Childlike Faith

In the last edition, Our Only Hope, I touched on a subject that I think we need a little farther contemplation on: that topic is having faith as a little child.

“And he (Christ) said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” 

-Matthew 18:3

It is very easy for children to come to Christ at an early age. I was saved when I was six years old. When we get older, if left to our own devices, we have developed our thinking from ideas of the world. Modern thinking is to let children develop their own ideas of morality, to try everything and zero in on what makes the most sense. The idea is that everyone has some good in them, so just let it develop on its own and the world will become a much better place because the good will overcome the bad.

That philosophy has been tested out in various science fiction books and it always turns out in the worst possible scenario. Duh! So why would the leaders of society want to continue to go down that path when they have seen that it never works out. Correction – it never works out for the common man – those in charge are getting all sorts of perks!

Let’s get off of the science fiction trail – since it seems to be happening it is no longer fiction. 

Like I said earlier, children can be led to salvation in the Lord easier because they are not as skeptical as worldly, know everything, self-centered adults. Yet, adults are trying their best to steer children away from the things of God. I have not figured this one out yet, but evidently adults have become so skeptical and even hostile of the things of God and His Church that they are not only staying away, but keeping their children in the dark. 

We need that faith as a child to come to Christ, and adults who keep children from Christ will suffer in judgement to come. He says as much:

“Whosoever shall humble himself as this little child, that same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” 

Matthew 18:4-6

Why a person would wanted to suffer eternally is beyond me, and anyone that would keep a child from Christ – it’s amazing that these people cannot see what would ultimately happen to their child.

We need Christ. Through all the things that go on in your life you need a steady hand to hold onto. You cannot do everything by yourself. Sure, you are a big strong adult – but you need help. Every day. You need help to breath. God provides that help, through the air you breath and your body’s systems. No matter what the problem, you always have someone with you.

In Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina there is a swinging bridge that is supposedly a mile up (I presume that is the truth). When I was very young (I don’t remember the year) I was there with my family during a summer vacation, When I stepped onto that bridge and started walking the slats of that bridge I became very afraid: my knees started trembling and I cannot remember if I cried or not, but probably so…my dad took my hand and walked with me across the bridge. I was still scared some, but it was ok – my dad had a hold on me all the way across.

That is exactly what the walk with Christ is like – there are things in life that make us afraid and we are scared, sometimes very scared. With Christ we still go through things that make us afraid, but He has our hand. We are still going through those things but He doesn’t let go while we are crossing those life bridges. He walks with us there and back.

“And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.”               Philippians 3:9

~AE