# Describing imputation simply



## Pergamum (Nov 23, 2011)

How would you describe the concept of imputation to a child, or to a tribal? 


What analogies would you use?

And do you have any non-financial analogies? Anything from the natural world or common usages within society, even simple societies?


My son Noah, 7, understands it (we have a picture of a boy under a cross with his sin going to the Cross and "Christ's righteousness" going from the Cross into him). But some others last year, local adults, didn't seem to understand.


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## bug (Nov 24, 2011)

There are just so many different ways of illustrating this, to tech savvy young people I have using the illsutration of video editing, and spoken of how God edits 'the video of our lives' replacing all the sin in our video with the perfection from Christs, and putting our sin into Christ's video. 

Another analogy is to use a horse and donkey. The horse has the best saddle and bridal, the donkey has a heavy burden that it can hardly carry, but God takes the budern off the donkey and puts it on the strong horse, and he takes the saddle and bridal off the horse and puts that on the donkey. The horse then carries the burden to the destination. 

The point here is if you want a relevant illsutration you need to understand the people and their situation - with the information you give here I cannot be more relevant then that


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## InSlaveryToChrist (Nov 24, 2011)

Here is one common illustration you may be aware of (11:4:

[video=youtube;tQwnF-AIZXM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQwnF-AIZXM[/video]


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## Ask Mr. Religion (Nov 24, 2011)

Show them this:

[video=youtube;XrLzYw6ULYw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrLzYw6ULYw[/video]



AMR


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## Semper Fidelis (Nov 24, 2011)

The Priest with Dirty Clothes: Dr. R.C. Sproul - Book - Theology, Atonement, Worldview & Culture, Children's Books | Ligonier Ministries Store

They just played R.C. reading the book today in fact: The Priest with Dirty Clothes from Renewing Your Mind Radio with R.C. Sproul

Another that R.C. has written: The Prince's Poison Cup: Dr. R.C. Sproul - Book - Worldview & Culture, Children's Books | Ligonier Ministries Store

I've read The Priest with Dirty Clothes to adults as well.

When I'm talking to my kids, I relate sin to disobedience. Just the other night here was the conversation.

We had just finished reading this:


> And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”
> (Matthew 20:17-19 ESV)



Me: Why was Jesus crucified?
Sophia: For our sins.
Me: Why did he have to die for our sins?
Kids: I don't know...
Me: What do our sins deserve.
Sophia: The wrath and curse of God.
Me: What happens to someone who is under the wrath and curse of God?
Kids: Blank stares.
Me: The wrath and curse of God means that God punishes people for their sin.
Me: Where do people go when they die if they are under the wrath and curse of God?
Anna: Hell.
Me: How long?
Anna: Forever.
Me: Without Jesus, you will be punished for your sins. You are under the wrath and curse of God.
Me: How are we saved from the wrath and curse of God?
Sophia: Jesus.
Me: Who is punished?
Anna: Jesus.
Me: That's right. Jesus receives the wrath and curse of God for us. That's what the Cross is for.

I'd like to pretend that they get this but they're still learning. It hasn't quite sunk in for them but these repeated conversations drive home points. We don't have to worry whether the kids get it every time but repeated conversations about this sink in. They'll understand eventually and I pray for them every time we have devotions that their hearts would be converted to the Gospel.


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## Jack K (Nov 26, 2011)

I use a report card for American kids. You have one (all F's) and Jesus has one (all A's). You and he switch envelopes. It works well because a very bad report card entails much of what our sin imparts to us... shame, failure, punishment.

Of course, it won't work with the adults where you are and probably not with your homeschooled kids either. So I'm thinking. What else?. Don't know yet...


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## seajayrice (Nov 26, 2011)

It's somewhat like marriage is intended to be.


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## Pergamum (Nov 27, 2011)

My son Noah once volunteered to take Alethea's (our 4-year old sometimes-naughty daughter) spanking. So I spanked him hard (like usual) and was able to hug him afterwards and tell him how his action resembled Jesus' action (except that he has no power to make Ally good).


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## InSlaveryToChrist (Nov 27, 2011)

Pergamum said:


> My son Noah once volunteered to take Alethea's (our 4-year old sometimes-naughty daughter) spanking. So I spanked him hard (like usual) and was able to hug him afterwards and tell him how his action resembled Jesus' action (except that he has no power to make Ally good).



That is just wonderful! I wonder what Alethea's reaction was when she found out that her brother had took her punishment.


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## Weston Stoler (Nov 27, 2011)

This discussion is helpful. I am trying to witness to a Church of Christ and hopefully I can explain imputation of Christ's righteousness a little bit better now.


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## Pergamum (Nov 27, 2011)

InSlaveryToChrist said:


> Pergamum said:
> 
> 
> > My son Noah once volunteered to take Alethea's (our 4-year old sometimes-naughty daughter) spanking. So I spanked him hard (like usual) and was able to hug him afterwards and tell him how his action resembled Jesus' action (except that he has no power to make Ally good).
> ...



She is 4 and does not have much spiritual interest; she was just happy to get out of a spanking, she had little appreciation for the one who took her spanking (like most evangelical professors)..i.e., she cares more about avoiding the penalty of sin than she does the offense of sin to God at this point. Noah prays for her nightly.


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## Scott1 (Nov 27, 2011)

It was surprising to learn that the Shorter Catechism was written to teach children.



> Westminster Shorter Catechism
> 
> Q. 33. What is justification?
> 
> A. Justification is an act of God’s free grace,[91] wherein he pardoneth all our sins,[92] and accepteth us as righteous in His sight,[93] only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us,[94] and received by faith alone.[95]





> [91] Romans 3:24. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
> 
> [92] Romans 4:6-8. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. 2 Corinthians 5:19. To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
> 
> ...


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