"And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them."
This lesson includes the misunderstood and false foundation for another totally un-scriptural tenet of Roman Catholicism.
Jesus, when He placed the child upon knee, said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of SUCH is the kingdom of God."
This statement is taken by Roman Catholicism as meaning that one is to be "Christined" or "baptized" into the "church" as a child in order to be accepted into the Church. That is not at all what Jesus meant. Jesus was describing the mental attitude and innocence of those who would make up His Church.
This statement is taken by Roman Catholicism as meaning that one is to be "Christined" or "baptized" into the "church" as a child in order to be accepted into the Church. That is not at all what Jesus meant. Jesus was describing the mental attitude and innocence of those who would make up His Church.
We must note that Jesus said His Church would be made up of "such" as children. That simply means that His Church will be made up of those whose minds are as pure and open as the minds of children.
In essence He said that in order to be a part of His Church, we must be capable of completely abandoning all other doctrines and beliefs, fully opening our minds to the new concept of justification and salvation by grace, and ridding ourselves of the restrictions of the law.
As we are told in James 2:10, those who choose to hold on to parts of the law are still be bound to obey the entire law. Those who cannot let go of the law cannot be the beneficiaries of the new law of faith. (James 2:10) "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."
Therefore, Jesus was NOT saying that the kingdom of God, (His Church), must be made up of children. He was saying that His Church will be made up of those who are capable of totally accepting the sin justifying sacrifice He provided through His death, burial and resurrection.~
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