How Gift giving is a gospel tool in our home

How can we teach"earning vs. receiving" theology? One way we like to bring it into our conversation with our children is during the times of gift giving (birthday, Christmas, and Easter morning especially)

We don't want our kids to think they can earn or lose good gifts. Gifts are given out of love, not earned. (In the same way, we know that obedience only comes out of love. When our kids know Christ, they will want to obey, not the reverse.)

We show (and explain) that "unearned free gift" teaching in all our gift-giving with the ultimate hope that our kids will see that though they don't deserve God's love,  God gives that undeserved love and forgiveness freely through Jesus to all who call upon Him to be saved. 

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus"- Romans 3:23

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."- Romans 6:23

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. " - Ephesians 2:8-9

"remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. " -Ephesians 2:12-13

It's a gift that I still don't fully understand and yet get chills and a little teary just typing about. THIS is exciting and freeing truth and we want them to rejoice in it. Gift-giving can be such a reminder of THE gift God gives: eternal life through Jesus.

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