The Character and Conduct of Believers

Q: What does the Bible say about being humble like a child?

The Bible teaches that to enter the kingdom of heaven, we must become humble like little children (Matthew 18:3). In Matthew 18:3, Jesus emphasizes the necessity of humility for entering the kingdom of heaven by stating, 'Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.' This means that believers must undergo a transformation in their mindset and attitude, shedding pride and self-righteousness, and embracing a childlike dependence on God. A child embodies humility, total dependence, and obedience—all essential characteristics for those who belong to God's kingdom.

Q: How do we know that pride affects believers?

The Bible reveals that pride and arrogance were present among the disciples, indicating that these attitudes can affect believers today (Matthew 18:1-2). In Matthew 18:1-2, the disciples' question about who among them is the greatest exposes their underlying pride and need for recognition. Jesus’ response, involving the calling of a child, highlights the stark contrast between the humble nature of a child and the arrogant, self-important attitudes of the disciples. This narrative teaches that pride can infiltrate the hearts of believers, causing envy, strife, and a pursuit of personal glory rather than the glory of God. Thus, Christians must remain vigilant against such attitudes and seek humility in their walk with Christ.

Q: Why is childlike faith essential for Christians?

Childlike faith is essential because it reflects total dependence on God and a humble spirit, which are necessary for salvation (Matthew 18:4). In Matthew 18:4, Jesus says, 'Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.' This illustrates that childlike faith is characterized by complete reliance on the Father, trusting Him for provision and guidance. A child does not rely on personal merit or accomplishments, mirroring what is expected from believers. This kind of faith embraces humility, openness to learning, and a willingness to be taught by God. For Christians, adopting a childlike heart is vital in understanding their relationship with God and recognizing their need for His grace.

Q: How does Jesus teach His followers about greatness?

Jesus teaches that true greatness in the kingdom of heaven is marked by humility and a childlike attitude (Matthew 18:4). According to Jesus in Matthew 18:4, true greatness in His kingdom is found in humility. He contrasts worldly measures of greatness, which often focus on status and achievements, with the qualities of a humble child—innocence, simplicity, and a lack of pretense. In the eyes of God, greatness is not defined by human accolades but by a lowly spirit and a heart that seeks to serve rather than be served. This aligns with the broader theme of Jesus’ teachings about the inversion of worldly values in favor of a kingdom perspective that prioritizes humility and love.

Q: What does it mean to be converted as a believer?

Being converted as a believer means undergoing a heart change that leads to humility and a new attitude toward God and others (Matthew 18:3). Conversion, as described in Matthew 18:3, involves a fundamental change in one’s heart and mind, leading to a new perspective aligned with God's will. This transformation allows believers to shed pride, covetousness, and self-righteousness, adopting the humble characteristics of a child. The new birth, enacted by the Holy Spirit, empowers individuals to live as true children of God, dependent and obedient to their Heavenly Father. True conversion influences not only one's standing before God but also impacts how believers interact with others in the community of faith.

Now, back to the text, Matthew
18. Verse 1 says, And at the same
time came the disciples unto Jesus,
saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Why do you suppose that these
men ask our Lord such a question? Who is the greatest? Which one
of us will be the greatest in the kingdom
of heaven? And you know, this is not the
only time that this question arose among these men. It's not
the only time. They debated this issue on several
occasions. Which one of us is the greatest
in the kingdom of heaven? In fact, James and John, the
sons of Zebedee, actually asked the Lord to let
them sit one on his right hand and one on his left hand when
he came into the kingdom. In fact, they got their mother
in on that. And their mother came to the
Lord and asked Him to let her sons sit one on the right hand
and one on the left hand and be the greatest in the kingdom
of heaven. As I looked at that verse in
preparing the message, I wondered why did these men ask our Lord
such a question. And I can only come up with one
reason. And it's awful ugly. But I think it's a result of
pride. Just plain old ugly pride. They must have felt that they
were more worthy than other people in the kingdom of heaven. If
a man's going to be acclaimed the greatest, then somebody's
got to be the least. Somebody's got to be beneath
him. So that's pride. Arrogant, arrogant pride. It's awful to suppose that pride
still existed in these disciples of Christ, but does it not plague
us too? I think another reason is covetousness. These are ugly words, but they're
ugly attitudes too. Covetousness. They were covetous. for personal glory and recognition,
vainglory, Paul called it. Which one of us is going to be
the greatest? Vainglory. I think another ugly
attitude that is prevalent here is self-righteousness. These
men indicate that they felt like, and see if this sounds familiar,
that they felt like they should be rewarded in heaven for what
they did on earth. Isn't that what this is? Which
one of us is going to be the greatest, receive the greatest
reward in the kingdom of heaven? Isn't that what they say? That's
covetousness. That's self-righteousness. And
then I see another thing here, equally ugly, and that's envy
and jealousy. There was a division between
themselves. There were twelve of them. All
of them couldn't be greatest. All of them couldn't sit on his
right and on his left hand. Let me do it, James and John
said. Let me and my brother. This is envy and division and
jealousy and strife between themselves wanting to be ranked over one
another. And then I see another. reason,
and that's ignorance. And you know, our Lord accused
the people of being ignorant. That's an awful thing to be ignorant,
especially when you don't have to be ignorant. When you don't have to be. They
were ignorant of the glory of God. They were ignorant of the
grace of God. They were ignorant of the glory
of the Redeemer. They were ignorant of who they
were and what they were. and how the grace of God had
lifted them. So here they're asking the Lord
Jesus, which one of us is going to be the greatest? Well, look
at verse 2. Our Lord without a word called
a little child unto him. Now, this child was not an infant. You notice he called the child. Our Lord called the child. This child was not an infant.
He was probably five or six years old, because this child was old
enough to respond, able to respond to the Lord's call. And he called
this little child and set him, the child, in the midst, in the
middle of these disciples, these arguing divided, envious, covetous,
proud, disciple. This is so interesting. I'll
stop here for a few moments. He called this little child,
five or six years old, and the child came to him, and he just
set the child in the midst. Here are these twelve men, disciples
of the master, apostles of the new covenant, leaders of the
people. There stands Peter, the spokesman,
forty or forty-five years of age, impulsive, aggressive, always
had something to say. There stands James and John,
the sons of thunder. I wonder how they earned that
name, sons of thunder. There they stood. There was Matthew. Matthew was not Nobody, by any
means. Matthew was a publican and a
tax collector. He was a representative of the
government, and there's no people on earth that are more arrogant
than government workers. And this tax collector, Matthew,
was standing there. And there was Andrew. Andrew
was the chief sidekick of John the Baptist, you remember? Andrew
had been around a long time. He was one of the first disciples
of John the Baptist. There was Jude. His name is the
Courageous One. There was Nathanael. What did
the Lord say about him? An Israelite in whom there's
no God. These are some bodies, I call
them. Like Brother Scott Richardson
said, these fellas didn't come in town on the back of a pickup
truck. There stands the twelve. And our Lord, they're debating
about who's going to be the greatest. And he brings a little child,
five or six years of age, and stands that little child in the
middle of these divided, debating, vainglory-seeking disciples,
and he said, verse 3, listen, and he said, Surely, surely, truly, truly,
I say unto you, except you be converted, that word's changed, changed, in spirit, in mind, in attitude,
When something's converted, it's switched over. It's changed. It's not going the way it's going.
It's going another way. Back in World War II, they converted
some of the automobile plants into defense plants, making things
for the government. They were converted. They were
changed. Whole new product. And he says
to these men, unless you are converted, and changed in your
mind, in your attitude, and become toward God and toward yourselves
and toward one another as little children, you shall not even
enter into the kingdom of heaven. Now, that's not hard to understand
what he's saying, is it? Unless you're changed from the
way you are to the way you ought to be, unless you're converted,
unless your mind and heart and spirit and character are changed,
you're not going to enter the kingdom of heaven. The character
and conduct of the children of God. Well, he uses this term
little children, you see it there in verse 3. See it in verse 4. See it in verse 5. See it in
verse 6. He uses it six times in these
14 verses. And there's this one message.
Now here's the issue. Who's going to be the greatest? And our Lord tells them, unless
they're converted and become as little children, well, our
believers like little children. Well, I have some ways written
down in which Believers are like little children. First of all,
a child is born of a father. A child has a father, and he
wears that father's name. And believers are born of God,
and they wear the name of God. And then secondly, a child is
totally, absolutely dependent on his father for all things.
I'm talking about a child now, a little child. five, four, six
years of age. He cannot care for himself. He
must be fed, he must be clothed, he must be cared for, he must
be provided for. Well, we're little children.
We're totally dependent on our father. Completely dependent.
Thirdly, a child is obedient. A little child is obedient to
his parents. The will of that parent is that
child's will. Where the father says live is
where they live. The house is where they live.
Where that child goes to school is not his decision, it's the
parent's decision. What they have for a meal is
the parent's decision. What time he goes to bed is the
parent's. And that's not my will, but thy will be done. And fourthly,
a child has no position of which to be proud and arrogant. That
little five or six year old, he has no position. He has nothing
to elevate him over other children. He's just a child. He's not a
president. He is not a superintendent. He is not a supervisor. He is
not an owner. He is a child. That's all that
he is. You look at him and say, what
is he? He's a child. And there's nothing about him
to elevate him over other children. And he knows it. He's only a
child. And that's the way God's children
are. And then fifthly, a child has no possessions to flaunt.
He has nothing that belongs to him. Oh, he lives in a house,
but it's not his. He rides in a car, but it's not
his. He sits at a table, but it's not his. He sleeps in a
bed. He calls it my bed, but he didn't
buy it. He washes at a sink, but it's
not his. It is, but it's not. You say,
this is our home. Sure it is, but our father provided
it. If our father won't sell it,
he'll sell it. That's right. So that child,
really, he has no possessions to flaunt. Nothing belongs to
him. And I'll tell you this, you walk
on a ground out there, but it is not yours. You say, it's my
property. I beg your pardon. You're living
on it. But it's God's property. The earth is the Lord. You drive
a car, but I guarantee you it's not yours. It's God's. You live
in a house, it's God's. Is that right? Why are we proud? Why are we arrogant? We didn't
make a thing. We took some bricks and put them together, but God
made them. A child has no self-righteousness
about them. No, they don't. What is there
about a child that's any better or different from other children?
If we brought all our little children out of the nursery this
morning and lined them up here, they're all beautiful, they're
all charming, they're all lovely, but they're just children. Just
children, that's all. They're all sinners. There's
no difference. A child is a child is a child.
And next children, they may have their differences. They do in
there. They have spats and differences, but they quickly get over them.
They hold no grudges. It's the parents that keep the
division going, the children don't. They get over it in just
a few minutes. And a child is a learner. Did
you know that? A child is a learner. I'm talking
about the five or six-year-olds. When they get in junior high
school or high school, it's a different story, Brother Trabant. But a
child five or six years old is a learner. He's no authority. He doesn't claim to be an authority.
He knows he's not an authority. But he listens. And he learns. He can even be rebuked by proper
authority, and he'll take it. Did you know that? A child will.
But he's a learner. A child is happy and joyful. A child is usually content. A
child is content with the simple things of life. He'd just as
soon have an old pair of tennis shoes as a new pair of patent
leathers. In fact, I believe he'd rather. A child is content
with a hamburger and French fries. He doesn't have to have caviar
Steak inch and a half thick, red in the middle with all the
trimmings. He's content with a hamburger or a hot dog or a
Tootsie Roll. He's content. You can give him
a box with a toy in it and he'll probably play with the box for
an hour or two before he ever gets to the toy. He's just content.
It doesn't take a whole lot to make him happy. A child believes. He believes you. These children
here believe me. I can tell one of these children,
vacation Bible school is coming in July, whenever we're having
it, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, something like that, and we're going to
go to Camden Park, and you're going to ride any ride you want
to as long as you want to. And he'll run and tell that other
child, we're going to Camden Park. The other child says, says
who? The pastor said so. I believe
it too. They believe. They just believe. A child trusts. Now, except you're
changed from the way you are, he said to these men, with their
bad attitude, just bad, rotten, proud, envious, arrogant, jealous,
self-righteous, unbending, unyielding attitude, lest you change. And
he set that little child and said, and become like this little
child, you're not even going to enter the kingdom of heaven.
There's no need arguing about who's going to be the greatest
or whether it's going to be actual mansions, and that's what people
like to sit around and talk about. But there's no danger of most
church people ever experiencing it in this generation. Because this hasn't happened.
That's right. Now, such a conversion, it's
not done by coming down an aisle. Such a conversion is only possible
by the power of God's Spirit. Such a conversion is essential
to enter the kingdom of God, and such a conversion is the
character and conduct of God's people. Now, you know, I hear
a statement occasionally, our character and conduct has absolutely
nothing to do with our salvation. It has nothing to do with the
justification of our soul, but it has a whole heap to do with
our salvation, our character and conduct. That's what Christ
is saying here. Our character and conduct is
like a child. Now, he goes on. Let me show
you this as he goes on. And he keeps talking. Now, here
are these men, these disciples, with their bad spirit, or in
a conflict, and he brings this child. And he sets this child
in their midst and says, now, unless you're changed and converted,
change your spirit and attitude and mind towards God and toward
yourselves and toward one another, you're not going to become like
this child. You're not going to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Now, he stops talking about this child and talks about these who
have become as little children, his believers. See what I'm saying? He now quits talking about the
child. and begins to talk about these
who have become, listen to verse four, whosoever therefore shall
humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in
the, he's the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Now the apostle
Paul is an example of this. Regarding his office, listen
to what he had to say regarding his office. I'm not worthy to
be an apostle. I'm not worthy to be an apostle.
You know what he said? I persecuted the church. I have
an office that God gave me, but I'm not worthy to hold it. What
did he say about his righteousness? He said, I'm the chief of sinners.
Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I'm the
chief. What did he say about other believers? He said, I'm
less than the least of all the saints. Take all the believers,
put me on the bottom. I'm less than all of them." What
did he say about his personal holiness? He said, O wretched
man that I am, who shall deliver me? Here's one of our elders led
in prayer a moment ago, a man of years of teaching, leadership,
years of giving of himself to the things of God, standing up
here asking the Lord to forgive him of his sins. But that's the
way it is, isn't it, Cecil? And that's the way it'll always
be. And he wasn't asking, telling the Lord that you were a bunch
of sinners, he said he was. And that's the way Paul said,
O wretched man that I am. David said my sins are ever before
me. He quoted the scripture, forgive
me and enable me to forgive others. And regarding his labors, listen
to Paul, I labored more abundantly than all of them, yet not I,
but the grace of God in me. It wasn't me at all, it was God's
grace. And how about his knowledge? He said, O that I may know him. He said, I'm not perfect. I haven't
arrived. I haven't laid hold upon that
yet for which I've been laid hold of by Christ. I haven't
laid hold of it. If any man thinks he knows anything,
he knows nothing, Paul said he ought to know. We preach in part,
we know in part, we prophesy in part, we see through a glass
dimly regarding his reward. What did Paul say about his reward? He said, There is laid up for
me a crown of righteousness, which he shall give to me in
that day, and not to me only, but unto all them that love his
appearing." What Paul is saying is everybody in glory has the
same reward I do. We're going to be like Christ. Now then, verse 4, Whosoever
therefore shall humble himself As this little child, there's
greatness. There's greatness. There's greatness. There's the
greatness of the kingdom of heaven. You see, the mark of greatness
in the kingdom of heaven is the very opposite of greatness in
the kingdom of men. In the kingdom of men, greatness
is based on how much you know how much you own, how much you've
done, all these things, accomplishments of the flesh. Greatness in the
kingdom of God is an understanding and awareness of what he's done. And we're the recipient of it
by his grace. That's greatness. And verse 5, what's this? He
goes on talking about these converted ones, these little ones, and
whoso shall receive one such little one. In other words, when
a person has been converted, changed, and this is not just
an outward pattern, this is an inward work of God's grace that affects
all outward things, but it's an inward, it's a change of mind,
spirit, attitude. It's a new nature, a new heart.
When that takes place by the grace of God, now watch this,
verse 5. And if you will receive such
a one, receive him, what does that mean, receive him? Receive
such a little child in my name. He's not talking about receiving
one of these five or six-year-olds. Everybody loves a baby. He's
talking about receiving one of these believers. In my name,
he receives me. Now, what does it mean to receive
one of these persons who's converted and humble and a follower of
Jesus Christ? Well, it's to receive that person
into your heart, to love him or her. Love that person. Receive
them. that humble believer, that true
believer. Receive them into your home, to care for them. Receive them into your fellowship,
to encourage them. Receive the gospel they believe. Receive the truth that they believe. Receive that person, for he says,
when you receive that person, you receive me, because I dwell
in that person. You receive me. But, verse 6,
whoso shall reject those little ones, and shall offend one of
those little ones, which believe in me, was truly
one of those converted ones. Offend them, offend them, hurt
them. I read Dr. John Gill on that. How do men offend God's children? How do they offend them? I'm
sure some of you could write a book on the treatment you received
at the hands of this religious generation for your faith in
Christ Jesus. I'm sure you could. Even from
your so-called friends and family and former religious associates,
you've been harassed and ill-treated. You certainly haven't been received,
have you? You've been offended. They've
hurt you deeply. Dr. John Gill said that believers,
true believers, are offended when they're not received in
heart and fellowship. They're offended when they are
despised for what they believe. They're offended when their gospel
is hated and rejected. They're offended when they're
persecuted and ridiculed. They're offended when they are
discouraged by rejection. So he says in verse 6, Whoso
shall offend, deliberately offend, one of God's children, one of
these little ones, one of these that had been broken by God and
brought to Christ, which believe in me, it be better, verse 6,
for him that a millstone were hanged
about his neck, and he was drowned in the depths of the sea." Now he goes on talking about
people offending his children, hurting his children. You know,
you can become pretty upset when people hurt your children, when
they deliberately hurt your children. You can become awfully upset
when they make your children be sad or to hurt your children. And in fact, that angers you
a great deal. But he says here in verse 7,
woe to the world because of offenses. It must need be that offenses
come. In other words, God has ordained offenses for his people,
trials for his people. His people are going to, he said,
marvel not my brethren if the world hates you, but woe unto
the man that hates you. That's what he said. He says,
the world will hate you. They'll cast you out of the synagogues,
but woe to the man that casts you out. He says, they'll ignore
you and snub you and hurt your feelings, but woe to the man
that does it. They'll harass you for what you
believe, but God help the man that does it. That's what he's
saying. You know what he said? Offenses must come. These trials
are for our good. They're far good, all these hurtful
trials and offenses. They're woe unto the world because
of offenses. It must need be that offenses
come, but woe to the man by whom the offense cometh. It was necessary
for our Lord Jesus to be betrayed by Judas, by a disciple, but
woe to the man that betrayed him. It's necessary for Christ
to have nails driven in his hand, but woe to the man that drove
See, that's what he's saying. So these children of God who
believe Christ and who've been converted by Christ and who've
been subdued by Christ, who've been brought down into the dust
of repentance and faith, who love Christ, who don't cause
static and trouble, but they're submissive and they're learners
And they don't flaunt themselves, but they wait upon God. The fellow
that hurts them, God ordained the hurt, but woe
to the fellow that hurt him. Now that's what he's saying.
Know what he's saying? Woe to the fellow that hurt him. So,
verse 8, if your hand or your foot causes you to offend one
of these, that's where this comes in. If your hand or your foot or
whatever causes you to offend or be offensive, just cut it
off and cast it from you. Whatever it is that's causing
you to offend one of God's little ones or all of God's little ones,
just cast it from you. It's better to enter into life
haught and maimed than have two hands and two feet to be cast
into everlasting fire. If your eye offends you, if you've
got an eye of pride or covetousness or envy or jealousy or whatever,
It'd be better to pluck it out and cast it from you, because
it's better to enter into life with one eye than having two
to be cast into hell. Verse 10, we're on the same subject. Take heed, you despise not one
of these little ones. Be careful you don't hate one
of God's children, or despise one of God's children, or despise
one of those who've been converted to Christ. I say unto you that,
now watch this. I say unto you that they're angels. And see, people have twisted
the word. They've got this little child has an angel in heaven.
No. He just used this little child
as an example. That's all. He's through with
this little child. He just brought him up here.
These grown men are arguing about who's going to be the greatest.
And Christ brought the little child and said, now, you've got
to be converted, changed, straightened out. Your attitude's bad. Your
spirit's bad. You've just got the wrong thoughts.
You've got to be changed and become humble. You're nobody. Be like this child. You don't
have a position or possessions or anything to boast about. You're just a child. You're just
a little child in the kingdom of God. And that's what he says.
You humble yourself and become as little children. And if anybody receives you or
offends you now, and verse 10 says, take heed that you despise
not one of these little ones. I say, and they're angels. Do
always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. What's
he talking about? Here's what he's talking about.
This is our Lord's argument. If such excellent creatures as
the angels of God, who always appear in the presence
of God and are the ministers and guardians of his little ones.
Do you know everybody here who's converted this morning, everybody
here is, you feel like, well, I'm a nobody. Well, that's right,
we are. I'm just such a sinner. That's what we are. I'm so dependent
on God. We are. But we have angels, guardian
angels. He give His angels charge over
you? We have angels who are ministering spirits sent to minister to you. They minister to you. They minister
to you and they always are standing in the presence of your God.
Now then, how foolish a man is who makes
an enemy of one of these little ones whose angel stands in the
presence of God. How foolish it is. That's what
he's saying here. Don't you understand that these
little ones have angels who protect them and watch over them, attend
their worship services, and guard them? That's right. And those
angels are standing in the presence of God. And you're treating one
of these little ones with disdain and anger. Doesn't that scare
you? Well, verse 11, the Son of Man
has come to seek and to save his little ones, lost sheep. I think if a man ever hunted
sheep, they're his little ones, and one of them goes astray,
and they do, he'll go out and find them. And verse 13 says,
when he finds it, verily I say to you, he rejoices more over
that one little sheep he found than the ninety-nine that went
astray. Even so, it's not the will of your Father which is
in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. It'll save all of them. I want to be one of those little
ones, don't you? I don't want to be a defender
of doctrine, although I am. I don't want to be a Arguing about who's the greatest
and who's the least, I want to be one of the least, one of the
little children. Don't you? I want to be converted, changed,
my mind, my heart, my spirit, my attitude, conformed to the
will of my Lord. All right, our Father, now take
the word that we've read. And this message of our Lord
Jesus Christ, this is his word, his message, not my sermon, but
his. And Lord, apply it to my heart
and every heart here in this building. And I pray that by your Holy
Spirit that that glorious, great, supernatural work of conversion shall take place in every heart,
that we might become before thee as little children, thy little
ones. Give us a broken heart and a
broken spirit. Give us faith. Make us learners. Bring us to sit like Mary at
your feet. Show us daily what we are, how
dependent we are on Thee, and give us a love for one another,
a togetherness in Thy presence as children ought to be in the
presence of their father. For Christ's sake I pray, amen.

The Character and Conduct of Believers

What does the Bible say about being humble like a child?

How do we know that pride affects believers?

Why is childlike faith essential for Christians?

How does Jesus teach His followers about greatness?

What does it mean to be converted as a believer?

Sermon Transcript

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The Character and Conduct of Believers

What does the Bible say about being humble like a child?

How do we know that pride affects believers?

Why is childlike faith essential for Christians?

How does Jesus teach His followers about greatness?

What does it mean to be converted as a believer?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

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