God Has No Grandchildren

I had the privilege of being taught Theology by an amazing Pastor/Teacher during my junior high years. Everything he taught challenged me on a consistent basis and shaped the way I approach the Bible now, all these years later.

He taught me many things about the Kings of the Old Testament and about the writings of Paul. I learned to memorize verse after verse in his class (and not just in English but in Spanish as well!).  He would Sword Drill my class for fun every Friday (we’d win candy!) yet expect us to take our time in his class very seriously – as seen by the tests he gave.

He was serious about not only learning Scripture but applying it as well.

I could tell you a hundred lessons I learned in his class that still speak to me today but there is one lesson I think of daily.

There is one lesson that is never far from my thoughts or my heart. One lesson that I’ve scribbled on each of my Bibles and in countless notebooks; one lesson that has knocked me right in the heart as he spoke the words:

“God has no grandchildren.”

He spoke those words to a class full of teenagers and I sat wide-eyed as he said, “You won’t get to heaven just because your parents believe in Christ. Or your boyfriend or girlfriend does. Or because your teachers test you on Him. You won’t spend eternity with Christ because your best friend worshiped Him here on earth. You’ve got to decide for yourself…”

God has no grandchildren? What in the world? My junior high self had never thought of things like that. I’d never considered the idea of there being no in between.

He didn’t speak those words with the purpose of evoking fear in our hearts; he spoke them with compassion. He spoke them like a man who had seen too many teens think they could coast by on the beliefs of others without really knowing Christ for themselves…

Those words changed my life. I was certainly saved at that point but it was those words that begged me to get to know Christ for myself. On my own. To find Him true.

And I have.

This is a message that shouldn’t be lost on the youth around us. We need to speak these words to them – not for the sake of fear but for the sake of kindness. We’ve got to speak the truth and invite them to get to know Christ for themselves.

We serve a God we can know!

God may not have grandchildren but He does have sons and daughters whom He loves enough…whom He ransomed by the blood of His Son…whom He calls His own…whom He is coming for.

“…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

Philippians 3:10-11

*Photo Credit, sxc.hu

Kristen Schiffman

A New Yorker living in Texas, Kristen is just trying to make sense of sweet tea and A/C units. Together with her best friend & husband, Eric, she enjoys sketching out new ideas over Starbuck’s. As the Founder and Ministry Director of Exemplify Online & Magazine, Kristen (along with her team of writers!) daily ministers to women across the world. Previously writing bible study curriculum for various Christian ministries, Kristen now writes for the ministry of Exemplify. She contributes regularly to The Internet Café , has been a featured speaker at A Woman Inspired Conferences and continues to write and teach women through in depth bible studies. Kristen’s passion is equipping those in leadership to serve with excellence, encouraging women to get to know God through His Word and challenging women to live out their God-given purpose.

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