Children

Q: What does the Bible say about being a child of God?

The Bible frequently refers to believers as children of God, highlighting our privilege and relationship with Him. The scriptures describe believers as children of God, a term that reflects both our status and the privileges we hold in Christ. In 1 John 3:1, it is written, 'Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.' This declaration speaks to the immense love and grace bestowed upon us. Being a child of God means we are heirs of all the Father's promises and gifts, chosen in His eternal love and adopted by His grace (Ephesians 1:4-5). Moreover, our identity as children implies that we are under His special care and protection, receiving all needed to live out our faith in this world.

Q: How do we know conversion is necessary for salvation?

Jesus teaches that conversion is essential for entering the kingdom of heaven, emphasizing a radical change in our nature towards God. Conversion is absolutely essential for entering into the kingdom of heaven, as stated by Jesus in Matthew 18:3: 'Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.' This illustrates that no one is inherently worthy of God's presence due to our sinful nature, which is at enmity with God. Without divine intervention, regeneration must occur to transform our hearts and minds. Conversion, therefore, is not merely an external behavior adjustment, but a profound internal change initiated by God's grace that enables us to turn from our sinful paths to embrace Christ and His righteousness.

Q: Why is humility important for Christians?

Humility is essential for Christians as it reflects our dependence on God and aligns us with the character of Christ. Humility is a cornerstone of the Christian faith, as illustrated by Jesus’ command to become like little children in Matthew 18:4: 'Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.' This humility signifies a recognition of our dependence on God's grace and an acknowledgment of our weaknesses. A humble spirit allows us to receive God's teachings without pride or self-reliance. Furthermore, as we strive to emulate Christ's humility, we foster genuine relationships within the body of Christ, demonstrating love and forgiveness to one another, which is vital in our communal life as believers.

Q: What does it mean to be God's children?

Being God's children means we are heirs of His promises and under His care, reflecting our profound relationship with Him. As children of God, believers are granted a unique relationship characterized by privilege and responsibility. God's children are portrayed as heirs of His promises, co-heirs with Christ, possessing everything necessary for life and godliness. This relationship implies a special care from God, ensuring that nothing essential is withheld from us (Romans 8:28-30). Additionally, this identity calls us to live in a manner that reflects our Father’s character, promoting love, forgiveness, and unity within the church. Our status as His children also anchors us in eternal security, knowing that our God will ensure our perseverance in faith.

Q: What are the characteristics of true conversion?

True conversion involves a radical internal change initiated by God, resulting in a transformed life reflecting Christ's character. True conversion is a divine work that transforms an individual from within, highlighting the necessity of regeneration. As Jesus indicated, it is not about reforming outward behavior but about receiving a new nature that enables genuine faith and repentance (2 Corinthians 5:17). A person who has experienced true conversion will show a turning away from sin and an embrace of righteousness, evidenced by their actions and desires. This change should be ongoing, as believers continue to humble themselves before God and actively live out their commitment to Christ in every aspect of life, continually seeking His grace to grow in holiness.

Let's turn together to Matthew chapter 18. Matthew the 18th chapter. Now the scriptures use many, many words and names to identify and describe God's people. But I suppose more frequently than any other, the word children is used to describe us in the New Testament particularly, but also in the Old. We are called children of promise, children of the light, children of day, dear children, beloved children, children of God, and little children.

Now, this is a great, great privilege. It's a matter of tremendous joy. When John realized it, he said, behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God. Beloved, now are we the sons of God. Oh, what a high honor. What a great privilege. The more I meditate on it, the more I think about it, the more overwhelmed I am with the fact that God Almighty has taken sinful worms, sons and daughters of Adam, and made him his children. He's made us the children of the living God.

We are as the children of God, believers in Christ Jesus, given all the privileges and all the power that belongs to the sons of God. Chosen in eternal love, adopted by free grace, accepted in the beloved, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, all things belonging to the Father's house are our present and everlasting possession. Everything. The Father withholds nothing from his children, every good and perfect gift he has bestowed upon us in Jesus Christ the Lord. Being his children, we are under his care, under his special, particular, distinct care.

But there is another aspect of our being the children of God that we perhaps don't think of as often. When the scriptures speak of us being the children of God, They are also describing not just our privileges as such, but also our state and condition in this world. While we live in this world, in this body of flesh, we are but children. Children are weak, dependent, very ignorant, immature, unable, underdeveloped. We're children. All of those things describe our state and our condition in this world.

Now, here in Matthew chapter 18, we have one of our Lord's best sermons, one of his most important sermons, if I can use those kind of adjectives to describe the preaching of our Savior. Now, I fully realize that in this world, in the church and kingdom of God, there are babies, there are young men, and there are fathers in the Israel of God. And yet at the same time, as long as we are here in this world, in this body of flesh, in this state of existence, we are in a very real sense children, really little children.

John writes to his disciples, many of them old folks, but he said, I write unto you, little children. And we are to be looked upon in our own eyes as children here and never rise above that. Now here in Matthew chapter 18, the Lord Jesus gives us a single sermon that goes through verse 35, and it ought to be looked upon as a message, just one message rather than numerous messages. Obviously, I cannot expound the whole message this evening, but the subject of the sermon is children. And that's the title of my message this evening, just simple, children. Let's learn about the children, the children of our God. The purpose of the message is to teach us the church and family of God as a family of imperfect, weak children, how to get along with each other while we go through this world. Now, let me show you what is in the text or in this chapter, and then we will look at our text this evening, which will be verses 1 through 14.

First, our Lord teaches us in verses 1 through 4 that everyone who enters the kingdom of heaven must do so as a little child. Except you be converted and become as a little child, you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. And then in verses five through nine, he tells us that all of God's children are to be treated by us as God's children. Oh, don't ever take lightly how you think of, how you speak of, or how you treat the sons and daughters of God Almighty. He doesn't take it lightly. Those who are God's children are to be treated by us as the children of the living God. Thirdly, in verses 10 through 14, our Savior tells us that they are to be cared for as God's children, properly tended to by us. And then in verses 15 through 20, they are to be disciplined as God's children within his family. And then lastly, he tells us in verses 21 through 35, they are to be forgiven as God's children.

Now the thing that inspired the sermon that we had before us here was a question, a question that seemed always in the background, but constantly on the minds of the disciples, a foolish, foolish question. It was a question which the disciples raised themselves, a question they debated among themselves, a question that was often in conversation in their private discourses, but kindly always kept in the background. But it was a question that arose from ignorance, terrible ignorance, terrible ambition, and terrible pride. Notice what we have here in verse 1.

At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest? in the kingdom of heaven. How sad, how terribly sad. Who's going to be the greatest? I'll tell you what makes the question so sad, so terribly sad, is that the person asking it always has aspirations that he might be the greatest. That's what makes it so terribly sad. Who's going to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

James and John, their mother came and said, Lord, let one of my boys settle with your left hand and the other one with your right hand when you come into your kingdom. And our Lord rebuked her and them because apparently they put her up to asking the question.

Now they asked this question and the question reveals a terrible, carnal ignorance with regard to the things of God. For these disciples were still, even after all the instruction the Savior had given, after three years of constant teaching, day and night, they were still looking for a carnal, earthly kingdom, and ambitious after carnal, earthly privileges in that kingdom. They looked upon the things of God with an eye of nature. They looked upon the things of the Spirit of God with the eye of the flesh. They considered not things in a spiritual manner as they asked this question. The question was one that our Redeemer looked upon with utter disdain. He seems hardly even to have answered the question. He had already reproved it in the past. But as he speaks concerning this question, he tells the disciples plainly that there's not going to be any difference between God's saints in glory. Look in verse 4.

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. There's only one great one, he that is least of all men, he that is least in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus Christ the Lord, he who made himself lower than the least that he might be himself the greatest of all. He's the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, but we who believe in him are made equally great. Can you fathom that? He says he that is as this little child, This little child who believes, he's already said now, you can't enter the kingdom of heaven unless you become as this little child. But as you become as this little child, everyone that becomes as this child, he's the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

So there's an equality. There is no superior rank and no lower rank among God's saints. And yet this foolish question, this arrogant, presumptuous question, inspired our Lord to give the message that we have contained in these verses. Let's look at verses 1 through 14, and let me show you five things clearly taught in the text. First, our Lord's response to this question reveals the necessity of conversion.

Now, there's not much talk these days about conversion, but our Savior says in verse 3, Verily I say unto you, except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. They asked him who would be the greatest, and the Lord Jesus called a little child to him, and he sent the child in the midst of them. He just sat him down, and he said, now, fellas, if you would enter the kingdom of heaven, you're going to have to become like this little child. You're going to have to be converted. Now, conversion is something that needs to be understood and understood clearly.

No one by nature is worthy of entering into God's presence. No one by nature has anything that would make himself acceptable to God, and no one by nature has anything that would make God acceptable to him, because man by nature is enmity against God. Man by nature hates all that God is. There is in man no fear of God, no love of God, no faith in God, no knowledge of God.

And so if we would enter into the kingdom of heaven, something's got to take place. A radical change has got to take place. You must be born again, our Savior says. By nature, man is entirely adverse to God. Our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, and God Almighty is utterly holy. We are darkness. He's light. He's purity. We're impurity. He's righteousness.

We're sin. There is nothing in us, nothing about us that is compatible with God. So if we would enter into heaven, we must be converted. Not only do we deserve God's wrath, but we are unfit for his presence. Conversion then is necessary. Absolutely necessary. Hold your hands here and turn to Revelation 21. Revelation chapter 21. and listen to what our God says. Revelation 21 and verse 27 is describing the character of heaven and those who enter in.

There shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh alive. It's utterly impossible that anyone who is defiled and defiles, who works abomination, who commits sin, who is in the least deceitful, it is impossible that we should enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Well, that shuts us all out by nature. There's got to be then a radical change, a radical change that begins in regeneration. It's called conversion. But secondly, our Lord also shows us the nature of true conversion. He shows us what it is, we don't have to guess about what it is.

Conversion is not, now listen carefully, conversion is not cleaning up the outside of the platter. That won't get the job done. Conversion is not reforming your life. Conversion is not stopping doing certain things that men look upon as evil, or even certain things that definitely are evil. Conversion is a change from within. Conversion is a work that is brought about within us by the power of God.

Our Lord called this little child and set him in the midst of them. And he said, except you be converted and become as little children, you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven, or you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever, therefore, shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whosoever shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

Now, conversion, clearly, is a change or a turning of a sinner to God. It is not something, however, that we do for God. Rather, it is something that is done to us and done in us. Notice what our Lord says, except ye be converted. Being converted is being passive in this matter of being converted. Now, after we have been converted, then we turn. But the turning first comes from God. Man by nature is dead. Man by nature is without the ability to turn himself toward God. Man by nature is without the ability to turn from his path of destruction, to turn to the path of light and liberty, and so he must be turned by divine grace.

Look in the scriptures. Turn to Jeremiah chapter 31. Jeremiah chapter 31. Here the prophet gives us a very clear, clear illustration of what I'm talking about. Verse 17, Ah, Lord God, behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee. Thou showest loving kindness unto thousands, and recompensest iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them. The great, the mighty God, the Lord of hosts is his name. great in counsel and mighty in work. For thine eyes are upon all the ways of the sons of men to give...

I'm not reading chapter 31, excuse me. I knew I messed up. Chapter 31, back to the next page over. Jeremiah 31, verse 17. No, verse 18. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus. Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke. Turn thou me, and I shall be turned. For thou art the Lord my God. Surely after that I was turned, I repented. And after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh. I was ashamed, yet even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. Do you see what the prophet says? After that I was turned, I repented. Look in Lamentations chapter 5. The same prophet gives the same thing. Lamentations 5 in verse 21.

Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned. Renew our days as of old. So conversion is something that begins with God turning us. If we have turned to him, if we are turning to him, it is because he turned us unto him. This conversion is a change. It is a radical change. As I said earlier, from within, outwardly. It is a change of nature in the beginning.

If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. God Almighty does not come and change his old nature. God comes in grace and puts a new nature within us. The old nature is still just as evil and vile as ever he was, but there's a new nature put within us, a new principle, a new life put within us.

And that change involves a change of masters. so that we have ceased to serve sin, self, and Satan, and now we serve the Lord Jesus Christ, our God. Conversion is a change of motives, so that we're motivated no longer by fear and self-serving interest, but rather motivated by love and gratitude and faith in Jesus Christ. And it certainly is a change of manners. The believer, the man, the woman who has been converted, is not the same as they were before.

They live differently. Their lives are radically altered so that they walk no longer after the flesh but in the spirit. Their lives are lives of men and women who live in a new realm. They live in the realm of God the Holy Spirit. Now this change has begun in regeneration. When a sinner is born again, he enters into an entirely new world, an entirely new life.

Christ enters into him, and he enters into Christ in such a real way that he is made to be a partaker of the divine nature. That's just astounding. That's just astounding. That man, that woman who's born of God, enters into Jesus Christ. And Christ enters into Him in such a real way that we are made partakers of the divine nature. Do you understand that? God Almighty comes and gives us a new nature and the nature He gives is Christ the Lord. So that we now have Christ living in us as we live in Christ.

But don't ever imagine that conversion ends with regeneration. Conversion is an ongoing, continual operation of grace. It is an operation of grace entirely determined by grace, entirely dependent upon grace, and yet an operation of grace that involves personal, deliberate activity.

Now notice what our Lord says. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself. It doesn't say whosoever shall be humbled, does it? This humbling involves some deliberate personal work on your part. It involves deliberate personal effort on your part. Yes, we are humbled by grace, but believers continually humble themselves before God Almighty and before one another. so that the believer in this matter of conversion continually is being converted, continually being turned to God, and he continually turns himself to the Lord God. Regeneration is the first step, but by no means the last.

A. A. Hodge said, Regeneration is a single act, complete in itself, never to be repeated. Conversion, as the beginning of holy living, is the commencement of a series, constant, endless, and progressive. Let's see if this is not what the Apostle Paul teaches.

Turn over to Romans, Chapter 6. Romans, the sixth chapter. The Apostle has been dealing with justification. telling us that we're justified freely by the grace of God through the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ which we have received by faith. And then in verse 11, Romans chapter 6 verse 11, he says, now since God reckons you to be justified, God reckons you to be dead to sin, likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, you reckon yourselves dead to sin. You reckon that God's reckoning is right, and as you do, let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lust thereof.

Don't yield to sin. Don't give way to sin. Don't give yourself over to these servants of sin anymore. That's called conversion. We gradually, literally, day by day, consistently, and progressively turn to God and say, I will not serve my lust. I'll serve my Savior. I'll not walk after my own will. I'll walk after His will.

So that it involves a deliberate effort on our part. Turn to Philippians chapter 3. Philippians chapter 3. Many times people hear talk about consecration and devotion and dedication to Christ, and they think, well, this is something that I can't fit in with the scheme of grace. Now, I don't care if we can fit it in with the scheme of grace or not. I call on you, children of God, right now and every day and every time you're confronted with any decision to make, Devote, commit, and give yourselves to Jesus Christ in genuine conversion.

The Apostle Paul in Philippians 3 and verse, let's look at verse 13. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind. I talk to people all the time who are talking yesterday. Tents. We used to. I remember when. This is what I experienced. This is what I used to do. I remember back yonder. This is how I used to behave.

Yesterday's no good. Yesterday's experiences are no good. Yesterday's bread's no good. You can't live on yesterday. Forget those things which are behind. The good things as well as the bad. He said, I forget those things which are behind and I reach forth to those things which are before and I press.

I press like a runner running a race who's tired and weary and his body is fatigued, his muscles ache. He says, I press with all the fiber of my being to the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. I labor at this. I labor at it. And I'm going to tell you something. If you make any effort at all toward this business of serious commitment to Christ, you're going to have to labor at it, because it's a constant struggle with your sinful flesh. You have to labor at it, labor at it, because your flesh is still flesh. Now, the illustration that our master used as an example of conversion is most instructive. He takes this little child. Oh, what an instruction.

He said, now, fellas, you've got to be like the little child. I've heard and read so much silly stuff on this passage, I won't get into it, but he's not talking about a special place for little children. That's not what he's talking about. We love little children, but this is not what he's talking about.

He's using the little child as an example of what the old man ought to be. He's using the little child as an example of what the young believer ought to be. He's using the little child as an example of what the lady in her house, and the husband in his house, and the preacher in the pulpit, and folks in the church. He's using the little child as an example of what we ought to be. Now, what does it mean to convey by this child? Well, let me give you just a few things, and you can expand upon them at your leisure.

Little children. Most of the commentaries suggest he's talking about a child as a babe, that is one that was somewhere around three to six years old, somewhere in that vicinity. A little child able to walk and yet a little child still. They were looked upon as infants until that time, until they were somewhere three to six years old. So he's talking about a small child, a toddler, one of the little kids, like Cody or Casey, one of those kids.

That little child, is entirely dependent on mom and dad, totally. Mom and dad feed him, mom and dad clothe him, mom and dad protect him. He needs anything, he doesn't run to me, he runs to mom and dad. One of these kids out here, one of these little children falls down and gets bruised, I guarantee you, they'll look around, they'll pass by everybody out here standing in the parking lot and run to mom and dad, because they're totally dependent on mom and dad.

The strongest faith, the strongest believer is that believer who as a little child is totally dependent upon God Almighty and His free grace in Jesus Christ. Totally dependent. Run to Him for everything. Run to Him for everything. Don't run next door. You don't run to this fellow there. You run to God.

These days, in most of our Baptist churches and others, preachers are used like priests. People think the preacher somehow can give them some kind of word or access to God that they can't get themselves to. If they've got trouble, they call the preacher.

Now, please don't misunderstand me. I want to bear your burdens with you. I want to share your burdens with you. But my soul, I can't relieve your burdens. Lend your run to the Savior. run to him. He's the only one who can relieve them. He's the only one who can help you. So we are, as little children, to be entirely dependent on him. A little child is one who is modest, humble, and unassuming. They're not easily offended.

They don't wear their feelings on their shoulders. They're not interested in whether they're Tennis shoes have got a name brand on the back of them or they come from Wal-Mart. I don't care. They're not interested in what labels they wear or what neighborhood they live in. They don't care. They don't care whether they live in a palatial palace on the top side of the hill in the richest section of town in the richest town in the world or whether they live in a rented one-bedroom apartment somewhere down in the ghettos. They don't care.

The little child just has no appreciation for any of those things. He's modest, humble, unassuming. Oh, God teach me to be as a little child. Unassuming. Not easily offended. Modest. Humble. And that little child is sincere. As sincere as he can be. Well, children are so embarrassing because they can be so honest. You give him half a chance, he'll tell you everything he knows about everybody in the household. And doesn't think anything about it because they presume mom and dad don't care. They just presume nobody's going to be concerned about me telling what goes on at the house. They're just as honest as they can be.

Oh, children of God, this is what it is to be converted. It is to be turned from hypocrisy, pretense, and show, pride, arrogance, and presumption, to humility, modesty, sincerity, honesty. Before God Almighty, just honesty. Ralph Barnard used to say, honest folks won't go to hell.

I'm dead sure he's right. I'm dead sure he's right. A little child is relatively free from envy and ambition. Ask him what he wants. If he's got Kool-Aid on his mind, all he wants is Kool-Aid. Ask him anything he's interested in. If it's cartoons, he's just interested in cartoons. If he's interested in going out playing, he's interested in going out playing.

He's just fairly free from envy. He's fairly well free from ambition. He's not seeking great things. Just enough to get along. That's all he wants. That's all he wants. He's not interested in how much food's stocked up in the pantry as long as there's milk and crackers on the table. That's all he's interested in. He's not interested in how much money there is in the bank as long as when he gets hungry there's money there to feed him. That's all he's interested in. He's free from envy and free from ambition.

And oh, how quick a little child is to forgive. Isn't it amazing? You, uh, buddy's got that new granddaughter and that little grandson. They can be playing one of the neighbor kids and get in a fight, get in a scrape, throw rocks at each other, beat each other in the head with whatever they got in their hands. In five minutes, they're just fine.

Never remember it. Just forget it. Just forget it. Just go on about their business. Quick to forgive, unless grown-ups get involved. Now, if grown-ups get involved, it's going to last to death. If grown-ups get involved, I remember and I won't forget. Oh, we're so grown up. We are so stupid. So stupid. As little children, children of God, be quick to forgive. Be quick to forgive. If I forgive, they ask me. I'm glad God doesn't forgive me because I ask him, aren't you? to be quick to forgive, quick to forgive, act as though it never happened, behave as though it never happened, and try to forget it ever happened, whatever it is that offends you. Then thirdly, our Lord teaches us here the terrible evil of offending his children. I won't comment on that at this time, but our Lord considers whatever is done for one of his children, to be done for him.

If I were to ask you tonight, how many of you would like to take the Son of God home with you for a week? I'd take him home with you for a week. Open up your house and take him home with you for a week. If you knew it was the Son of God, I'll guarantee you. I'll guarantee you. Oh, yeah.

What's it going to cost? I don't care. How inconvenient is it going to be? How much is it going to disturb my routine? I don't care. This is the Son of God coming. If I were to ask you, how many of you would like to take Bobby Estes home with you for a week?

That's another story. Oh, no, it's not. Oh, no, it's not. Same thing. That's what he said, isn't it? If you offer a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, it's just like you offered a cup of cold water to me. That's what he said. But then he gives this next word.

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me. Again, I stress, he's not talking about little children in a physical sense. He's talking about little ones who believe in him. He's talking about the children of God, people of faith. He says, if you offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck. and that he would drown in the depth of the sea."

Now, to offend means to discourage, to dishearten, to put a stumbling block in front of, to hinder. That's the idea of what it is to offend. We use the word offend in a totally different way. We say, I'm offended by that. That means I'm upset because you did something I don't like. That's not what this word means. This word means to hinder someone, to be a stumbling block, to be a hindrance to one of God's children. And I want to tell you something.

It's more often done without intention than deliberately. Now, the unbelieving out there, they offend in many ways. They directly, deliberately, with sharp words, accusing words, slanderous words with persecuting malice offend God's children. But we may offend indirectly, far more severely by example, by inconsistency, by behavior contrary to what we profess.

The doctrine here taught is a very sobering thing. It's impossible for us to measure this side of eternity the horrible evil and harm that is done by one person who professes faith in Christ and yet lives inconsistent in that profession. He gives ammunition to the infidel. He stands in the way of those who seek the Lord. He discourages God's saints. J.C. Ryle said he is a living sermon on behalf of the devil. That's pretty strong language. That's exactly right. That's exactly right.

Over the years, I have observed so many inconsistent professed believers. Who have by their inconsistency. In all probability, blinded many under their influence to any sense of the gospel. What a horrible pity. When David sinned against the Lord, Nathan said, David, you've given the enemies of God occasion to blaspheme. That's a horrible thing.

When Lot sinned against God, the consequences of Lot's inconsistency. Lot was a believer. He was a righteous man, as righteous as you, as righteous as me. His righteousness is Christ the Lord. But he sinned against God with inconsistency in the pattern of his life.

And this man, with his outward inconsistencies, led his wife and his daughters and his sons-in-laws directly to hell, and the curse of God was on his family forever. Read the book of God. Read the book of God. Fourthly, in verses 7, 8, and 9, our Savior warns us plainly of the judgment of God and of his everlasting wrath poured out upon the damned in hell. Woe unto the world because of offenses, for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh.

Wherefore, if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, cast them from thee, It is better for thee to enter into life haught or maimed rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. Whatever it is that will keep you from Christ, throw it away. Throw it away. You don't need it. That's what it says. If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee. It's better for thee to enter into life with one eye rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

Our Savior uses two sobering, sobering phrases to get our attention. He describes the judgment of God in hell as everlasting fire and then as hellfire. Now, many foolish dreamers and religious deceivers have joined the scoffers and the infidels denying the doctrine of everlasting punishment, and they repeat the devil's lie, ye shall not surely die. Don't fall for it. Hell is real. Hell is horrible. Hell's forever. And God, who is just, will and must punish sin. The only escape from the wrath of God in hell is to be found in a refuge, in a substitute, who is himself one that God has accepted. And that substitute, that refuge, is Jesus Christ the Lord.

One last thing, in verses 10 through 14, our Lord Jesus returns to and teaches one of his favorite subjects, the security of every believer. Christ, the good shepherd, tenderly cares for every soul committed to his charge. The youngest, the weakest, the sickliest, the poorest of his flock are as dear to him as the strongest, and they shall never perish, not one of them. And he tells us why.

First, because they're angels, watch over them. Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones, for I say unto you that in heaven they're angels. Do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." Not until eternity will we even begin to realize How important the angels of God have been as ministering spirits, ministering to us who were chosen from eternity to be the sons and daughters of God Almighty. Their angels behold their father's face in heaven. As if to say, what do you want me to do for him next? What's needed now? Their angels wait for a commission from God to care for them every step of the way.

Secondly, they shall never perish because Christ came to save them. For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. How think ye, if a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. And then in verse 11, they shall never perish, because it is the will of God that they never perish. Even so, it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. We who believe, we who are the children of God, have this blessed security. Bobby asked us, we're going to make it. Because it's the will of our father that we make it. That's right. It's his will.

Not one of them is going to perish. Not one of them. Don't matter what hell turns loose on them, they're not going to perish. Doesn't matter what they have to endure, they're not going to perish. Doesn't matter what they experience, they'll not perish. The will of God will allow it. Amen. Let's stand together and we'll be dismissed with a word of prayer.

Father, now I ask that you will bless the preaching of your word to the edifying and comforting of your children for the glory of your son. We ask your blessings upon every avenue of ministry that you have opened to this assembly. We pray your special blessings upon the preaching of the gospel in Texas tomorrow evening and Thursday. We ask Brother Jack, as he travels to be with us next Tuesday evening, that you'll grant him a special unction from your spirit and be pleased to give him a special message for our hearts. We thank you for Ian. We ask your blessings upon he and Ann as they prepare their lives together. Give him traveling mercies as he returns to Scotland and use him for your glory.

And we ask for the Barclays as they travel so many miles in the next couple of weeks that you'll protect them. Thank you for Christ our Redeemer, for blood atonement, for imputed righteousness, for free grace. And we thank you for the heavenly angels of whom we know so little. but who are commissioned of our God for our protection and for our care. Thank you for your goodness and mercy to us through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen. God bless you. You're dismissed.

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Children

What does the Bible say about being a child of God?

How do we know conversion is necessary for salvation?

Why is humility important for Christians?

What does it mean to be God's children?

What are the characteristics of true conversion?

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About Don Fortner

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