Child-like Faith for the Believer


Child-like vs. Childish




" Train up a child in the way he will go,
and when he is old, he will not depart from it. "
(Proverbs 22:6)





Ephesians 4:14



No Longer Children

"As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine..." Ephesians 4:14

INTRODUCTION


The ministry of the Church has as its goal our attaining to "the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to Christ" (Eph. 4:13). This description of the edified or built-up Body is so important that, having stated it positively in v. 13, Paul then states it again negatively in v. 14: "As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming . . ." Why? Because until we have reached this kind of maturity, we will never be able to speak the truth in love (v. 15). Therefore we are examining very carefully both what we ought to be (last week) and, today, what we ought to be leaving behind: Spiritual Infancy. This spiritual infancy we are to be leaving behind has at least two characteristics.








I. INSTABILITY ("tossed here and there by waves")


One of the endearing traits of little children is the fact that they are like the weather: constantly changing. They can be smiling one minute, crying the next, and then a minute later smiling again. On successive days they want to be a fireman, a policeman, an astronaut, a movie actor, and president when they grow up. When they are little this is both cute and appropriate, for they are trying on different roles both to learn about life and to see which ones might actually fit. But at a certain point in the maturation process they need to pick one of these goals and stick to it. If they do not when that time comes, their vacillation is neither cute nor appropriate any more, but a sign of immaturity. It is no longer cute to always be starting grandiose projects which they never finish.




How does this instability, this being tossed about by the waves, manifest itself in spiritual things? Surely one sign of it is the church-hopping syndrome, the tendency to flit from one congregation to another, according to how recently the person has been offended or where the hot preacher, topic, or program is at the moment, never becoming actually committed to a particular congregation to which some loyalty needs to be shown. It shows itself in inconsistency in the regular spiritual disciplines of prayer, bible study, and meditation. It appears in an attraction to spiritual fads (from WWJD to the Prayer of Jabez), a susceptibility to hype, a propensity to evaluate the spiritual worth of a service by its entertainment value, the desire to have one's ears tickled, as Paul puts it to Timothy. And it is evident in a lack of dependability or follow-through, even in people who do not acutely manifest the previous traits. In other words, it is a synonym for normality in the contemporary American church.





II. GULLIBILITY ("carried about by every wind of doctrine")


Another of the well-known traits of childhood is its gullibility. How many of us have ever had a little brother or sister without successfully pulling this one on them at least once: "Hey, I'll trade you this BIG nickel for that little bitty dime!" You either did it or you had it done to you. If you were a middle child it might have been both! Why don't adult campers get taken on snipe hunts? We get a laugh out of these examples, but it becomes deadly serious when we have to almost over-warn our children in today's climate about trusting strangers. This is not a criticism of the children; it is simply a description of what they must be as a result of their lack of experience. But it is neither cute nor OK if they never grow out of it. Nor is it OK for adult believers to be carried about by every wind of doctrine.




"But wait," I hear someone saying, "doesn't the Bible command us to have a childlike faith?" Unless you enter into the Kingdom as a little child, you cannot enter it at all. And we are supposed to trust God like a little child trusts his father. This is quite true, but much misunderstood. When Jesus tells us to trust God like a little child, he is using a simile. And when someone uses a simile or other figure of speech, you are supposed to get the point, but not take it literally. Paul also says that when he was a child he thought as a child, but when he became a man he put away childish things--which in context means childish ways of thinking. So we are indeed to trust our heavenly Father with childlike faith, the way a little child trust his father. We are to do this because God actually deserves that kind of trust, and Scripture often goes our of its way to give us good reasons for believing this. But because the child trusts his father, he listens to him when he tells him NOT to trust a stranger! And therefore, because he trusts his father, he learns from him to use good sense in evaluating what other people may say about the father or anything else.




Faith, in other words, is not opposed to critical thinking; it presupposes it. As C. S. Lewis said, "God has room for people with very little sense. But he expects them to use all the sense they have." Or, as he said again, "God is no fonder of intellectual slackers than of any other slackers."




What then would a mature church which was outgrowing its childish gullibility look like? It would combine a childlike trust in the Father with a sanctified cynicism about Man. And it would therefore affirm the importance, the centrality, indeed the primacy of Sound Doctrine. Late Modern and Post Modern Christians tend to be suspicious of doctrine. They think it is boring and irrelevant and only leads to division. We ought, they think, to just love the Lord and each other and forget about all that dry doctrine--just a bunch of head-knowledge! But if we love Jesus, then we must LISTEN to him and to his Apostles. And to pay careful attention to their teaching is to become serious students of doctrine, for teaching is what doctrine means. One could define the Christian life simply as Doctrine put into Practice. It is more than that, actually, there being a spiritual dynamic required for true practice as well as understanding of doctrine. But while it may be more, it is not less. Everything begins there. Every Christian is responsible to the Lord to know, to understand, and to intelligently apply the Whole Counsel of God. Doctrinal error is therefore not just an innocent mistake; it is a sin. It is evil, and it has evil consequences. Therefore, every maturing Christian will be like the Bereans, who searched the Scriptures daily whether these things be so. There is no substitute for familiarity with the Text; there is no substitute for responsible critical thinking about the Text. And there is no substitute for a called and gifted pastor/teacher. Use his ministry, for God has ordained it. But do not use it uncritically. For I am not infallible. My only authority is the authority of Scripture. If I go beyond that, your obligation to follow me ceases.




What then are some of the characteristics of sound teaching, sound doctrine, versus the false? If we are to use sanctified critical thinking so that we are not blown about by the winds of doctrine, we need criteria, based on principles, by which we can make these judgments. Let me offer four such general principles. Sound doctrine glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ; false doctrine glorifies anything else. Sound doctrine magnifies Grace and its effects; false doctrine uses Guilt as a motivator. Sound doctrine uses gratitude for God's Grace as the motivator to godliness; false doctrine impales us on the horns of a dilemma that leads either to legalism or license. And sound teaching encourages you to question the interpreter, while false teaching discourages you from using your mind and thinking for yourself; it tries to usurp for the teacher the kind of childlike faith that belongs only to the Father himself. Let us therefore teach and learn so that our faith is properly childlike, not childish.


CONCLUSION


Here then is another useful way to take stock of our spiritual maturity as individuals and as a Body. Are we gaining in maturity? In other words, are we gaining in Stability, i.e., in commitment and consistency? And are we gaining in Experience, as opposed to naivete and gullibility, i.e., in our ability to discern the Truth and not be led astray? Is our ministry succeeding in promoting that kind of growth? If we have weaknesses, where are they? We must always be asking these questions, for we want to be able to speak the truth in love to a dying generation.




http://doulomen.tripod.com/sermons/Ephesians4_14.htm

Childlike Faith

All my life I have heard that in order to come to Jesus one must have a "childlike faith." I had a difficult time with that concept for many years, for it usually meant that one must have the "naiveté," "simplicity," or even the "blind resolve" of a child. This did not reconcile with what I saw in the rest of the Scripture regarding how we are to think of God. Solomon obviously did not hold this view when he wrote, "How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding"(Prov 3:13). David says to "Taste and see that the Lord is good" (Ps. 34:8). Furthermore, when I looked up the meaning of "faith" in the original language, I found that it involved having confidence in something that was trustworthy (or faithful). It did not imply anything associated with acting blindly.

I recently received a letter from a lady expressing the tension she was finding in her own life. On one side she wrestled with some of the more difficult doctrines and truths of Scripture. But on the other side she continued to hear she should have a 'childlike faith.' This was an impossible reconciliation for her and left her somewhat spiritually paralyzed.

Where did we get this idea of "childlike faith"? I searched through nearly a dozen different English translations to find the phrase. I could not find it. Rather, the only reference that emerged was the familiar passage of Jesus in Matthew 18:3, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."

It is easy to take verses like this out of context. If it were true that Jesus wanted us to make an endless list of metaphors for children, he would have certainly left us with an interesting picture. The picture that usually comes to the modern mind is one of "simplicity." Children accept everything you tell them, whether you are a parent or a sinister bully on the playground. "Never talk to strangers," responsible parents tell their kids for good reason.

But other metaphors come to mind that would certainly not apply. Children love to wear their ice cream as well as eat it. Does God want us to become like little children and smear hot fudge across our faces? Children love to chew on their fingers in public. Is Jesus asking us to do the same? How are we to know which metaphors we are to use? Simplicity? Hot fudge? Fingers in the mouth?

If we look at the context of the verse, Jesus spells out what he means in using the metaphor of becoming like a child. It has nothing to do with the popular meaning we attribute to "childlike faith." In fact, the verse does not even use the word "faith." Rather, Jesus says, "Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:4).

Read in context, we see that Jesus is referring to one particular attribute of children that is naturally lost in grown-ups. When he speaks of becoming like a child, Jesus means this: humility.

Brennan Manning spells it out this way, "For the disciple of Jesus 'becoming like a little child' means the willingness to accept oneself as being of little account and to be regarded as unimportant," and may I add—that God is of great account and of utmost importance.

When I look across the landscape of the New Testament I see a church that believed in a Christ who was bodily raised from the dead. They believed it because they had adequate evidence and testimony for it. And when Paul says, "The just shall live by faith," it is because God's character and "faithfulness" is such that we can bank on his promises. When we cry out to Him in humility, He will hear us. Mature Christians believe in Christ because he is true and is an explanation on which all of life and reality can be based.

Let us do away with this cultural misconception that "childlike faith" equals "intellectual simplicity"; and let us walk boldly forward as humble children of God into the wisdom and greatness the Kingdom of God affords. Author:

Dale Fincher

http://www.rzim.org/GlobalElements/GFV/tab...33/Default.aspx

Voice...Thanks for the articles. I liked and agreed with most of it. It was a good reminder about trusting the still small voice of the Spirit... according to scripture.

I was looking for someplace to post the below thoughts when l read this string.



And with that last sentence God lead me to this string. He wanted to qualify it with me. Give it fullness. I already know it but he wanted to define it for me in greater fullness.

In OT times men needed the law to follow. It was embellished with Kaballah...a mystical winding path that leads to things the Bible doesn't define but which must be taken by faith. I know this is a touchy subject with you but the way of Kaballah is the way of the wayward...It leads us into interpretation by what l believe is a form of divination. (at least if you get far enough down the path)

Men hung on to Kaballah because it helped them transcend for they hadn't yet received the fullness of the Spirit for relationship with God. They needed proof and had to have something they could touch. But that's enough of that. It's a whole topic in itself and not the main point though l felt it should be briefly addressed.

I've seen the dark side of knowledge enter this forum as a magician flaunting his wares.

I say to many...don't eat from this tree. Spit it out and repent. This argument that it belongs to God and the devil perverted it won't fly and neither will you. Many are calculating their own demise.

Let us all shake free of calculations. This is the relationship we have with God through child like faith. We don't have to calculate it to figure out ...we just trust the work of God in our lives through the Holy Spirit. daily...hourly...moment by moment...giving it all into his hands .... trusting him because that's what pleases him.

But with that said... I feel these articles embellish what that means. However...I feel that the author of the first article allowed his flesh and opinion to color it and l will address it below.



While l completely agree with the first part of this paragraph which is so true! (forum hopping and name changing too)...I don't agree with the second part and l'll tell you why. It's something l've reluctantly come to learn and understand and it's made me a lot less opinionated about things. Actually l went with the flow all the time and then through listening to this above kind of criticism l went the other way...but with what God has shown me over the last year l've come back to a more even keel.

In a modern church the youth and immature must be reached first. As mature believers we have the responsibility to study the word on our own. We are called to watch..it's true. Even to assist baby believers to accept the responsibility of their own spiritual life.... not trusting every single thing to the Pastor who has to wear many hats but learning how to trust and hear the Holy Spirit...how to test it according to the word with witness and signs following.

God's word will not return void and the Prayer of Jebez teaching infiltrating the church is a good thing even if some think the teaching is immaturish...The teachings of Jezebel are not..and that's what's happening on this forum without rebuke.

RESTORATION OF CHILDLIKE FAITH
By Pastor Russell Walden



But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:3 KJV).

Paul wrote to the Corinthians comparing them with Eve in the garden. He referred to the time she was confronted by the Serpent. Prior to this, Adam and Eve lived an uncomplicated, idyllic life. But, when the Serpent came he began to undermine Eve's knowledge of God's word. Through his questioning and casting of doubt he misled her and brought destruction into her life.

Paul uses this occurrence to describe a danger that threatened the Corinthian church. And, this same danger faces Christianity today. For the new convert within some churches, the innocence of new found faith is too often corrupted by a complex theology of doubt and self- justification.

There is a great need to recover simplicity of the faith. This simplicity does not mean that you turn your brain off when you accept Jesus Christ as Savior. The gospel is SIMPLE, not STUPID. Charles Finney states in his "Systematic Theology" that he did not intend in his writing to do away with the reader's need TO THINK.

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul maintained that he did not present the gospel with the "wisdom of men." Yet he noted there was a place to speak wisdom among those who would be wise. Peter agreed with this in his second letter. He observed: it is through the knowledge of God you receive "all things that pertain to life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3).

Jesus said "come as a little child" (Mark 10:15). Failing this, you cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Children are quick learners. They are open to new ideas and challenges. A child's approach to life is a study in simplicity. Isn't SIMPLICITY the defining difference between adults and children? The older you get, the more complex life becomes. The older you get, the greater the burdens of life weigh on your shoulders. On the other hand, a child's nature, is carefree and uncomplicated. Children laugh easily and forgive readily. Children usually are found begging for an opportunity to help Mom or Dad. Only as they grow and develop into the image of the adults around them do they learn to resent authority and avoid responsibility.

The story goes that a new convert was baptized, joined the church and plunged with great zeal into all the programs and activities of the body. This young man was the epitome of excitement and passion for God. He was ready to charge Hell with a water pistol.

One day, a wizened old matron caught his sleeve. She drew him aside for a word of counsel. The young convert's eyes opened wide. He swallowed a lump in his throat. He was astounded this icon of spiritual wisdom desired an audience with him. Peering at the young man through her one good eye she began. "This joy that you have," she warned, "will not last."

He caught his breath, suddenly envisioning portents of a bleak future. With the authority born from years of putrefaction on the third pew back on the left she continued. "Before you know it, you'll be just like us!"

How many of us have had that conversation in one form or another not long after we became Christians? My sentiments at that time were something along the line of: "Shoot me now and get it over with!" If years of Christian service are going to wear me down to the shadow of a dim spiritual wraith, then what's the point of living for God at all?

The scriptures, on the other hand, give some quite different examples. When Moses died it was said: his "natural strength abated not, and his eye grew not dim" (Deuteronomy 34:7). After forty years bearing the responsibility of millions of Israelites, he was filled with stamina and strength.

During the same period, Caleb, at eighty years of age, undertook the siege of Mount Zion. He displayed the zeal and passion of a man four times younger than he was.

These and many other examples point out that now and in even in old age walking with God can be an adventure. Our walk can be a passionate quest for the fullness of grace that Jesus died to provide us in every chapter of life.

David spoke of his youth being renewed like the eagles'. The only thing that can rob you of the pristine vitality of your new birth is willful surrender to lukewarmness and spiritual boredom. Loss of first love is not part and parcel of growth in God. There has crept into the average Christian mind-set a pessimism born from years of failure to translate powerful sermons and inspiring song services into practical grace for the Monday morning blues.

I am personally acquainted with scores of believers, church leaders, and former pastors, around the country who sit at home, burned out. They are deeply wounded and incapable of activating in their lives even the basic commitment to involvement in a local church.

You may be one of these refugees from religious Christianity. If so, take heart. There is hope. You need not join the ranks of the walking wounded. The help you need is not going to come by tuning in to some new radio broadcast, or buying the latest Christian self-help material. The most confused, insensitive, indiscreet believers you will find are those who spend mind-numbing hours plugged in to the radio preachers or viewing Christian T.V.

You don't need any more WORD. You need to do something with the word you already have. Children are not good audiences. They don't get much out of being spectators. They want to get involved. They want to participate. Jesus told the Pharisees: the kingdom of God "comes not with observation" (Luke 17:20).

The greatest weight on a Christian's heart is often the weight of the sermons, teachings, seminars and messages that he heard and did nothing with. I recently saw a book title, "Everything I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten." How true this is of believers. We must unlearn the lessons of Christian religion. We must recover intimacy with the person of Jesus. It was that intimacy that was second nature to us when we were first born into the kingdom.

"I have [somewhat] against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent" (Revelation 2:4-5).

Jesus' solution to recovering first love is to DO something. Do the first works. You must begin again to see your Christian faith in a Biblically accurate perspective. You must not see your faith as that which is expressed in concepts or religious philosophy. Instead see it in activities arising directly from communion with Jesus Christ in your own heart.

Church programs, religious activities or charitable events often only parrot spiritual activity. The difference is what you DO FOR GOD, as opposed to what God is doing through you. What you do FOR God takes away from your relationship with Him. What He does through you is a PART of your relationship with Him. The first step toward recovering the childlike nature in Christ is a step away from vain philosophies and religious activity, for activities' sake. A child's entire focus is on the Father -- he wants to be like Daddy. As you focus on your heavenly Father you will become like him in thought, character and activity.


http://www.barr-family.com/godsword/childlike.htm




The Character of Childlike FaithDr. Richard J. Krejcir
Is the Character of Childlike Faith working in you?

Here is how you can find out. Take a careful look at this character and fruit of Childlike Faith from God's most precious Word by examining the passages below. Now ask yourself:

1. How do I exhibit Childlike Faith in my daily life?
2. What can I do to develop a better attitude of Childlike Faith?
3. What blocks Childlike Faith from working and being exhibited in me?
4. How can I make Faith function better, stronger and faster even in times of uncertainly and stress?

· Here are positive examples from Scripture (Gen. 22:1-18; Mark. 9:20-25; Acts 14: 26-27; Gal. 1:13-17; Phil. 4:8-9; Heb. 11:17-19)

· Here are negative examples from Scripture (Gen. 18:10-15; Duet. 31:51-52; Psalm 10:4; Isa. 2:6; John 12:37-41)

Childlike Faith is the wonder and awe at what Christ did for us. It is a synergy of trust, hope, and unpretentiousness that knows the Lord loves us and will lead us. Because of our trust in the Lord, we are more able to take comfort in Him. Childlike faith sees the world as exciting and adventurous, and worth pursuing with our faith so opportunities to please God override our complacency and the attitude of "been there, done that," even though we may have. It is a part of us that we should never lose. It enables us to maintain our humbleness and enthusiasm and not become just a subculture or routine! We are not to act like children towards others, but our faith and example must be authentic (Psalm 23; 131; Matt. 18:2-4; 34; John 10:1-18; 1 Cor. 1:22-30; James 2:14-19; Heb. 11:1).

Lack of Confidence, Apprehension, Complacency, and Timidity are the opposites. These bad characters will seize us with fear and cause us to blame others for our lack of trust as we become self-focused and distrusting. It is being childlike without the trust in Christ. We will fail to see the wonders in the opportunities, relationships, and gifts God has for us, as animosity becomes our defense from our fortress of timidity and excuses. Or, we will just become satisfied with what we have already done and never step up and strive for more ways to please God.

Further Questions 1. How would you define Childlike Faith? Are you a person who is trusting and unpretentious? If so, what about in situations that would cause you to boast?

2. What part does Childlike Faith play in your relationships with church members, friends, co-workers and family? Have you lost out on opportunities because you have been timid with your faith, or lacked that wonder, causing you to become complacent?

3. How does a lack of confidence in Christ impact Childlike Faith? What is the cost to others (God, family, friends, neighbors, church family, co-workers, etc.) when you are a person who is focused on your fears?

4. What happens to your relationship with God, with others, and with the opportunities God gives you when you fail to seize the opportunities Christ has for you?

5. When have you been filled with Childlike Faith the most?

6. In what situation did you fail to be wondrous with your faith when you should have?

7. What issue is in your life that would improve with more Childlike Faith?

8. Think through the steps you need to take to put Childlike Faith into action in a specific instance, such as, where is Childlike Faith not functioning properly in my attitudes and what can I do about it? Christ asks us to be the good child. What does that mean to you? What would it be like if most of the people in your church were operating under this parameter? What steps can you take to do a better job at enjoying your relationship to Christ?

In Matthew 18, Jesus points out that faith is a responsibility. Childlike faith is not so much a character as it is the essence of what we do and what we bring to everything we strive for in the Christian life. Further, it means trusting, being humble, and not forcing your will upon others as the disciples were doing. This is not about innocence, but rather dependence. Children are dependent on us for their quality of life and the substance we provide. For us, this means we are to be dependent on Him and allow His empowerment to fill us. Do we become good examples and point to the Way, or do we cause others to stumble because of our misdirected ways? Because children are dependent, they must have faith that they will be taken care of. This is a perfect illustration of how we are to have trust and faith in our Lord.

Jesus sees the value of faith as paramount over anything else; faith is lifted up as the most important thing we have or do. Yet, all too often, we do not seek faith, but rather just what we can get. Jesus asks us to be the good child. A good child accepts his or her responsibility to the family to learn and grow. A child of God expresses humbleness and trust so he or she will be able to grow in faith and maturity (Psalm 130 and 131). Being childlike in faith and wonder is how we are to grow in our relationship to Christ. Being child-like, as in quarreling and running away, is not. A child is also to enjoy his or her childhood, as we are to enjoy our relationship to Christ. A spoiled child will not learn and grow in maturity as he or she should, and can even become a hindrance to others, just as Christians who refuse to grow in their faith can be. They bring a bad reputation to their church and to our Lord. We are not to aspire to human greatness, but, rather, godliness.

We are to evaluate who and where we are by His standards, not the world's. Give God the room to work in you and others. Refusing to see His call, not loving others, and being full of pride are terrible things—not just for you, but also for those around you. This can and will distort our thinking and direct our actions toward the wrong objective. Childlike faith encourages humility and helps us realize who we are in Christ. Without humility, we cannot come to the Lord, because we will never admit our need, surrender our will, or be able to grow in faith. We will not be able to serve others because we will think they are unworthy, just as the people did toward that soldier's servant in Matthew 8:5-13.

Faith is the foundation upon which we build our character; it supports the house where the Spirit can dwell and empower us. This is a fruit of the Spirit given to us as we grow and mature. It comes from being "conformed to the image of His Son." (Romans 8:29) Faith and our trust in Christ will be the quintessential aspects of applying obedience and growth in our maturity and character.

© 2004 R. J. Krejcir, Into Thy Word Ministries http://www.intothyword.org/

http://www.discipleshiptools.org/apps/arti...p;columnid=4166

Voice,

Thanks for posting these well written teaching articles. One sentence came jumping off the page at me which says: "Doctrinal error is therefore not just an innocent mistake; it is a sin."

People usually attend churches in which they were brought uu in, they have family in the church, they have deep roots. A church where small toddlers learned about God. These kids grew spiritually with consistent bible studies and with the aid of the Pastor and elder of that church giving spiritual advise. IN the four walls of that church that individual is sincerely seeking after God and that person really believes that their doctrine is the one true doctrine in the Christian Church. All their life this is what they have been taught and when these individuals grow up they will most likely continue on the same course as their parents. Now, I have many Christian friends who share their love of Jesus with such a purity, devotion and love. They are truly trying to see Jesus. I really disagree with the above sentence for it is written: "The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." 1 Peter7-8 Scriptures continues by telling us to offer hospitality to one another and to serve one another. So should we serve one another in spite of the different doctrines? And yet there is a threat that when we work side by side with someone of a different denomination that they can also influence us in the ways they worship. Now one more point and please keep in mind that I am just recently learning in this area a lesson. If someone was raised in a church all their life being fed milk and no meat, wouldn't they be considered children of the faith?

"Submit yourselves, then, for God. Resist the devil, ahd he will flee fro you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."
James 4: 7-10

Now couldn't there be a distinction between a deliberate sin vs an innocent misunderstanding? So many children are brought up in compounds isolated away from Christian societies and taught a False Christian doctrine and taught a counterfeit Christ.

Just some thoughts.

Gods Blessings,

Al

Great Adeline ... many thanks
http://www.christian-forum.net/index.php?s...st&p=231293

Some interesting thoughts -

John 19:11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except, it were given thee from above: therefore, he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. I checked the Greek meaning of the word greater and it said: Irregular comparative of G3173; larger (literally or figuratively, specifically in age): - elder, greater (-est), more.

So, seeing that, it should be taken that Judas' sin is greater than the sin of Pilot. Or, it could mean his sin is older. It still points to the fact that Judas' sin was of greater magnitude than Pilots'. If this is true, wouldn't that totally blow the "a sin is a sin" theory? Everyone's always lumped sins as just that, with none being worse than the others, but we see that Jesus said Judas' sin was worse.

Going back to the word "therefore" in the passage under discussion Jesus is saying, "You are a magistrate. Your power, as such, is given you by God. You are not, indeed, guilty for accusing me, or malignantly arraigning me; but you have power entrusted to you over my life; and the Jews, who knew this, and who knew that the power of a magistrate was given to him by God, have the greater sin for seeking my condemnation before a tribunal appointed by God, and for endeavoring to obtain so solemn a sanction to their own malignant and wicked purposes. They have endeavored to avail themselves of the civil power, the sacred appointment of God, and on this account their sin is greater." This does not mean that their sin was greater than that of Pilate, though that was true; but their sin was greater on account of the fact that they perseveringly and malignantly endeavored to obtain the sanction of the magistrate to their wicked proceedings. Nor does it mean, because God had purposed his death (Acts 2:23), and given power to Pilate, that therefore their sin was greater, for God's purpose in the case made it neither more nor less. It did not change the nature of their free acts. This passage teaches no such doctrine, but that their sin was aggravated by malignantly endeavoring to obtain the sanction of a magistrate who was invested with authority that God gave him. By this Pilate ought to have been convinced, and was convinced, of their wickedness, and hence he sought more and more to release him. "He that delivered me..." The singular here is put for the plural, including Judas, the high-priests, and the Sanhedrin. Quite apart from the above passage John does tell us in 1 John 3:4 that sin is transgression of the law. So any sin is breaking God's law, however, Jesus taught some sins have greater degrees of punishment (Luke 12:47,48). Any sin can cause a person to be lost but the preceding passage indicates that sins that are committed in ignorance may have fewer consequences. But that makes little difference to us because who wants even the least punishment there is in hell for it is eternal.

Is cussing wrong? Where does it specifically say in the bible that cussing is a sin?

Cussing is wrong. God stated from the beginning that using His name in a casual or flippant way is sinful. Exodus 20:7 You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain. Here are some verses that imply that cussing would not be appropriate for a Christian. Ephesians 4:29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment so that it will give grace to those who hear. Colossians 3:8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Ephesians 5:3-4 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
As Christians we should not use any language that the world views as cussing.

What constitutes forgiveness in the eyes of God?

The idea that one is born in sin is based on the erroneous doctrine of the total depravity of man. This false teaching claims that the sins of Adam, along with every child's predecessors, are passed on to a child when it is born. (Some also teach that a child can commit sin in the womb.) This teaching is based on the misinterpretation of several verses. The following are some examples.

1) Psalm 14:2-3 – "The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They were all gone aside, they are altogether become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no not one." "Children" here is not a reference to children literally but to man in general. It speaks of man's sinfulness; not that man is born in sin.

2) Psalm 51:5 – "Behold I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me." This verse acknowledges sin, but David did not commit it, nor does this verse teach he brought it with him into the world.

3) Ephesians 2:3 – "…and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." "By nature" does not mean "by inheritance." To speak of someone as "the child of" means that person displays the characteristics being discussed and is not a reference to children.

4) Psalm 58:3 – "The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies." This indicates that sin was committed after birth, but it cannot refer to infants, infants cannot talk. On the other hand, there are numerous verses that show that infants are not born in sin, including the following. 1) Genesis 8:21 – "…I will not again curse the ground for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth…." 2) Ezekiel 18:20 – "The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." 3) Matthew 18:3 – "And (Jesus) said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye become converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." On this last verse it must be said that it would be a strange thing indeed for the Lord to tell people they needed to repent and then tell them they need to become like sinners! In addition to these verses, God's plan of salvation would exclude the doctrine of inherited sin.

1) Infants cannot believe, John 8:32, for they cannot understand what is being communicated to them.

2) Infants cannot repent, Luke 13:3, Acts 2:38, for they have nothing of which to repent if we believe our Lord in Matthew 18:3.

3) Infants cannot confess their faith, Romans 10:10, Matthew 10:32-33, for they cannot speak.

4) Someone could immerse an infant (this is the meaning of the Greek word translated baptize), in water, Acts 8:38-39, Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:12. However, all they would be doing would be get the child wet (and probably upset), because the child would not have been convicted in its heart, Acts 2:37, and would have no understanding of what was being done to it. The Bible does not teach nor support the doctrine of being born in sin.




The questioner probably has in mind Heb. 10:26 which reads, "For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries." Some take this verse to say that one who sins willfully cannot be forgiven. "Sin willfully" literally means to be habitually engaged in sin, that is, one keeps on committing a sin. So, this is not referring to the person who commits one deliberate sin. Also, in the context of the verses that precede this one, the passage has reference to those who would totally turn their back on Christ, those who become apostate to the faith. This is the person who deliberately returns to the life outside of Christ, and in the case of the danger addressed in the letter to the Hebrews, returning to a life in Judaism. For these people, those who turn their back on Christ and reject the salvation offered in Him, there is no other sacrifice that God will give in order for these people to find salvation. Now, back to the person who sins. The Christian who sins is to do as Peter instructed Simon in Acts 8:22, repent and pray. The repentance might involve making some kind of restitution or asking an individual's forgiveness, but repentance and prayer are what are expected of this individual. I might also add that this individual is definitely in danger if they do not repent and ask God's forgiveness. To remain unrepentant means one will face that sin in judgement. However, we must understand that one willful act of sin does not forever shut the doors of heaven, otherwise all of us would be lost. We must consider the consequences of our actions and seek to ever remain faithful to God's will, asking His forgiveness when we fail.


http://www.studythebible.com/question/topics/sin.htm

Forgiven Sinner Blog

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

1. God Permitted the Existence of Sin.

God predestined and foreordained everything that will ever happen (Rom. 11:36). Therefore, God predestined sin. Sin is not an accident; it is part of God's overall plan to glorify Himself. God foreordained sin so as to further glorify His holiness and love. God is glorified in His wrath by punishing sin and in His grace by forgiving it. The first one to sin was Satan, but that was not the whole beginning. It was planned. God predestined it negatively and by permission, rather than positively or actively, as He did in predestinating good.

2. God Cannot Be Blamed for Sin.

Though God predestined its existence, God cannot be blamed or accused. In this sense, God is not the author of sin, nor its approver, essential source or promoter. God is holy. He does only that which is holy. God does no evil or wickedness. Nor does He tempt people to sin (James 1:13). This is a deep mystery. But it is sufficient for us to remember Rom. 9:19-20. Sinful Man cannot blame the sinless God. The faultfinder is at fault and cannot find fault in God.


3. God Put Adam and Eve in a Covenant of Works.

Adam and Eve were created holy and innocent, not neutral. But it was a kind of naive innocence; it needed to be tested. So God put them on a conditional standing. If they obeyed, fine. They would be granted immortality. Otherwise, they would die. We call this the Covenant of Works. They did not earn or merit salvation. Rather, they were tested to see if they would maintain their loyalty to God. Adam was the Federal Head, or representative, for all mankind. If he passed, they passed; if he failed, they failed. Some think the test was for a short probationary time; others say it was perpetual. Either way, it was conditional.

4. Adam and Eve Disobeyed God.

They failed the test and broke the Covenant of Works. It took only a single act of disobedience. This was the first sin on Earth, and through it entered sin and death to the rest of humanity (Rom. 5:12). Eve was actually the first one to sin, and unlike Adam, she was deceived while Adam went into it deliberately (I Tim. 2:14). Their sin involved more than eating the Forbidden Fruit, whatever it was. It included unbelief in God's Word, making themselves the test of all truth, obedience to Satan, idolatry, selfishness, greed, putting tangible pleasures before spiritual duties, disregard for the glory of God, and many other sins. They were punished with immediate spiritual death, eventual physical death, banishment from Eden, and loss of fellowship with God. Adam was cursed with having to sweat hard in his work, and Eve was cursed with labor pains in childbirth and the tendency to rebel against Adam.

5. Sin is Disobedience to God's Law.

The Bible, not psychology or majority opinion, determines what sin is. God defines sin as the breaking of His Law (I John 3:4). God's Law is summed up in the 2 love Commandments and in the 10 Commandments. Sin is when we fail to do what God tells us to do or when we do what God tells us not to do. We call these sins of omission and commission (cf. James 4:17). One word for "sin" means failure to hit the mark. A trespass is when we do what ought not to do, like trespassing where we ought not to go. A transgression is an act of disobedience to a known Law. An iniquity is an inequality in our dealings with God and Man.

6. There Are Many Kinds of Sins.

There are many catalogs of sins in the Bible, and also many examples. There are also various kinds of sins. Some sins involve the body, others the mind (Eph. 2:3). Some are internal only, others involve external acts. We sin in thought, word and deed. Some sins are new, others old. Some are habits, or besetting sins (Heb. 12:1). We are born in Original Sin and later commit individual acts of Actual Sin. Some sins are civil crimes, others not. Some are against ourselves (vice), others are against other people. Some are mortal, others non-mortal (I John 5:16-17) The list goes on and on. And all are evil, wicked, black and despicable.

7. Some Sins Are Worse than Others.

All sins deserve punishment, but some deserve more punishment than others. Some are crimes which deserve punishment here on Earth, either by civil law or by God's direct act. Judas had a "greater sin" than Pilate (John 19:11). Sin is determined by knowledge of God's Law, and some have the Law only in conscience and Nature while others have it in the Bible. A willful and deliberate sin is worse than a sin of ignorance. An external sin is worse than one which is only internal, for it involves both. A repeated sin is worse than a new sin. Sins directly against God (such as blasphemy or sacrilege) are worse than those directly against Man (such as hatred). Murder is worse than hate. Some deserve more punishment in Hell than others. But even the smallest sin is far worse than we think.

8. There is an Unpardonable Sin.

Unless a person is forgiven, he will be punished in Hell. But there is a unique kind of sin mentioned in Matt. 12:31-32 that is unpardonable both in this life and in the next. It is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. It is very rare and confirms that a person is reprobate and will never repent. A person commits it when he is convinced that the special work of God is real, but he attributes it to Satan rather than to God. This is similar to the extreme form of apostasy in Hebrews 6. Apostasy is when a person renounces his profession of faith in Christ and the Gospel, showing that he never was truly saved to begin with. In some cases, this involves the unpardonable blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

9. There is No Excuse for Sin.

Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed Satan. Adam even blamed God. We try to shift the blame onto others, such as friends and family, our environment, etc. But we can blame no one but ourselves. We cannot blame Adam for Original Sin, for we were part of Adam. We cannot say, "Someone tempted me" like Eve did, nor "I couldn't help it". Nor can we blame God in any form or fashion. Though God foreordained sin, we alone have the guilt. God tests us by allowing us to be tempted by Satan, but He Himself does not solicit to sin (James 1:13). Indeed, God always provides a way of escape from temptation if we would only listen (I Cor. 10:13). Sin is no small thing. It is no laughing matter. Only fools scoff at sin or make excuses.

10. Sinners Deserve Punishment.

Sin brings guilt. We are responsible to God, and culpable for our every thought, word and deed. Every person deserves to be punished. God is angry with all sinners and everyone deserves to be punished in Hell forever, no matter how many sins they have committed or of what kind. Rom. 6:23, "The wages of sin is death", meaning we have earned it. The thief on the cross spoke rightly when he said, "We are getting what we deserve." In repentance, we admit that we have no excuse and have only ourselves to blame. Confession means we admit that we deserve to be punished in Hell. Conviction of sin is when we finally know it.

http://forgivensinner.blogspot.com/2008/07/sin_15.html