The Children With Whom God Is Well Pleased!
2008-12-27 22:44
The farmer who sowed the seed waits to be pleased because of plenty of mature fruit like the seed sown. The parents who gave birth to a child wait for him to grow well and become mature, and wait for the pleasing day when he inherits from his father.
Just as the things that are made do so, God waits for His young children born again to grow well and attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ, and waits the pleasing day when they inherit the kingdom of God with Christ. It is written, "until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming." (Ephesians 4:13-14).
Therefore, the Lord made this written in the Bible, "Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so." (Hebrews 6:1-3).
As there is a time for all things, there is a time for the children of God who will inherit the kingdom of God with Christ. There is a time for being born, a time for living on milk, a time for growing in wisdom and stature, and a time for becoming mature enough to inherit with the mature firstborn Christ Jesus from the Father. It is because Christ Jesus became the mature firstborn.
An immature infant cares about himself only. Likewise, in their infancy, the children who will inherit the kingdom of God are in the flesh and care about themselves only. They are still young and don't have senses enough to care about their parents.
The Bible says, "Go on to the maturity." And it is the most excellent teaching: the children should put away childish things and become mature enough to please their parents. If a child does not please his parents but just enjoys his own pleasure, he is the man whom the Bible refers to as "the man doomed to destruction."
It is written, "Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God." (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).
Today, there are so many people who say they are "the children of God." But most of them are just infants, not seeking for the pleasure of God but for their own pleasure. If anyone doesn't put away childish things but endlessly seek for his own pleasure, as it is written, he is just the evil one who opposes God. "He exalts himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God."
Therefore, the Bible says we should attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. It has deep meaning that we should put away childish things of pleasing ourselves and become a mature man to please God only. The Lord Jesus himself said, "The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him." (John 8:29).
Children think, "All mine are mine, and all the Father's are mine too." However, the mature son says, "And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine..." (John 17:10). Therefore, it is written, "And a voice came from heaven: 'You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.'" (Mark 1:11). And also, "So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it." (2 Corinthians 5:9).
Therefore, for the young children who are still carnal, even if God saw that they were good, they are not yet the children who please God. And so, the Bible says, "Let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity."
It is because those who are still in the flesh, that is, the children who stay in the elementary teachings about Christ cannot please God. It is written, "So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God." (Romans 8:8). Therefore, the Bible teaches us like this, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship." (Romans 12:1). The body born of the flesh is the body of the children who care about themselves only. When the body is offered as a living sacrifice, God will be pleased. And that is the spiritual act of worship.
The Bible said, "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). It is only God who gives birth to it, and who makes it grow.
Therefore, it is also only God who makes us go on to perfection. And so, the faithful servant of God said, "And God permitting, we will do so." (Hebrews 6:3).
The Bible already said about the time God would permit, "It is time for you to act, O LORD; your law is being broken." (Psalms 119:126). Amen. Thank you, Lord.
Just as the things that are made do so, God waits for His young children born again to grow well and attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ, and waits the pleasing day when they inherit the kingdom of God with Christ. It is written, "until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming." (Ephesians 4:13-14).
Therefore, the Lord made this written in the Bible, "Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so." (Hebrews 6:1-3).
As there is a time for all things, there is a time for the children of God who will inherit the kingdom of God with Christ. There is a time for being born, a time for living on milk, a time for growing in wisdom and stature, and a time for becoming mature enough to inherit with the mature firstborn Christ Jesus from the Father. It is because Christ Jesus became the mature firstborn.
An immature infant cares about himself only. Likewise, in their infancy, the children who will inherit the kingdom of God are in the flesh and care about themselves only. They are still young and don't have senses enough to care about their parents.
The Bible says, "Go on to the maturity." And it is the most excellent teaching: the children should put away childish things and become mature enough to please their parents. If a child does not please his parents but just enjoys his own pleasure, he is the man whom the Bible refers to as "the man doomed to destruction."
It is written, "Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God." (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).
Today, there are so many people who say they are "the children of God." But most of them are just infants, not seeking for the pleasure of God but for their own pleasure. If anyone doesn't put away childish things but endlessly seek for his own pleasure, as it is written, he is just the evil one who opposes God. "He exalts himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God."
Therefore, the Bible says we should attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. It has deep meaning that we should put away childish things of pleasing ourselves and become a mature man to please God only. The Lord Jesus himself said, "The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him." (John 8:29).
Children think, "All mine are mine, and all the Father's are mine too." However, the mature son says, "And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine..." (John 17:10). Therefore, it is written, "And a voice came from heaven: 'You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.'" (Mark 1:11). And also, "So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it." (2 Corinthians 5:9).
Therefore, for the young children who are still carnal, even if God saw that they were good, they are not yet the children who please God. And so, the Bible says, "Let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity."
It is because those who are still in the flesh, that is, the children who stay in the elementary teachings about Christ cannot please God. It is written, "So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God." (Romans 8:8). Therefore, the Bible teaches us like this, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship." (Romans 12:1). The body born of the flesh is the body of the children who care about themselves only. When the body is offered as a living sacrifice, God will be pleased. And that is the spiritual act of worship.
The Bible said, "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). It is only God who gives birth to it, and who makes it grow.
Therefore, it is also only God who makes us go on to perfection. And so, the faithful servant of God said, "And God permitting, we will do so." (Hebrews 6:3).
The Bible already said about the time God would permit, "It is time for you to act, O LORD; your law is being broken." (Psalms 119:126). Amen. Thank you, Lord.
