THE KINGDOM OF GOD BELONGS TO LITTLE CHILDREN.
Mat 18:3 “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.”
Mat 18:5 “And whoso shall receive one SUCH little child in my name receiveth me.”
Mat 19:14 “But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of SUCH is the kingdom of heaven.”
Jesus uses the little children as an example to teach his listeners what the conditions are for entering the kingdom of God. The believers must receive the kingdom LIKE a little child because the kingdom of God BELONGS to SUCH a BELIEVER.
Although babies are born in sin, they have NOT YET received the knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve were like little children before they received the knowledge of good and evil. But when they received the knowledge of good and evil, their eyes were opened to see that they were naked (sin conscious) and they covered them. They forfeited their fellowship with God and were driven from the kingdom of God. Since then the kingdom of God NO LONGER BELONGED TO MAN.
Every child experiences his own personal fall. When his eyes open and discover that he is naked, he covers himself and does not want someone to see him naked. He is then no longer innocent and it then become the responsibility of his parents to keep the child from transgressing.
NB! See also the teaching "Parents must keep their children from transgression."
Warning to believers.
To become LIKE a child you must become DEAD to the knowledge of good and evil, because knowledge of good and evil IS the LAW of sin. As long as your mind functions (thinks) according to knowledge of good & evil, you will experience the attitudes and do deeds of the devil. Your thoughts of good and evil generates all sorts of unholy (un-submissive) and evil emotions in your spirit that you are unable to control. You have become JUDGMENTAL — judging everything and everyone, being selfish, proud and always knowing better.
The effect of the knowledge of good and evil.
Because of the knowledge of good & evil, the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. They do not agree on what is good and what is evil. What is good for one is evil for another. It leads to ALL the works of the flesh like faction forming, hostility, quarrels and even wars. In the world they do both good AND evil (see page 103 in the study guide). They can be friendly AND rude. They speak the truth if it is necessary AND lie as it is necessary. They can be honest AND dishonest. They are unpredictable and therefor unreliable!!
SOLUTION:
Do not think good or evil of anything or anyone so that you can become LIKE a little child who is WORTHY of the kingdom of God. Be transformed by meditating on the Word. The Word is the TRUTH and gives you 1. Wisdom; makes you 2. God fearing and 3. humble.
Deut 1:39 “Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it (they are WORTHY of the kingdom of God).” Knowledge of good & evil makes you double-minded (your spirit becomes upset and you will sin). The Word of God on the other hand makes you single minded (your spirit is quiet (at rest) and you do not sin).
APPLICATION
Why do born again Believers, who know and love the scriptures continue to sin even thought they have been saved from sin and have the Holy Spirit as their Helper?
YOU CANNOT HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD & EVIL, AS WELL AS KNOWLEDGE OF SCRIPTURES SIMULTANIOUSLY IN YOUR MIND. Knowledge of good & evil is of the devil (the flesh) and Knowledge of scriptures is of God (the Spirit) and they war against each other so that you cannot do what YOU want. Your responsibility is to PUT OFF knowledge of good & evil and PUT ON the knowledge of scripture.
Take note: More scriptures, teachings and trying to stop sinning are of no avail unless you PUT OFF the knowledge of good and evil. Once you exercise your mind to put off thoughts of good & evil, you will hear the voice of the Holy Spirit (like a thought in your mind) who will remind you not to think good or evil in any situation.
Remember: Mankind became sinners because of the knowledge of good & evil (Gen 2:17) and your own transgressions will only stop the day you become dead to these thoughts.
FREE DOWNLOAD the study guide “Sons of God sin not” at www.sinnot.org