RE: [TruthTalk] the Little Children...

[ShieldsFamily]

Marlin,   When we reach the age of accountability, we are to make a mature decision to take on our own faith in Jesus Christ; no longer relying upon whatever we have been taught by others.  However, when it comes to matters of sin, we are to be as innocent as children.  When it comes to faith, we are to be as trusting and believing as little children.   Matt 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.   Mark 10:15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.   [Matt 11:25-27: Luke 10:21, 22] At that time Jesus said, "I praise You, [Luke 22:42; 23:34; John 11:41; 12:27, 28] Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that [Ps 8:2; 1 Cor 1:26ff] You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.   Some of the dearest Believers I have known have been children, or retarded.  God has not made loving Jesus with a pure heart too difficult.  My experience with the Catholic church has shown me that when you can’t believe the plain and simple truths of the Bible, you should make everything as complex and complicated as possible to cloud the issues.  I dislike anything that covers up, with words, rituals, or requirements, the simplicity of His Word. (This sometimes gets me into trouble on TT—especially when it comes to the fourth Commandment!)Even children can understand it—PTL! That is my only hope. J   1        O LORD, my heart is not (1) proud, nor my eyes (2) haughty;           Nor do I involve myself in (3) great matters,           Or in things (4) too difficult for me. 2        Surely I have (5) composed and quieted my soul;           Like a weaned (6) child rests against his mother,           My soul is like a weaned child within me. 3        O Israel, (7) hope in the LORD           (8) >From this time forth and forever. (Psalm 131)   Izzy “Simplicity, taken to the extreme, is elegance.”     -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Marlin Halverson Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2003 9:32 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] the Little Children...   1CO 13:11   When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I             thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish             things. ----- Original Message ----- From: ShieldsFamily To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2003 3:52 PM Subject: RE: [TruthTalk] the Little Children...   I think that the more sophisticated we become, the more likely we are to miss the point—which was the moral of the story. J Izzy   “’Tis a gift to be simple, ‘tis a gift to be free…” an old Shaker hymn.       -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2003 10:19 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] the Little Children...   Iz wrote/quoted (excerpted): "one day, when the mysteries of heaven are opened, and we are all amazed at how close God really is to our hearts,"   relative to JCs teaching, below, 'close' is no cigar--the point is that the NT discloses mysteries (exclusive revelation, in and of itself, alone) brought into the present, now, from the future   ftr, it's fair to say that severely retarded people could miss the point, above--but that problem shouldn't hinder you should it? <lol>   On Tue, 25 Mar 2003 21:53:28 -0600 "ShieldsFamily" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:     -----Original Message-----  [g:] Iz--May I point out one remarkable aspect of this verse you posted(?)--the fact that Jesus stipulates what 'belongs' (pres tense) to 'such as these' now ,