Being Born Again is not simply a ticket to heaven
Many people think it is
And some of those think of heaven
As a future event and place
“Then Jesus called a little child to Him,
set him in the midst of them,
and 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.
Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child
is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
(Matthew 18:2 – 4)
But what does Jesus say about
The kingdom of heaven?
“Assuredly, I say to you,”
It always seems strange to me
When Jesus says, “Assuredly”
He WAS sinless
He ALWAYS spoke the truth
He NEVER lied
“Assuredly” is the same as saying:
I am telling you the TRUTH
Every word that He spoke
WAS and IS the TRUTH
So LISTEN to WHAT He has to say:
“unless you are converted and become as little children”
“unless” – you MUST be
This is NOT an optional EXTRA
“unless you are converted”
To be “converted” is to be Born Again
It means to REPENT, to TURN to God
Turn away from living your OWN life
To living a life WITH and IN Jesus
“and become as little children”
Do NOT remain as a self-made
Self-sufficient adult
Instead humble yourself and become a CHILD
One who is dependant upon God, TOTALLY
“you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. “
Do NOT deceive yourself
You will not enter the kingdom of heaven
Unless you are:
Converted
And become as a little child
Also, please note that the little child
Was in the “midst of them”
Right there with them
The “child” was not a picture to imagine
As something in the future
In a similar way the kingdom of heaven
Is “in the midst of us” right now
It IS a present tense reality
It is NOT something to be achieved
In the future when we die
Jesus finishes by saying:
“Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child
is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
“is the greatest”
That is talking about NOW
Jesus did not say WILL BE
So do you know God NOW?
Are you growing in your understanding
Of the kingdom of heaven today?
Have you humbled yourself to His will
Just as a little child would do…?
And not simply some time in the past
When you were first Born Again
But an every day occurrence
Are you truly converted to Him and His Way?