Child-like: Belonging or suitable to a child. Like or characteristic of a child; To be child-like is a requirement for entrance into the Kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein (Mark 10:15). Jesus, the Son of the Living God, the One who came to usher in the Kingdom of God, emphasized child-likeness as a requisite for Kingdom dwellers. That having been said, please take note that child-like and childish are both applied to persons of any age in referring to characteristics or qualities considered typical of a child. Child-like suggest those favorable qualities of a child such as innocence, guilelessness, trustfulness, teachable and childish, the unfavorable, as immaturity, foolishness, insolent, impatient and immodest.
The Apostle Peter tells us that the child-like Christian will experience spiritual growth because of his/her receptivity to the nurturing by the infallible Word of God (1 Peter 2:2). The Kingdom of Heaven belongs to persons who are child-like in disposition. The little child learns to obey confidingly and simply. Jesus does not say that children are in the Kingdom of God because they are children. He makes the child the model for those who seek entrance into the Kingdom of God, not the adult the model for the child. In Luke 18, Jesus teaches His over-ambitious disciples a lesson concerning who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And Jesus called a little child unto Him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye 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.
Dear Ones, be great, biblically, in the Kingdom of God.
Pastor J. Amos Jones
