I think social media knows too much about me. In my feeds are constant adds for ‘lose weight fast’ schemes. (How does it know I should lose some weight?) We’ve all seen them. They promise incredible results through a new method or supplement in ways that have never been experienced before. But have you ever read the fine print? No matter what their marketing strategy is, if you dig hard enough, you will find a statement saying that the only real and healthy way to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle is through healthy eating and exercise. In other words, where these techniques and supplements might provide our bodies some good things (not always), there are lies tied up in their advertising and claims. They aren’t real. They are not authentic. Their claims are empty and ultimately the statements are false. These weight loss schemes are imposters.
When we think about discipling our children toward faith in Christ, I regularly use this statement: ‘We want to see kids and students develop a firmly-rooted, AUTHENTIC, resilient faith.’ In other words, we don’t just want our kids to develop the appearance of faith, or just an affinity for the benefits of church and religion, but a true faith that is real, deep, and the shaping foundation for life. We want their faith to be authentic.
Hebrews 11:1 gives us the definition of faith: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Even though we can’t see what we believe in, we have absolute confidence that it is real and true. When we speak about faith in Christ, we are saying that we believe He is who He says He is and that He will do what He has promised He will do. We believe that He is God’s Son, that He lived a perfect life, and because of this, when He died, it paid the death penalty our sin requires, washing us clean of all iniquity. We believe that Jesus rose from the dead, bringing us reconciliation to God the Father and giving us new life for all of eternity. Faith in Christ means we believe this and fully rely on Jesus for the forgiveness of sin and believe that He will return as He promised to conquer evil, and to make all things right. Jesus is the object of our faith, and the sufficiency of His actions and what He has promised He will do is the content of our faith. This is what we hope for, and we have full conviction and assurance it is true. This is authentic faith.
This is what we desire for our children. We don’t want their faith to be based on false truths or skewed promises. We don’t want them to have a distorted picture of Jesus or to try to manipulate Him in order to get what they want. Sadly, this is the case for many. Instead of their faith being rooted in the identity of Christ, they look to faith in Jesus as a code that unlocks the door to God’s unlimited resources leading to their comfort and success. Instead, an authentic faith in Jesus approaches Him through humble surrender and submission, placing Him firmly in control of their life.
As we endeavor to make disciples of our children and help them develop a faith in Jesus that is real, how do we identify if the right things are taking root? What are the signs of an authentic faith? Here are a few things we can be on the lookout for:
- Confidence in the Unchanging God
As our kids and students embark on knowing God, learning about His character, His actions, and His promises, their hearts should be turned toward trusting Him. It is always evident when trust is lacking. When fear and doubt reign in our lives, it is a sign that we don’t trust what we know. But when we see our kids begin to act with confidence that God is in control, showing evidence that they know He cares, and that they believe He will act in the manner that is best, it is a sign of authentic faith. - Surrender of Control
We all battle the desire to be in control. Giving control of our circumstances, outcomes, and future to something or someone else is a hard thing to do. But when kids and students are growing into an authentic faith in Christ, they begin to surrender control of their life to Him. You will begin to see them do things that are hard and uncomfortable for the sake of following Christ. Instead of trying to manufacture a safe and comfortable future, they will be willing to lay down their desires and comfort, risk uncomfortable or even difficult circumstances, and make sacrifices for the good of others and the furthering of God’s kingdom. Their faith is leading them to act in a way that is counter to a life of shelter and selfishness. - Otherwise, Unexplainable Actions
In Hebrews 11, the author speaks of the faith of many who were written about in the Old Testament. Their faith is described by the actions they took that make no sense other than a full trust and faith in God. Noah, with no signs of rain, built an ark based on God’s instruction. Abraham uprooted his family and went to live in a foreign land. The Israelite people marched around the walls of Jericho to find victory over the city. Gideon shrunk his army down to 300 men to take on a whole nation of warriors. Three men refused to sell their worship to keep themselves out of a fiery furnace. This list goes on. When we see our kids take steps toward actions that can only be explained as obedience to God’s instruction, it is a sign of a budding authentic faith.
The discipleship process is a slow one. There are ups and downs, backsliding and leaps forward. As we lean toward the hearts of our children and help to grow an authentic faith in Jesus Christ in them, we should be on the lookout for the fruits of this development. We won’t see these things in an instant or in large quantities at first. But we can celebrate as we see semblances of these things being shown in their life. They are the beginning signs of a life that has faith in Jesus for salvation and that His promises are true.
