CHRIST'S LITTLE ONES by James White

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA · Apr 22, 1880

CHRIST'S LITTLE ONES.

By James White

WHEN the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?" he called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 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. Whosoever, therefore, shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of Heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." Matt. 18:1-6. In briefly commenting upon these words of Christ, we notice these important points:—

1. It was on the occasion of a private interview between the Lord and his disciples that these words were spoken; hence the instruction was given for the benefit of the church of Christ to the close of probation.

2. While the disciples, doubtless, refer to a temporal kingdom, which they supposed Christ would establish in this world, the Lord, in the use of the phrase "kingdom of Heaven," refers, sometimes to the kingdom of grace, or to the church established in this mortal state, and at other times to the future kingdom of glory.

3. The inquiry of the disciples, "Who shall be greatest?" is natural to the carnal mind. Even the intimate disciples of Christ were subject to this feeling. And they were excusable to some extent on account of their inexperience, and want of a clear understanding

of the nature of the kingdom of Christ. But many in our time who have the words of Christ before them, and the history of those who would be lords over God's heritage as a warning to them, are guilty of the most selfish feeling. These are hardly excusable in cherishing the carnal, selfish desire to be greatest in the church.

4. The rebuke of the Son of God is complete. The little child, unsophisticated and confiding in its innocence and feelings of dependence, is the beautiful emblem of the true subjects of the kingdom of grace. Such Christians lived in the time of our fathers. But in our day a strong spirit of irreligion, in the popular garb of progression, whether with spiritualists, or those infatuated professors who hold that we are just stepping upon the borders of the golden age, points back to those confiding followers of Jesus as superstitious, credulous, and far behind the times. Would God there were more confiding, old fashioned, humble disciples of Christ in our time, illustrated by the Master, in the symbol of the innocent little child.

5. True Christians, young and old, are here called "little ones which believe in me." These are not babes, but believing men and women, who have humbled themselves as a little child, and are truly converted. These may be plain and simple in manner, credulous and confiding, uneducated and unaccomplished, poor and old; but they are very precious in the sight of the Lord. He who receives one of these receives Christ. "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me," says the Master, "it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." J. W.