Handling very difficult God questions from your child

[SVH]

Hi there,
I haven't posted for ages, but I'm back again. I've got 3 lovely children and my youngest is 5yrs old. It is this little young lady who is asking super intelligent and difficult to answer questions about Christianity. I am floundering badly - I need to do a degree in Theology I think to keep up with her questions. You can't give her a round about half answer as it isn't good enough and she will keep hounding until she is satisfied. Please pray for her teachers this year for Kindy!
Last night she asked me why we have only one God. Oh help me! Because there just is - is not a good enough answer for her.
Any thoughts in child language out there?
Thanks Sam

 

[Jay0]

that is a hard question to answer a 5 year old...lol. Tell her we only have one God because God is everywhere. That'll get her so focused on looking all around for God she might understand why we can't have more than one...
Just my $.02, sorry if it doesn't help.

 

[christianmomof3]

You might tell her that God is our Father and we only have one Father, not many.

 

[pdfiddler]

I would tell her, let's go find out! Go buy a child's bible and start reading to her every day. If she is asking, then she is ready to know. When she asks a question, go look it up, with her. That way you both learn together. And that's FUN!

 

[elsbeth]

Sounds easy to me. (And yes, I have kids). Tell her we have only one God because there is only one real God.

 

[linssue55]

Hi there,
I haven't posted for ages, but I'm back again. I've got 3 lovely children and my youngest is 5yrs old. It is this little young lady who is asking super intelligent and difficult to answer questions about Christianity. I am floundering badly - I need to do a degree in Theology I think to keep up with her questions. You can't give her a round about half answer as it isn't good enough and she will keep hounding until she is satisfied. Please pray for her teachers this year for Kindy!
Last night she asked me why we have only one God. Oh help me! Because there just is - is not a good enough answer for her.
Any thoughts in child language out there?
Thanks Sam

There are many wonderful christain books for children with pics and all. She is right, there are 3 individual Gods, ONE in essense, but 3 seperate individuals. Here are some verses.

THE TRINITY.........


The Father planned it; the Son executed it; the Spirit revealed it. The Father, the Son and the Spirit are three different persons although they have the same essence. But there is also a second word—LORD, which we simply translate Jehovah. Jehovah is in the singular and it always refers only to one person—sometimes to the Father, sometimes to the Son, and sometimes to the Holy Spirit. Elohim is a plural word used here because all three members of the Trinity were involved in the creation. The phrase “in the beginning,” bereshith, means that time actually began when creation began.

God the Father Planned it......
God the Son Created it.......
God the Holy Spirit restored/revealed it........

One in Essence, Yet 3 seperate persons............

..........(1) The Father; (Psa 31:5, Isa 65:16, Jer 10:10a, Jn 3:33, 17:3, Rom 3:4)

..........(2) The Son; (Jn 1:14, 15:26, 16:13; 1Jn 5:6)

..........(3) The Holy Spirit; (Jn 14:17, 15:26, 16:13; 1Jn 5:6)

.......(1) The Father's Love; (Jn 3:16, 1Jn 4:9)

.......(2) The Son's Love; (1Jn 3:16a)

.......(3) The Holy Spirit's Love; (Jn 16:8-11, 1Cor 2:9-11)

 

[JulySheMustFly]

This sounds much like my 5 year old.

As for only one God. You could explain how we only need one because He is so powerful that He can do all things. The reason others have more than one god is because their gods each do different things. One god makes it rain, while another makes the trees grow (I'm not referencing any specific religion, just a general idea.) and that our One God can make it rain and the trees grow and the sun shine and the wind blow.

Just an idea. Hope it helps.

 

[Forest]

Hi there,
I haven't posted for ages, but I'm back again. I've got 3 lovely children and my youngest is 5yrs old. It is this little young lady who is asking super intelligent and difficult to answer questions about Christianity. I am floundering badly - I need to do a degree in Theology I think to keep up with her questions. You can't give her a round about half answer as it isn't good enough and she will keep hounding until she is satisfied. Please pray for her teachers this year for Kindy!
Last night she asked me why we have only one God. Oh help me! Because there just is - is not a good enough answer for her.
Any thoughts in child language out there?
Thanks Sam

I know how you feel. My seven year old asked me "I know this is a stupid question, but how do you know what the bible says is true?"...

I have found that young kids usually want a simple answer...

As for your question, I would say "We only have one God because Jesus said so and I believe Him", and see where that leads...

 

[SVH]

Thanks so much for your replies, I'm sure those answers will get me somewhere. I think it becomes complicated because she questions each answer you give her and then without knowing it you are starting to get out of her depth of understanding. Yes, we do have a great little 'read with me' children's Bible handed down from each of our children. She loves it so much. When I read it to her it takes me forever because she asks so many questions. I know God gave her such a beautiful inquiring mind and for that I'm grateful. (As I'm writing this, Louise comes in and gives a little daisy - it's for you mummy and big kiss). I just need to practice a little more patience sometimes and pray to God to give the right answers.

Thanks heaps, Sam

 

[LightDancer]

Hi there,
I haven't posted for ages, but I'm back again. I've got 3 lovely children and my youngest is 5yrs old. It is this little young lady who is asking super intelligent and difficult to answer questions about Christianity. I am floundering badly - I need to do a degree in Theology I think to keep up with her questions. You can't give her a round about half answer as it isn't good enough and she will keep hounding until she is satisfied. Please pray for her teachers this year for Kindy!
Last night she asked me why we have only one God. Oh help me! Because there just is - is not a good enough answer for her.
Any thoughts in child language out there?
Thanks Sam

I think I would say because if we had more than one God, we would get confused. I think a 5 year old might understand that.

I might also say if there were lots of gods, then how would we decide who to pray too?

Try asking your daughter questions to see if you get feedback as to where she is coming from.

 

[AllTalkNoAction]

Hi Sam . . .

. . . . I am floundering badly - I need to do a degree in Theology I think to keep up with her questions.

Nope, have you received the Holy Spirit who "shall give you the given words in the given hour" ?

You can't give her a round about half answer as it isn't good enough and she will keep hounding until she is satisfied.

If only adults were more like that !
. . .almost makes me want to have children !

Please pray for her teachers this year for Kindy!

You get what offers and she will see the difference in you !

Last night she asked me why we have only one God. Oh help me!

God didn't need any other gods to help him create the Universe, so he doesn't need other gods to help Kindy !

 

[ImAChildofGod]

I am in much the same position with my 8 year old, except her question is "Where did God come from?" She didn't seem satisfied with "He's just always been here."

 

[flyingsum0]

Always remeber We learn the best from those we love.
As long as she loves you she will learn from you no matter how much or long it takes

God Bless you!

 

[thunderlove]

My niece asks questions like these

My advice -- answer honestly, simply, and lovingly

* tell them the truth, in simple terms. "We have one God, because that's all there is! There is only one God -- and He is big and wonderful and everything we need!"
* if you don't know the answer, say, "Hmm..." "Good question! I don't know..." Then you do some research, and share in learning!



Sometimes, the real trick is figuring out what they're asking

A question like "Why do we only have one God?" might mean,

* "Some people have lots of gods, why do we only have one?"
* "Why doesn't God have brothers and sisters? Where did He come from?"
* "I have one nose, because I would look funny with two.... But God is invisible, so why do we only have one?"

 

[Godslilgurlalways]

I think it's better to try and think like one you could tell her B/c God is so powerful, all knowning, all loving, and always there we only have one b/c he has it all

 

[rocklife]

Hi there,
I haven't posted for ages, but I'm back again. I've got 3 lovely children and my youngest is 5yrs old. It is this little young lady who is asking super intelligent and difficult to answer questions about Christianity. I am floundering badly - I need to do a degree in Theology I think to keep up with her questions. You can't give her a round about half answer as it isn't good enough and she will keep hounding until she is satisfied. Please pray for her teachers this year for Kindy!
Last night she asked me why we have only one God. Oh help me! Because there just is - is not a good enough answer for her.
Any thoughts in child language out there?
Thanks Sam

my 6 year old son was asking me many questions recently. Many of them, I answer what I can in kid friendly ways, but many times, he was happy when I asked him "what do you think (repeat his question)..." and he would answer his own questions. I agree or correct as needed, usually he had very good answers from his understanding though.

praying for you all

 

[Solaris]

How many creators of the universe do you need? One is surely enough.

A better answer that might be beyond her understanding, and is difficult for some Christians, is what I explained to my son. In answer to the God question I said, "At this very moment you are giving electrons to me and I am giving electrons to you. Everything does this. Everything is connected. Everything actually is Onething." He answered,
"That is matter, and there is matter we can't see. Spirit is also a type of matter, because spirit is energy and matter is energy." A reference to E=mc2 i guess.
There is only one God because there is only One All.