As a Little Child
James Foley
Country Baptist Church
12/26/10
Text: Luke 18:17: Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.
Introduction:
This Scripture makes it very clear that the way to God is not a mystical exercise, nor is it a complicated process. Many people and denominations pile heaps of do’s and don’ts on the poor sinner whose only need or desire is a clear path to God, unobstructed by human invention.
We need to look very carefully at our text and allow God to show us His plan and the reason he says we must enter His kingdom as a little child.
A child trusts implicitly. He is born having to trust another for his very existence and accepts what his parents tell him simply because at this point in his young life there is no other authority. He trusts that his parents know best and will not lead him wrong, and this he does without even a conscious thought.
In contrast, those who have experienced life and its deceptions and pitfalls, are more prone to examine carefully, learn all they can about any subject and reason it all out in their minds before accepting anything that they are presented with. The older a person gets, the more difficult it is to trust simply, as a child would. But this is exactly what God demands, simple, uncomplicated trust, with none of mans inventions or reasoning to clutter the pure message and intent of a Holy, Just and Righteous God.
Man has a need to understand, to reason through a problem, and to arrive at any goal through his own understanding. This is not God’s way when the subject is salvation. He asks one simple thing of the sinner; pure simple trust, nothing more and nothing less.
If men could reason out redemption, there would be no need of trust, and salvation would become something that man could find out apart from God. The wisdom of man cannot discover God, nor can it determine His purpose and person. 1Corinthians 1:21: For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
1Co 2:11-14 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
To develop this thought further, we can give this example; it would be the same as a person trying to understand a complicated concept and the teacher is teaching in a foreign language. This is an impossible situation and without an interpreter the student will never grasp the concept.
How does this pertain to our lesson tonight? The things of God, like redemption, sin, forgiveness, and the concept of Christ as our substitute are incomprehensible without the Holy Spirit of God as our interpreter. This is the Spirit that indwells the Christian and makes our understanding of these Godly concepts possible. V. 14.
Natural man THINKS he knows and can understand these things; after all he is not stupid nor is he unlearned. But he is unsaved and the Spirit of God does not yet indwell him. This makes his comprehension of spiritual things impossible.
Mans reasoning only leads to more questions; it is not our place to explain the Almighty. Nor is it our place to try to explain things to the unsaved that can only be spiritually discerned. It is an exercise in futility and God explains it this way:
Romans 14:1: Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but
not to doubtful disputations.
For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth
herbs.
Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which
eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? To his own master he standeth
or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let
every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not
the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord,
for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and
giveth God thanks.
God is capable of convincing His own of the truth of His Word, as well as taking away the confusion that man has implanted in the minds of those that understand not.
So then; what is it that unregenerate man can understand? John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Why can he understand this without the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit? Because God the father has drawn the sinner to Christ, He has brought him to this place; he did not arrive on his own.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Notice the all inclusive word “whosoever”. “Whosoever will,” and this is the key, mans will. God gave him free will to choose. God said in another place: and ye will not come to me that ye might have life.
Matthew 18:2: And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
And said, Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Can we know for a certainty that we belong to God? Yes; 1John 4:13: Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
Romans 3:19-25: Now we know that what things so ever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
The Holy Spirit as teacher:
John 14:26: But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.