Become a simple, pure, and humble spiritual child so that you may be recognized as a great one in Heaven.
Reading Verse: Matthew 18:1–4 (NASB)
“… whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
The disciples asked Jesus who is the greatest in Heaven.
Jesus answered, “Unless you become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
He also said that “the one who humbles himself like a child is the greatest.”
This means that we must become spiritual children to become great in Heaven.
God desires us to have hearts that are simple, pure, and humble—like innocent little children untouched by the world.
1. Characteristics of a Spiritual Child
First, a spiritual child is simple.
Children are simple and adjust easily. Depending on how they are taught, they can become good or evil. They are not stained by the world and do not have strong personal opinions. Their thinking is simple.
Like a blank sheet of paper, a child accepts what adults teach—“Love your brother,” “Do not eat too many snacks,” and so on. They do what they are told to do, and avoid what they are told not to do.
In the same way, a spiritual child listens to the Word of God and obeys it as it is. Abraham had this simple heart. When God told him to offer Isaac as a burnt offering, he did not argue, question, or reason. He did not ask whether it was good for him or whether it made sense. Because God commanded it, he believed it was good and obeyed right away.
To become great in Heaven, we must also become simple like children—free from worldly influence, believing the truth as it is, and obeying the Word we hear.
Second, a spiritual child is pure.
A child is born with no thoughts, judgment, or sense of good and evil. As the child grows, he learns good and evil from parents, family, neighbors, and friends.
Children respond purely.
When they receive something good, they are happy.
When they are sad, they cry.
When they are joyful, they laugh.
When they do wrong, they feel fear and heavy guilt.
But adults lose purity as they become stained by the world. Sometimes adults sin but feel no guilt. They know what is right but become dull because of evil.
A spiritual child, however, reacts sensitively to good and evil.
They are easily touched by goodness.
They cry when they feel truth.
They hate evil and try to remove even the smallest sin.
They desire only what is good and do not tolerate any form of evil.
Third, a spiritual child is not proud.
Children have little knowledge and strength. So when adults teach them, they accept it without insisting on their own ideas. They do not hide their weaknesses. They ask for help. They do not try to exalt themselves or seek recognition.
In the same way, a spiritual child does not insist on his own thoughts when hearing God’s Word. Even when the Word does not match his understanding or seems difficult, he does not judge or misunderstand. He simply believes and obeys.
People who believed the works of Jesus said, “A person who shows such power must be from God.” Even when the works were beyond their thoughts, they humbly accepted His words because they saw God’s power.
A spiritual child does not hold on to pride when hearing about God’s works.
He longs to experience God for himself.
He hears the truth and obeys humbly.
To such a person, God reveals His amazing works.
2. How to Become a Spiritual Child
First, we must throw away sins through fervent prayer and the Word.
1 John 2:16 (NASB) says, “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life—is not from the Father, but is from the world.”
After Adam sinned, this world came under the control of the enemy, the ruler of darkness. People saw, heard, and learned untruth, and their hearts became filled with sin. Their hearts were stained with pride, anger, judgment, greed, jealousy, and many other untruths.
Therefore, as 1 Timothy 4:5 (NASB) says, “it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.”
Through fervent prayer and the Word of God, we must remove all sins.
As we throw away greed, pride, and every form of evil, our conscience becomes clean and our heart becomes pure. Then we can believe the Word easily, understand it quickly, and obey more completely.
Second, we must break all theories and thoughts.
2 Corinthians 10:5 (NASB) says, “We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”
Whenever our thoughts or what we believe do not agree with God’s Word, we must throw them away.
Only God’s Word is truth.
Obeying God’s will must come first.
Most human knowledge and theories come from this world, which is ruled by the enemy. Therefore, they often do not agree with the Word of God.
1 John 2:15–16 (NASB) says, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world… For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”
Because this world is controlled by the enemy, people are filled with untruth from birth.
So, to become spiritual children, we must throw away everything that comes from the world.
If a person uses his own thoughts and theories to doubt or deny God’s Word, then he is standing against God Himself. This is pride in the eyes of God.
A person who holds onto his own thoughts judges and condemns those who follow the Holy Spirit and obey God’s will.
In Mark 14, a woman poured very expensive perfume on Jesus’ head out of deep love. But some people complained, saying it could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.
Jesus answered in Mark 14:8–9 (NASB): “She has done what she could… Truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached… what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.”
This woman did not use human reasoning. She simply followed her good and loving heart.
Therefore, she received Jesus’ praise and was remembered forever.
But people who hold onto their own thoughts criticise those who act according to God’s will. They do not cast away fleshly thoughts. They walk toward death.
This is why Romans 8:7 (NASB) says, “the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God.”
To become spiritual children, we must be armed with the Word and full of fervent prayer.
We must test our thoughts and words by the truth, cast away fleshly thoughts, break all theories and human knowledge, and follow the thoughts of the Spirit.
By denying ourselves and being renewed every day through prayer and the Word, may you become the spiritual person God desires and be recognized as a great one in Heaven.
Plus
What is a “theory”?
A theory is a personal logic built through knowledge, experiences, thinking, or learning.
Because theories change depending on each person’s experience, background, and time period, they often produce arguments.
Many theories do not match the truth of God’s Word.
Memory Verse: Matthew 18:3 (NASB)
“Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Reference Verse: Matthew 23:12 (NASB)
“Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”
