIP meant until I in about the eighth grade.

This summer I was a counselor at a Christian camp (one with a strongly reformed bent) , and I tried to explain the full gospel, including the doctrines of grace, to children as young as second grade. I didn't say a whole lot about limited atonement, but a young child can understand a lot. Start with the general idea that salvation is a gift from God and not anything they can contribute to. They can understand that they are completely bad and that they can't do anything good on their own. God chose people for Himself, but not based on anything they did. Jesus died for His people. God's grace is bigger and more powerful than anyone can imagine. Once God rescues someone from his sins, He will never let him go. God will take all the people He has chosen for Himself to heaven.

I think a lot of times, adults have trouble understanding and accepting the doctrines of gace because of deep-rooted notions that are contrary to the truth, and they have trouble accepting their own helplessness and God's sovereignty. Children understand their dependence on their parents and have little trouble translating this to their dependence on God. There is a reason Jesus praised child-like faith.

 

[theseed]

According to Spurgeon, everyone is born an Arminian. By that, I think he meant that we are naturally inclined to think that God treats all of us equally.

 

[eutychus]

With my niece and the church kids I work with, I try to emphasize the characteristics of reformed theology without putting a name on it. I emphasize our sin, God's grace, and the purpose of Jesus Christ.

 

[Tinkerbell222222]

The Children's Catechism is a wonderful tool. My girls were not into the memorization AT ALL, so we worked through it and discussed each question and response several years ago.

My parents went through the Children's Catechism with my sisters and I. It helped me make sense of a lot of things in the Reformed faith.