Grow Up!
Published on Facebook, April 15, 2010
By Bud Powell
You didn't dance!
You come as a child; but you must live as an adult!
How many people do you know who think that being a Christian is to behave as a
little child? Isn't that what Jesus said? Nope. It is dangerous to read the
Bible only once.
We are born into this world as a baby, but God not not expect us to remain a
baby. A six month old baby is adorable; a five year old baby is a nuisance; a
sixteen year old baby is an irritation; a forty year old baby is a menace to
society.
So it is in the kingdom of God: we receive the kingdom as a little child, for
our works, intelligence, wisdom, and maturity have nothing to do with it. But
then we are expected to grow up. For what it means to receive the kingdom as a
little child, see my article at
http://basketoffigs.org/Figs/oldfigs/07/9705/CHILDREN.htm.
Having become a child of God, we are expect to grow up:
Eph. 4: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and
carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning
craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is
the head, even Christ:
It is dangerous to read the Bible only once--or did I say that already?
Jesus did not have much respect for the behavior of children. He said of the
generation of His day:
Lu 7:32 They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one
to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have
mourned to you, and ye have not wept.
Children expect everyone to jump to their tune. "We are playing a
dance--everyone dance!" "Now we are crying--every must cry now."
Sort of like a modern worship team. Or, better, they are like the preachers who
think that God has no hands but our hands, no feet but our feet. They think
that even God behaved like a petulant child, couldn't make up His mind, and
ranted and raved, until Moses talked some sense into Him.
Jeremiah deal with such childish preachers, who prophesied out of their own
hearts, making up stuff in terms of their own dreams [Jer. 23:16]. They didn't
know the LORD of Heaven, but Jeremiah set them straight: God would not do what
was in these kids hearts, He would do what was in HIS heart: Jer 23:20
"The anger of the LORD shall not return [turn back], until he have
executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter
days ye shall consider it perfectly." Wow!
God does not dance to the tune of His Creation: it is the other way around. You
may think that you are the center of your universe, but one day you will wake
up from your dream, but it will be in hell.
"Grow up," is the message of the Scripture. Even Jesus came as a
baby, but performed His divine mission on the Cross as a man, enduring hardship
as a good soldier, defeating Satan and gaining eternal redemption for those who
believe.
Heb. 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of
righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are
of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to
discern both good and evil.
Grow up. Don't be a menace to the church.
