Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
Brethren are commanded to be children in malice but men in understanding, and the call to become as little children concerns malice and simplicity of spirit rather than childish understanding. Those grown to man's estate must outgrow childhood by putting away childish speaking and childish understanding and childish thinking, and must not bring the defects of child-life into religious experience. In understanding Christians are to be men and not children, while in malice they are to remain children.
To be children in malice is to remain innocent and to be simple and natural, putting away feelings of superiority and aristocracy. It is to cultivate unaffected manners, so that the whole bearing is humble and Christlike in living for the good of others. In simplicity of spirit believers are to be as little children, which means not striving for supremacy or thinking one knows more than the brethren.
To be men in understanding is to outgrow childhood in the manner described, since being advanced in years alone does not make a person mature. Many pupils well advanced in years are still children in understanding. Maturity in understanding requires constant advancement, with expansion and development and an increase of faith and holiness giving experience in the religious life. The revelation of the Father is given so that the mind can take hold of it and comprehend it, and all who follow on steadfastly to know the truth as it is in Jesus will find there is still more to be learned.
Continual growth is the law of the Christian life, so experience loses its freshness and power unless it is constantly growing and increasing and unfolding and intensifying the powers. As in the natural world a beautiful child becomes a deformity if with passing years there is lack of growth and the faculties of the mind do not unfold, so in the spiritual world growth and maturity of understanding are planned. Maturity means receiving the gospel intelligently with the heart, standing in it, keeping it in memory, and practicing it in every respect. It forbids a changing religion and a general assent and a diluted faith, and forbids believing and acting in vain.
Maturity requires holding fast the Word of life and persevering in the truth received, and communicating that knowledge to others so the church is edified. It means practicing the Word of God and doing the things Christ says, by taking self seriously in hand and moving steadily onward step by step to be an overcomer. Being a man in understanding is shown by consistency of conduct in words, in patience, in meekness, which reveals Christ in the heart, rather than holding a haphazard belief that claims faith without practice.
One born of God does not perpetuate sin by practice but becomes a free soul in Christ Jesus, free not to continue in sin but free to practice virtue and holiness, using liberty not to oppress or to speak bitterness but as a servant of God under the rule of Christ. Mature understanding ends the childish contentions of saying I am of Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or Christ, for Christ is not divided. It ends accusing and demeriting one another, and climbing upon the judgment seat, and speaking evil and thinking evil and doing mischief by words and actions.
It means not striving for supremacy or thinking one knows more than the brethren, but having sanctified ability and working in unity without division and being willing to learn the A.B.C. from the heavenly Master. When the Sun of Righteousness shines into the chambers of the mind and the soul temple, love of brethren for one another glorifies the Lord, while plain words of truth may still be spoken in the spirit of Christ. The verse calls for humble and watchful and prayerful judgment rather than confusion, acknowledging God's teaching and correcting one's course.
For the church in Jackson this meant members needed to recognize their own sinful condition and die to self and become Christlike rather than continue in a harmful spirit. Because older pupils may still be children in understanding, the teacher must constantly aim at simplicity and effectiveness. Teaching must be largely by illustration, and every explanation must be made plain and clear even when dealing with older pupils.
Leaders in God's work must not throw off responsibility and become as children in understanding. To be men in understanding is to be fully qualified with symmetrical characters for the great, glorious work to which they are called. It is to cherish simplicity yet with Christlike dignity in harmony with sacred truth, combining piety and dignity and exercising real, genuine common sense. It is to press on with highest energies to high moral and spiritual elevation, and to seek counsel of God so that judgment and counsel may be depended on and all brought in contact with them will respect them as on solid ground.
Brethren are commanded to be children in malice but men in understanding, and the call to become as little children concerns malice and simplicity of spirit rather than childish understanding. Those grown to man's estate must outgrow childhood by putting away childish speaking and childish understanding and childish thinking, and must not bring the defects of child-life into religious experience. In understanding Christians are to be men and not children, while in malice they are to remain children.
To be children in malice is to remain innocent and to be simple and natural, putting away feelings of superiority and aristocracy. It is to cultivate unaffected manners, so that the whole bearing is humble and Christlike in living for the good of others. In simplicity of spirit believers are to be as little children, which means not striving for supremacy or thinking one knows more than the brethren.
To be men in understanding is to outgrow childhood in the manner described, since being advanced in years alone does not make a person mature. Many pupils well advanced in years are still children in understanding. Maturity in understanding requires constant advancement, with expansion and development and an increase of faith and holiness giving experience in the religious life. The revelation of the Father is given so that the mind can take hold of it and comprehend it, and all who follow on steadfastly to know the truth as it is in Jesus will find there is still more to be learned.
Continual growth is the law of the Christian life, so experience loses its freshness and power unless it is constantly growing and increasing and unfolding and intensifying the powers. As in the natural world a beautiful child becomes a deformity if with passing years there is lack of growth and the faculties of the mind do not unfold, so in the spiritual world growth and maturity of understanding are planned. Maturity means receiving the gospel intelligently with the heart, standing in it, keeping it in memory, and practicing it in every respect. It forbids a changing religion and a general assent and a diluted faith, and forbids believing and acting in vain.
Maturity requires holding fast the Word of life and persevering in the truth received, and communicating that knowledge to others so the church is edified. It means practicing the Word of God and doing the things Christ says, by taking self seriously in hand and moving steadily onward step by step to be an overcomer. Being a man in understanding is shown by consistency of conduct in words, in patience, in meekness, which reveals Christ in the heart, rather than holding a haphazard belief that claims faith without practice.
One born of God does not perpetuate sin by practice but becomes a free soul in Christ Jesus, free not to continue in sin but free to practice virtue and holiness, using liberty not to oppress or to speak bitterness but as a servant of God under the rule of Christ. Mature understanding ends the childish contentions of saying I am of Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or Christ, for Christ is not divided. It ends accusing and demeriting one another, and climbing upon the judgment seat, and speaking evil and thinking evil and doing mischief by words and actions.
It means not striving for supremacy or thinking one knows more than the brethren, but having sanctified ability and working in unity without division and being willing to learn the A.B.C. from the heavenly Master. When the Sun of Righteousness shines into the chambers of the mind and the soul temple, love of brethren for one another glorifies the Lord, while plain words of truth may still be spoken in the spirit of Christ. The verse calls for humble and watchful and prayerful judgment rather than confusion, acknowledging God's teaching and correcting one's course.
For the church in Jackson this meant members needed to recognize their own sinful condition and die to self and become Christlike rather than continue in a harmful spirit. Because older pupils may still be children in understanding, the teacher must constantly aim at simplicity and effectiveness. Teaching must be largely by illustration, and every explanation must be made plain and clear even when dealing with older pupils.
Leaders in God's work must not throw off responsibility and become as children in understanding. To be men in understanding is to be fully qualified with symmetrical characters for the great, glorious work to which they are called. It is to cherish simplicity yet with Christlike dignity in harmony with sacred truth, combining piety and dignity and exercising real, genuine common sense. It is to press on with highest energies to high moral and spiritual elevation, and to seek counsel of God so that judgment and counsel may be depended on and all brought in contact with them will respect them as on solid ground.