Is Your Faith a Fire Insurance Policy?
Do you have a homeowner or rental insurance policy? One that reimburses you in the event that your valuable possessions are lost in a fire?
If you do, when was the last time you read it? Do you even know where it is? I confess, I know where my policy is, but I haven’t looked at it in ages. I filed it away the year we purchased it, and just keep paying the premium year after year, hoping I’ll never need it.
Some Christians treat their salvation like a fire insurance policy. They said a prayer years ago and figure they can pull it out on their deathbed as a “get out of jail free” card. But Christianity is more than a fire insurance policy or a way to escape hell.
We know hell is a real place. It is the destination of each person who does not know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
This is why we share the Gospel with children, right? We don’t want them to go to hell. It’s certainly a good motive. We don’t want anyone to go to hell, especially our loved ones. But is that the only reason we desire our children to receive Christ as Savior? To avoid the negative and ensure that we will see them in heaven?
There’s one more reason to share the good news of God’s redeeming love. It’s not just to give young ones a “fire insurance policy” against hell when they die. It’s also to give them the power to live a joyful, abundant life now. God saves us from our sin. But He also saves us to Himself for an intimate relationship with Him. The blessing of that relationship enables us to glorify Him in this life, too.
Of course we don’t want our children to experience the torment of eternity apart from God. But let’s also remember the blessings that come from knowing Jesus right now.
Moses wrote:
“These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you…so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God…and so that you may enjoy long life” (Deuteronomy 6:1-2).
If those who know the Lord go around with long faces, why would anyone else want to know about that relationship? As we manifest the joy of the Lord in our daily life, both children and adults will be drawn to us and will want what we have.
Is your relationship with God a fire insurance policy or a joy?
If you were to ask those closest to you, would they describe you the same way?