I was raised in (a denominational) church where you really don’t hear the word “saved”, however I believe I was saved as a child when I thanked Jesus ( not out loud, but in my head) for dying for me. I feel it was then that I made it personal to me.
When my daughter was 3 she asked me to pray so she could go to heaven. I led her in a simple prayer at that time. She is now 15 and still remembers that and feels that is when she was saved. Since that time we have heard pastors and friends say you shouldn’t lead a 3 year old to the Lord because they are too young to understand. It makes my daughter upset to think people are doubting her salvation. She also has a hard time telling her testimony because of that. Sometimes I wonder if the church is getting to hung up on a “sinners prayer” instead of “saved by faith”.
I have told her it really doesn’t matter what you say or when, but what you beleive in your heart. I would really appreciate your thoughts on this. I would hate to think she is not really saved but only thinks she is.
I agree with you. In some areas of the Church today there’s too much emphasis on formulas that if not followed precisely will render a person’s salvation incomplete or even void, like God goes around looking looking for technicalities He can use to disqualify us.
From your description, it doesn’t sound like you “led a 3 year old to the Lord.” It sounds like she asked you to help her get to heaven. Jesus said we all have to become like little children in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matt. 18:3) Do we really think that when a child sincerely asks to come in the Lord would say, “You’re not old enough. Come back later.”