In his insightful book, The Three Chairs, Dr. Bruce Wilkinson shares truths about generational faith. There is a marked difference between those who are the first in their family to be born again and those who grow up in a Christian home where Christ is exalted. Wilkinson masterfully shows us from the Bible how this truth played out in the lives of Abraham (first chair), Isaac (second chair), and Jacob (third chair); David (first chair), Solomon (second chair), and Rehoboam (third chair); and Joshua (first chair), the elders of Israel (second chair), and the children of the elders (third chair). In each case there is a downward spiral from vital, vibrant faith in the Lord God to nominal faith in God to no faith in God. Each state is represented by a different chair. I’m grateful to Pastor Greg Burdine for his insights on this subject (https://gregburdine.com/powerful-principle-three-chairs/). I know these are general principles and there are many variables. Let’s look at the three chairs as they apply to believers today:
Chair One: COMMITMENT
The first chair person is a believer in Jesus, but has gone beyond accepting the gift of salvation to willfully being under Christ's authority and direction. This person knows the Lord as a personal friend and Savior and is developing a meaningful and growing relationship with Him for himself and those he’s responsible for. They are deeply committed to Jesus Christ in all they do.
Chair Two: COMPROMISE
The second chair represents someone who has received new life in Christ but hasn’t decided how little or much they will follow Him. He claims to believe all the same truths as someone in the first chair, follows the Christian ‘lifestyle’ in many outward ways, and usually has the best intentions. But instability and inconsistency mark his course.Children who grow up in a Chair One Christian home tend to sit in Chair Two. Also, it is easy for Christians to slide from Chair One to Chair Two.
Chair Three: CONFLICT
The third chair stands for someone who has not responded personally to God. A third chair person may have always known he wasn’t a Christian, or may be confused about his spiritual state. Especially if he has grown up in a Christian family surrounded by God-talk, he may look, act, feel, and think like Christians – almost. But a gulf of sin and rebellion lies between him and God. Until he repents of his sin and surrenders to Jesus Christ for salvation, he is at odds with his Creator and his purpose in life.A person who grows up in the home of Chair Two parents tends to sit in Chair Three. Having seen Christianity in name only, they reject it as they get older.
One key example is the generations following Joshua’s generation.
And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. So the people answered and said: Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods… So the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord which He had done for Israel…. When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel. (Judges 24:15-16; Judges 2:7, 10)
First Chair: Joshua knew God and His works.
Second Chair: The elders knew about God and His works.
Third Chair: The children of the elders did not know God nor His works.
By far the highest percentage of today’s church-attending Christians are, in my opinion, stuck in the second chair. I can tell you from personal experience that the most unhappy, frustrated, stressed and disillusioned people in the world aren’t non-Christians as you might expect, but second chair Christians who know Christ yet who fight Him and His leadership for years and even decades.
So, what’s the solution, Irv? The goal of the Christian family is to have all three generations sitting in Chair One. That requires each generation to have a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ. Each person must be both born-again and a committed follower of Jesus to sit in the first chair. Chair Two, nominal Christians need to experience spiritual revival to change chairs. Chair Three children need to be saved and experience the love and grace of God in their lives firsthand.
God has no grandchildren; only children,
Irv