An Appraisal on the Conversations of Children of the Kingdom
Dearly Beloved,
Barely beholding the behavior of infants (little children) would remind us of how unnatural it is to see adults who are child-like at heart or children of the kingdom! When we thus see someone who struggles to forgive, offends habitually, pays lip service to repenting, is burdened by the cares and fears of tomorrow, would rather be independent than dependent, or who disregards order/spiritual authority, we have simply witnessed a conversation of an adult at heart rather than that of a child at heart. The course of this world has been subtly causing such a one to “grow old” rather than “grow young” (Ps. 110:3, 103:5).
- Mal. 4:6 And he (John the Baptist, through the knowledge that saves or that brings salvation – Lk. 1:76-77) shall turn the heart of the fathers (naturally aged) to the children (meek and teachable), and the heart of the children to their fathers (spiritually aged), lest I come and smite the earth with a curse
- “Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way…” (Ps. 25:8) (i.e. where sins are remitted)
- The meek are those who haven’t been taught the way of righteousness, and are alien to the essence of the walk called “from Faith to Faith” (Rom. 1:17)
- Sinners or sinning believers are those who are teachable (meek), can be taught God’s ways and would someday become children of the kingdom because their sins would be remitted
So unlike unbelieving believers (sinners), infants (children) have sin as an inactive nature that awaits wrong exposure, upbringing and experiences. They have the best natural frame that is reachable and teachable, which ever believer must have in order to receive from the Lord and inherit the kingdom (Matt. 18:15-17). They have the same kind of heart with believing believers whose sins have been remitted (Matt. 26:28, Acts 26:18d) through the preaching of repentance (Mk. 1:4, Lk. 24:47) and the receiving of Christ’s riches (Rom. 9:23, Eph. 1:7, 2:7, 3:16).
- “To him give all the prophets witness, that through (preaching of) his name whosoever believeth (i.e. the continuous act and art of believing in the unveilings of Christ life) in him shall receive remission of sins…” (Acts 10:43).
- “His name” is an inheritance called Faith that is conveyed via intensive strategic preaching meant to end a believer in the Father (Acts 26:18e, 20:31-32)
- “Whosoever believeth” are those who were initially unbelieving believers but who became believing believers through the continuous act and art of hearing ministrations that unveil Christ and imparts His Grace (Rom. 1:11b, Heb. 13:9b, Gal. 2:9, 1Pet .1:13)
Unfortunately for most children today, the world through the ignorance and cooperation of patents, guardian and “pastors”, reach and teach them first, take away their contrite and repentant frame of their hearts, and make them children of disobedience in no time (Eph. 2:2c).
- “And said, Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted (a post new birth experience), and become as little children (i.e. for the sake of entrance/attaining divine power), ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven…” ( Matt. 18:3).
- Seeing, hearing and holding/understanding are the tangible experiences (Matt. 13:15, 1Jn. 1:1) that our souls must have with the word of the kingdom/the word of life (Matt. 13:19, 1Jn. 1:1f), so that our sins are remitted and so we lay hold on our first inheritance – Divine Power/Christ’s Faith (Acts 26:18e, 2Pet. 1:3)
- “Whosoever therefore (i.e. for the sake of abundant entrance/attaining divine nature) shall humble himself as this little child (typifying Jesus who was always in their midst – vs 2), the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven…” (Matt. 18:4).
Through the last phase of commandments that God the father gave unto Jesus while he was a Son of Faith (i.e. when he had come into Divine Power/The measure of the stature of Christ/A perfect man – 2Pet. 1:3, Eph. 4:13c-d), he learnt a higher obedience that pertained to the Son of Love (Divine Nature/God’ fullness/A quick man – 2Pet. 1:4, Eph. 4:13d, Heb. 4:12a), and this was how he journeyed from Jordan (where he overcame the sin) unto Gethsemane (where he overcame death). This was how Jesus obeyed the father to the uttermost (Phil. 2:7, Heb. 5:9) and laid hold of the fullness of inheritance – God!
- Jesus called John the Baptist the greatest of all men born of women (i.e. only Adam is exempted), and that was because his message could turn the hearts of the fathers to the children (Lk. 1:17), thereby remit sins. The early church prospered in truth because the apostles taught the knowledge that saves; the Faith (Divine Life/Divine Power) that is in Christ, and thereby remitted the sins of saints, causing them to become children of the kingdom.
- “And that repentance (turning of hearts) and remission of sins should be preached in his name (by preaching his Faith) among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem…” (Lk. 24:47).
So the first mission of the blood of Jesus is to take away sin from our souls (Matt. 26:28), while the last mission of the blood is to take away (spiritual) death from our souls
- “The wolf also shall dwell (i.e. like children harmlessly dwell with one another) with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them…” (Isa. 11:6).
The wolf, leopard, young lion here typifies the soul states of believers whose previous natures were hurtful and destructive (Isa. 11:9), but through the ministry of reconciliation, were taught righteousness, their sins were remitted and have come into peace. The little child there signifies the meekest amidst the saints (Num. 12:3, Eph. 3:8b) and vessel’s handling the ministry of reconciliation (2Cor. 5:19-20) amongst the flock or in the body of Christ
Blessings!
Tayo Fasan