Statistically, a large percentage of Christian parents assume their child's new birth. And this could be our biggest parenting mistake. Many Christian parents assume that church attendance, youth-group involvement, praying the "sinner's prayer,"or walking the aisle equates to the new birth. Even a child's testimony that he/she "accepted Jesus" or "asked Jesus into his/her heart" might mean very little. That is because God initiates the new birth. Of course, the child is responsible to respond to God with faith and repentance. But a child can takes these steps outwardly and not have true saving faith and repentance that points to new birth. That is why it is naive even foolish for us to presume upon new birth. New birth is a radical change of heart that issues into new desires, new loves, and a new life direction. As the Apostle John wrote: no one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God (1 John 3:9).
Bottom line: new birth is known by its fruits and the most important fruit is hunger for God himself. Other signs are hunger for holiness, growing obedience to parents, and desire for secret prayer and Bible reading. Wise parents undestand this and patiently wait for sustained fruit before they exercise a verdict.
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