Read Carefully

When reading the Bible, I’m seeing the importance of word order. For instance, one verse says to yield to God and resist the devil and he will flee from me. It does not say God will flee or that I can resist the devil first and then yield to God. If I’m not yielded to God, I have no power to resist the devil.

Another passage, quoted in today’s devotional, has a sequential order too. Without paying attention to it, I could make a serious error:

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:1–4)

Several versions interpret “turn” as repent or “be converted” which definitely comes first according to the rest of Scripture. Being reborn begins the transformation to child-likeness and that new birth is the entrance to God’s kingdom. After that, the humbling process of spiritual growth makes the new Christian greater than he/she was before that conversion, and more like a humble child. Those who are humbled in that childlike way become great in God’s kingdom.

Unfortunately, some will interpret this passage to say that getting into the kingdom is only for those who first become like little children. One example: “Become a little child, then, by laying aside all your greatness, self-assertion, self-dependence, wisdom, and strength, and consent to die to your own self-life and be born again into the kingdom of God.” This makes salvation a matter of assuming the right attitude, doing the right things, all good works, yet the NT repeatedly affirms that doing the right things is the ‘result’ of salvation. No one is saved by their own efforts.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8–9)

I’ve met those who attend church, serve in various ways, and speak often of “I decided to follow…” or “I did…” They seem to mean well yet their salvation is about their choice to follow Jesus. However, Jesus said:

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. (John 15:16)

This topic of genuine salvation seems to come up often. It reminds me repeatedly how Jesus came into my life and surprised me. I don’t remember the date but vividly recall the day. He changed my life. I’ve nothing to boast about. Since then, He keeps dealing with my stubborn pride, showing me how helpless I am without His Spirit, and that being like a child is impossible as a decision or an action. As my King and my Savior, He must do this in me. Those who speak of laying aside self don’t seem to realize that that kind of statement comes across as a do-it-yourself project and is in total contradiction to:

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

How did I get to this understanding? It was not by choice. The Holy Spirit and circumstances of life, the thorns in my flesh, the trials and failures, the love of God — all teach me that I am nothing and Jesus is everything. He is wisdom and grace and goodness. Without Him, I can do nothing and am merely a blip in the passage of time.

PRAY: Jesus, these claims of being able to choose and to turn our lives around make me incredibly sad. As long as a person thinks that way, the humility of a child cannot describe them. Isn’t childlikeness being aware of my limitations, not that ‘I can do it myself’ attitude? Isn’t trusting You about leaning on You for everything, even the ability to lean on You? Oh Lord, enable me to pray rightly for those who twist Your Word to justify their self-effort, but also never to fall into that same misunderstanding. If pride in self shows up, deal with it quickly — that You are glorified and never me.

Humility like a child

When my children were small and wanted to help, I learned two things. One was never to say “you are too little” — to them, that sounded demeaning. The second was to let them try. If they were too little, they soon realized and often said so. After thinking about this, it seems this ability to admit that ‘I can’t’ is what Jesus was talking about in these verses . . .

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:1–4)

To enter the kingdom of heaven, I must realize and admit that I cannot do it; I need Jesus Christ. Salvation and conversion are the work of God, not anything that I can do . . .

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8–9)

After that initial salvation where God saved me from the penalty of sin, the process of being delivered from its power continues. However, this process is not what many Christians think it is, nor is it like the church at Galatia thought . . .

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Galatians 3:1–3)

Several times I’ve said ‘I can’t’ to others and been told to ‘try harder’ or given encouragement like, ‘Sure you can; you are smart and can do anything you put your mind to.’ The diagram in yesterday’s post illustrates a truth that eludes many people, even Christians. We are saved by grace through faith, but we are also perfected or made mature by grace through faith . . .

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:6–7)

Growing in grace is the same as being saved by grace. It is also the opposite of taking the bull by the horns and trying to conquer sin by bringing that old nature into subjection. This can only be done by the same process by which I received Christ. In my conversion, He came to me, He spoke to me, He changed my life. My part was to confess my sin and need, trusting Him to do the rest. I soon realized that even the faith to believe is a gift from God, not my own doing.

I’ve often claimed that 1 John 1:9 is the most important verse in the Bible for Christian growth and life. It says: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Jesus might have said the same thing this way: “Whoever humbles himself like a child, confessing ‘I cannot do it’ will be the one who can do it, who can overcome sin — because that person is trusting Me to do it for them!”