What are some common misconceptions that second generation Christians may have about conversion?
Conversion is often a confusing topic for young people who grow up in the Church. Baptism can seem like an overwhelming commitment. It can seem like a commitment that only applies to parents, somehow “fake” for a second or third-generation Christian. And it can seem like a deterrent to “having fun” and “experiencing life.” Each of these perceptions can hinder you from taking that first step towards the Kingdom of God. But they need not do so.
Thinking About Conversion Can Be “Scary”
You may have read in the Bible that true Christians will be persecuted for their faith—some even physically (Matthew 10:22). True Christians might even have to turn their backs on family members to follow Christ (Matthew 10:37). On top of that, you are probably approaching some of the biggest decisions of your life. Baptism, college, career and marriage—commitments cannot get much bigger than that! Big commitments can be scary, and they can frighten a person into doing nothing!
But God does not want you to be overwhelmed by fear of commitment. He wants to give you “power… love… a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7), which comes through His Spirit (v. 6). You can have access to that power right now, to work with you. Upon your own conversion and baptism, God’s Spirit will be even more powerful in your life, because it will be in you. God says fear causes torment, but “love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). Face your fears—and your decisions. Ask God to help you make those decisions, through His Spirit. Think of the conversion process as learning to exercise that Spirit, as you begin to develop a personal relationship with your loving Father in heaven.
God wants you to look to Him as your provider and counselor. He wants you to see Him as your protector, ready to come to your aid when you need Him and call out for Him. Listen to how David described his relationship with God. “In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears... He bowed the heavens also, and came down with darkness under His feet. And He rode upon a cherub, and flew; He flew upon the wings of the wind... He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support” (Psalm 18:6–18). God is a powerful and caring ally to have on your side!
Do not be scared of conversion—God wants to “strengthen [and] settle you” (1 Peter 5:10). Even though baptism may yet be a few years off, beginning a relationship with Him right now will start to give you the courage to face adult issues and adult decisions. It is exactly what you need right now and in the years just ahead of you!
Conversion Is “Just for My Parents”
Some youth in the Church have the misconception that conversion is just for their parents. Nothing could be further from the truth. God works through families, and intends the faith of the fathers to be passed down to the children. God even gave a specific command for parents to teach their children this way of life, proving that it is not just for parents, but also for children. “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Deuteronomy 6:6–7). One of the focuses of the end-time Work is to “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers…” (Malachi 4:6).
Of course, baptism is not for children, and that is why God’s Church does not teach “infant baptism.” Young people should wait to be baptized until they are mature enough to make this lifetime commitment. Baptism requires deep repentance and a commitment of lifelong obedience—both of which are adult decisions. However, that does not mean a young person cannot be thinking about baptism, and preparing for baptism by developing a relationship with God.
There are examples in the Bible of second and even third-generation Christians. Timothy was reared in the Church by his mother and grandmother (both solid, faithful members). “I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also” (2 Timothy 1:5). Paul encouraged Timothy to “continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:14–15).
Timothy did not consider being raised in the Church a handicap. For him it was an asset. He did not have to “unlearn” all the things that first-generation Christians had to. He just had to recall and retain what he had learned, which “made him wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
So do not fall for the trap of thinking that conversion is just something for your parents. It is for you! Did you know that God inspired Peter to speak directly about you in his first Pentecost sermon? Peter said: “For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:39). Claim that promise—it is not just for parents, but for you as well!
My Calling Might Be “Fake”
Another concern for some in the Church is the sense that their conversion “would not be real.” You might hear them say, “but what my parents went through at their conversion was really dramatic!” Does a conversion have to be dramatic to be real?
Sometimes we fall into the “road to Damascus” mindset. Anything less than God striking us down with blindness and a bright light just is not real conversion! Notice Saul’s (Paul’s) story: “And as he (Saul) journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’… So he, trembling and astonished, said, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’ And the Lord said to him, ‘Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do’” (Acts 9:3–6).
Are you waiting for that to happen?
Would anything less seem not as real? Your parents probably have stories about how, at conversion, a “light turned on” in their mind. Or, “suddenly it all made sense,” and they “for the first time understood what they were reading.” But it has not happened that way for you, right? If you are like most young people in the Church, you have been sitting in services most of your life, listening, learning and hearing God’s Word expounded. And it probably already makes sense! God probably does not need to use a dramatic miracle like lightning from heaven to open up your mind. You most likely understand already! Through your parents’ conversion, God is working with you, already, in a special way (1 Corinthians 7:14). And through that “sanctification” you already have access to God and His Spirit, and probably already understand His Laws and His Truth to a certain extent.
So do not expect a bright light from heaven to signal your conversion. That most likely will not happen! There is an interesting Scripture on how God works, in 1 Kings 19:11–12. It reads: “The Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” God chose to speak to Elijah, in that instance, not through awesome miracles, but with a “still, small voice.” Are you listening for that “still, small voice?” God is probably already in the process of opening your mind—all you have to do is listen for and accept the call.
“I Will Miss Out on All the ‘Fun’”
Another misconception that some have is that if they commit to God as young adults, they will miss out on “experiencing life.” Some might say, “All those traumatic experiences that my elders got to experience (and repent of)—why can’t I experience them, too?”
That line of reasoning shows a very dangerous mindset, which will only cause grief and heartaches later on. In most every congregation there are adults—who were reared in the Church—who could tell you stories of how they wished they had listened instead of “going out and having their fun.” Many have made life-changing mistakes, and have repented bitterly.
Are you really missing out on fun by developing a relationship with God now? God does not look at it that way. Notice what He says: “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge… Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded… because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, they would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled to the full with their own fancies. For the turning away of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil” (Proverbs 1:22–33). Choosing not to listen to God’s instruction is not more fun, even though it might appear to be in the short run.
God wants us to enjoy life and recapture the true values of fun (Ecclesiastes 11:9). As Phil Sena wrote “to the young” in a recent Living Church News (“You Can Look Forward to Jesus Christ’s Return,” September-October 2000, p. 12), “Remember that real fun does not require repentance.” Applying the wisdom of God’s Word, the Bible, produces joy, success and fulfillment.
Is God calling you? Do you understand what you are hearing in sermons and reading in your personal Bible studies? If you do, then He is already beginning to open your mind to the Truth. Respond to the call—it is real! It is not just for your parents. The only thing to fear is not having a relationship with God, because a life without God’s help is a life of pain, suffering, sorrow and disappointment. Jesus said, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). He also said, “Take My yoke upon you… for My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:29–30). Develop a relationship with God. Ask Him to guide your conversion process, to grant you true repentance. Think about God’s promises and calling. If He is opening your mind right now, that calling is for you!