The Child Within

Scriptural Text:

When a father picks up his little daughter and tosses her all around in the air, she laughs and enjoys it, for she trusts—has faith in—her father. Even though she finds herself in unusual situations, like being up side down four feet above the floor with nothing supporting her (normally an uncomfortable circumstance), she does not fear, for she trusts her father. That is the sort of faith we should have toward our heavenly Father, too.

First, let me established this understanding, that children are very dear to God. There were considered to be insignificant and unimportant doing Jesus day. It was this that Jesus was combating.

Jesus Christ welcomes children,

We Christians must welcome children as Jesus Christ did. They are used by Christ as an example of how believers should receive the kingdom, and as an example of immaturity by Paul.

Point 1: Children should be presented to God as “living sacrifices” for His care and purposes.

19:14–15 Jesus rebukes the disciples and uses the children to teach an object lesson about the right way to enter God’s kingdom. “Such as these” shows that all children are not automatically saved but rather all those of any age who come to God with a childlike attitude—recognizing their utter dependence on their Heavenly Father (as in 18:3–4).

Children as people welcomed by Jesus Christ,

(ESV) — 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me,

The importance: the call to adults to become like children: to become simple, unassuming, humble, innocent, not impressed by externals ()

Those who enter the kingdom must be like children

Those who enter the kingdom must be like children

God’s truth is revealed to the childlike, ,

Matthew 11:25 (ESV) — 25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;

(ESV) — 25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;

(ESV) — 26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

Point 2: Natural humility, such as that of a child, is a great benefit in relation to the coming of the kingdom.

Note: Jesus said,

Children are citizens of His Kingdom, until their minds matured to the age of accountablity

Children demonstrate the traits needed to enter heaven

Point 3: The very traits possessed by a child are the essentials for conversion or salvation: trust, surrender, obedience, and humility (, , )

(NKJV) 3and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

3and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

(NKJV) 1Lord, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me.

1Lord, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me.

2Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me.

(NKJV) 5casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

5casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

Children as a picture of immature Christians ; , ;

;

1 Corinthians 14:20 (ESV) — 20 Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.

(ESV) — 20 Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.

14:20 (ESV) — 20 Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.

(ESV) — 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

(ESV) — 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

(ESV) — 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.

(ESV) — 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.

The Child Within and Without (, , , , , , , )

(NKJV)8That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

(NKJV)8That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

(NKJV)8That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

Romans 9:8 (NKJV)8That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

(NKJV)28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.

(NKJV)1Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.

(NKJV)15that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

(NKJV)14Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,

(NKJV)14as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;

(NKJV)2Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

(NKJV)10In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.