I’m afraid to tell my atheist parents that I want to become a Christian
Question:
Hello,
I need help with something. I've been an atheist up until now. I recently made the decision to join Christianity, as I believe in my heart that this is what I believe in. My problem is: my parents are strongly atheistic and quite opposed to religion. I'm scared to tell them that I would like to be christened for fear that they will hate me. And I may not be allowed as I'm under 18.
What should I do?
Answer:
"If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:26).
"Hate" is a relative term in this passage. It means to be a Christian, you have to love your parents less than you love God and Christ. This happened frequently when Christianity began. Many Jews left the Jewish religion to follow Christ. That meant leaving family, friends, and everything they knew growing up to accept a better way of life. "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name's sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life" (Matthew 19:29).
I can't make this decision for you. I can only tell you that it is worth any pain that might result.
Learn all you can about the Bible. "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17). When you are ready, start attending church services. If your parents ask you where you are going, be open and honest. Tell them that you decided to look into Christianity and you find its teachings to be appealing and correct. They might think you are crazy, they might try to talk you out of it, but then there is a chance that they might let you make up your own mind.
I don't know which church you are looking at attending, and perhaps it is just because there is much to learn from the Bible, but there is no "christening" in the Scriptures. See: How to Become a Christian.
Response:
Thank you. I will try to explain my views to them. You've been a great help.
