Whose Children?

Part 4

Ezekiel 16.20-21

Fourth, because they are God’s children, born to Him, we should grab them by their identity in Christ.

When Jonathan Edwards’ children misbehaved, he would “grab them by their baptism.” He would remind them of whose child they were (God’s) and of the obligation to bear a family resemblance. Similarly, if a husband or wife is flaking out, the thing to do is grab them by their marriage – remind them of their identity and exhort them to live up to it.

This approach would seem to be common sense, but the Church has had a long history of trying to use doubt to fight presumption. The Church has a habit of imposing additional requisites for “genuine” faith — walking the aisle, praying the prayer, tossing a pine cone in the fire at summer camp, giving testimony of a conversion experience, what have you. None of these has anything to do with fruit, mind you, but they are all required in the interest of preventing nominal Christians. This is a laudable goal if ever there was one. The problem is not the goal but the means. Doubt is no antidote for presumption. The presumptuous Christian is not one who is too sure they are a Christian; it is one who doesn’t care.

The antidote for presumption is appreciation – appreciation of the priceless value of the relationship. This is why Paul typically spends the first part of his letters reminded Christians of everything that is theirs because of their union with Christ (e.g., Eph 1.1-2.22). Appreciation produces gratitude, and nothing motivates like gratitude (Eph 5.20). But here’s the point. You cannot encourage someone to appreciate and be grateful for a relationship by questioning whether the relationship exists. You must grab them by the relationship. Like Edwards, you must grab children by their identity in Christ.

This is exactly what we see Paul doing. Take Ephesians for example. First, Paul addresses the children as “saints” (Eph 1.1; 6.1).* Second, he applies to them the promises of God (Eph 6.2-3). Third, he calls them to Christian obedience (Eph 6.1). Are we wiser than Paul? Paul’s way should be our way.

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* The whole letter is addressed to the “saints at Ephesus” (Eph 1.1). Within the letter, Paul addresses all the saints together (Eph 1.1-5.21; 6.10-24), as well as various constituent groups among the saints — husbands, wives, masters, servants, and so on (Eph 5.22-6.9). One of the constituent groups Paul addresses directly is children (Eph 6.1-3). Equally with the husbands, wives, masters, and servants, the children are addressed as part of the saints.