BEWARE! VBS Season is Among us!
Starting as early as this week, there have been signs out for local church’s vacation bible school. This is a hype time for churches all over, no matter the denomination. There is a reason that “BEWARE” is an appropriate warning.
Possibly hundreds of children, ages ranging from pre-school into the teens, will be taught bible lessons with one goal in sight of the leaders(most of them, anyways)… Salvation! Each student will have the opportunity to hear about Jesus’ death and resurrection, hopefully! But here is the scary part:
Instead of being instructed by teachers and preachers to simply trust what God has done on their behalf, many children will be instructed to so something based on what they have just heard.
For some church programs, it will be “Pray this prayer.” (How do you know you’re saved? I prayed ________…) <—That’s not Ephesians 1:13
For other churches, it might be “Confess your sins to God.” (How do you know you’re saved? I confessed my sins and asked for forgiveness…) <— That’s not Ephesians 2:8-9 (Romans 10:9-10, 1 John 1:9 are not our pattern)
Sadly, but true, for so many churches it will be “Repent and be baptized!” (How do you know you’re saved? I got baptized…)<— That’s not Titus 3:5 or 1 Corinthians 12:13
BEWARE is in order because their are many well-intentioned individuals preaching and teaching these children. Very seldom, do these children hear the clear instruction of “belief and faith” in what Jesus accomplished on the cross. He died for our sins and resurrected for our justification (1 Corinthians 15:1-4 and Romans 4:25). We are saved when we believe this truth and place our faith in the fact that God has done this on our behalf.
Salvation does not come by praying the “sinner’s prayer,” confessing sin and asking for forgiveness, or being water baptized.
You are saved when you have faith in what God says He has already accomplished. See Romans 5:8 and 2 Corinthians 5:19.
If you, or someone you know, is going to be directly involved with a VBS program(Either participating as a child or leader), please read, re-read, and share this with them. Vacation Bible School can be a great thing! It would be great if one thing can be made clear—> We are saved by grace, through faith(in what Christ has done for us).
This is not “straining at a gnat” kind of stuff. This is eternal business. Don’t believe it? Go ask the youth of your church to share with you what is necessary to be saved! Your socks will be blown off! (Really…. go ask them!) Salvation is more important than being worried about the awkwardness.
Sincerely,
a concerened “Ex-Youth Pastor”