Verse of the Day 5-25-22

He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. Matthew 18:2-5

A child’s humility consists of their vulnerability and the inability to promote their own cause without a parent’s help. Those who enter the kingdom of heaven must turn from their own power and self-seeking attitude and in childlike humility call on God’s mercy. Those who accept and believe the witness of a Christian disciple will receive Jesus himself.

What all that means is this: The positive changes Jesus desires to make in our lives through the initial experience of spiritual salvation and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit start with a childlike (not “childish”) attitude. In order for Christ to transform our character and make us fit for his kingdom, our attitude toward him must be humble, honest, dependent, trusting and ready to be molded by the heavenly Father. Following the childlike step of submitting to God, the conversion Jesus requires consists of two parts: radically turning away from everything that is selfish and ungodly and deliberately turning toward God. This means doing what is right by his standards and producing spiritual fruit as evidence of true repentance. And we see two big things about this spiritual conversion in this passage.

1. Spiritual conversion does not consist of a single act of sorrow or regret over past sins. It requires an ongoing, all-encompassing attitude toward life that continually resists sin and puts aside desires in order to seek after God’s plan with all our heart. This is necessary because by nature we tend to follow a path that leads away from God and toward eternal death. True spiritual conversion is a total change of heart in response to God’s gift of salvation. Such a change is possible only by God’s grace and the power of the Holy Spirit, which we must receive through faith.
2. Because of a new relationship to God, genuine conversion involves significant changes in other areas of life, including relationships, priorities, habits, commitments, interests and the overall view of life. Conversion is a complete life transformation, and it is a necessary element of genuine saving faith and a basic requirement for ongoing spiritual growth.

Today’s Bible Readings:

2 Samuel 7-8, John 14:15-31, Psalm 119:33-48 and Proverbs 15:33