In This Issue

• RECEIVE THE KINGDOM AS A LITTLE CHILD
• BLAMING GODLY PARENTS FOR UNGODLY BEHAVIOR
• "THE GOSPELS" - OLD TESTAMENT OR NEW?
• UPCOMING GOSPEL MEETING SCHEDULE
• MORE INFORMATION...

RECEIVE THE KINGDOM AS A LITTLE CHILD

Mark tells us that the people of Judea brought little children to Jesus "that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, 'Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.' (Mark 10:13-16).

The parallel accounts in Matt. 19:13-15 and Luke 18:15-17 give additional information helpful in understanding this passage of Scripture. Matthew informs us that the parents requested that Jesus pray for their children as well as touch them. Luke's account shows that the children being brought to Jesus were infants, much too young to have come on their own initiative.

It is understandable that parents who had seen Jesus' healing effect on the lame, the sick, the blind, would want Him to notice, touch, and pray for their children. Such a desire was quite natural.

We are not informed as to why Jesus' disciples rebuked those who were bringing their children to Jesus. Of course, they knew the infants would not understand what was going on. Perhaps they thought Jesus' time would be better spent in other matters. At any rate, Jesus in turn mildly rebuked His disciples and encouraged those who bringing their infants to Him that He might touch them and pray for them. This, of course, in no way detracted from the parents' need to bring their children up in the training and admonition of the Lord, Eph. 6:4.

Jesus did offer one significant comment as He blessed the young children and prayed for them. He used them to illustrate the humility and purity that would be required of all who would be subjects of His kingdom. In doing so, Jesus also further underscored the truth revealed in such passages as Ezek. 18:20, that little children do not appear before God as guilty sinners. If children were already depraved we would need to become different from them in order to be in Christ's kingdom - but He said we must become like them.

Along these same lines, we might also notice that these children were not being brought to Jesus for baptism. And they did not receive baptism. Baptism is for sinners who have come to believe in Christ and to repent of their sins. Those of us who have matured enough to reach a state of responsibility for our words and deeds have sinned, and we need to believe Christ's gospel, repent of our sins, and be baptized into Christ for remission (forgiveness) of those sins. Only then do we "become like little children" and thus become fit subjects for the kingdom of God.

--Clarence R. Johnson

BLAMING GODLY PARENTS FOR UNGODLY BEHAVIOR

There is a thing going around among some young people which is not only inhuman and grossly unkind, but it is just plain not so. A person decides to quit the church and launch out into the world of sin and shame. When approached by some interested person he says, "I have had religion rammed down my throat all of my life." Thus his poor old parents whose hearts are already breaking for him are made to take the blame for what he is. How inhuman and cruel can one be?

I had food "rammed down my throat" all my life, and I still love to eat. I was made to comb my hair and take a bath all of my life, and I still bathe and comb my hair. My mother tried in an uneducated sort of way to teach me right from wrong and though I have done many things wrong it never crossed my mind to blame my mother for any misbehavior on my part.

My wife and I never "rammed religion down our children's throats" unless that is what you call trying to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We do admit that the first place we took our babies was to church. We gladly admit that we tried to teach them the Bible. We tried to teach them right when it was necessary, and we would do it now if we could. If that is "ramming religion down our children's throats," we plead guilty. 

I am not talking about an isolated case. I could name five right now who have thus accused their parents. These young people ought to go to their parents, get on their knees before them, and beg for their forgiveness for such base ingratitude, and go with them before God and ask His forgiveness. 

Young people, if you must be ungodly, do not blame godly parents for your ungodliness. All they ever wanted for you was that you live right. Be a man or woman, and face your mistakes. You will give an account at the judgment.

--Farris J. Smith

"THE GOSPELS" - OLD TESTAMENT OR NEW?

The book of Matthew was written by a Jew, and written for a Jewish readership. Its primary message revolves around the theme of the "kingdom of heaven." Its first verse cites the fact that Jesus is the "Son of David," that is, He is heir to the throne of David. He is the long-awaited King who was to come. Chapter 2, verse 2, shows that He was born to be King of the Jews. Chapter 3 reports the preaching and work of John the Baptist, whose basic message was, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Chapter 4 tells us that Jesus came after John, preaching the same basic message John had preached: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Chapters 5 through 7 record Jesus' famous "sermon on the mount." He began that sermon with what has been called "the beatitudes." The first beatitude says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The eighth beatitude concludes, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (5:10). Throughout the remainder of that sermon, He contrasts what was commonly taught and believed with what He, the King, was teaching. "It has been said… but I say…" See 5:20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28… etc. etc.

Though technically, His promised kingdom had not yet been established, it was at hand. The King was already in their midst, and He was telling His listeners how to behave so that they would have the blessings and benefits that were to be theirs in His kingdom.

In chapter 19, when He was asked to comment on the subject of divorce, He comments on what Moses had said and why he had said it - but then He adds, "And I say unto you…" just as He had in the sermon on the mount. The time was at hand when it would make little or no difference what Moses had said, but it will always be important to heed what King Jesus says. "And I say unto you…" (Matt. 19:9).

It is important to remember that the book of Matthew was not written till at least 12 years after the Pentecost of Acts 2 when the promised kingdom became a reality. The book was written by a Jew for a Jewish readership, but it was not written until several years after the Law of Moses had been taken away and "nailed to the cross" (Col. 2:14). Though it recorded events that took place while Moses' Law was in effect, it was certainly not written to try to get Jews to keep that law. King Jesus had already abolished Moses' law, Eph. 2:15; 2 Cor. 3:13. 

And even though Matthew was Jewish, more importantly, he was a Christian and he was writing to convince his fellow Jews to be obedient to King Jesus. Attempts are being made today to avoid all or virtually all the things Jesus taught in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John - especially what He taught on the subject of divorce and remarriage. But all four of those books were written by Christians, and several years after the Law of Moses was no longer in effect. No writer of any New Testament book was trying to promote or get anyone to keep the Law of Moses.

Mark was Jewish, but probably wrote for a Roman readership. Several years after Jesus had abolished Moses' Law, Mark wrote of events that had happened while the Law was in effect for the Jews, but he was not promoting that law, nor trying to get either Jews or Romans to submit to it. But both Jews and Romans needed to submit to the proclamations of Jesus the King.

Luke was a Gentile, writing for a Gentile readership. Of course, He too recorded events that had taken place while the Law of Moses was in effect for the Jewish people, but he had no intention of getting Theophilus or any other reader of his writings to submit to that law. Moses' law had never applied to Gentiles, and it had been abolished for the Jews nearly 30 years before Luke wrote his account of the gospel.

John was Jewish, but he did not write his account of the gospel until 50 years or more after the Law of Moses had been abrogated. He certainly was not writing to promote that law. But he does encourage all to obey the words of Jesus, John 12:48, etc.

The theory that Jesus, in Matthew 19 was simply correcting wrong impressions of Deut. 24 is unreasonable. Jesus knew what the penalty for adultery was under Moses' law - it wasn't divorce, Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22. 

The books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John record the personal life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Certainly, within them, Jesus encouraged those who were living under Moses' Law to be obedient to that Law - but He also laid the groundwork for His church, the "kingdom of heaven," which came into existence shortly after His ascension to heaven. 

--Clarence R. Johnson

MORE INFORMATION...