February 23 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Matthew 18:1–5

Devotional

In spiritual life it is necessary to become as a child. Christ says, “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” So, we need to be converted. We cannot accomplish that on our own. Yet Christ says that we have to do it ourselves, because we are responsible for this transformation. Scripture tells us many times to repent. The impenitent one is guilty. We cannot convert ourselves. Still, we must do this. In this lies the mystery. We must and at the same time we cannot. A person’s inability should never lead him to become complacent. The full responsibility of God’s demand is on man.

“Except ye be converted.” What needs to be changed? “And ye become as little children.” Must a man become a child again? Nicodemus thought this had to happen, but he received the reply: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh.” To become a child again does not benefit a man, because sin is present in the smallest child. Even if we would turn the clock back to the years of our childhood, what would that benefit us?

We need to become as a little child. The text does not say to become little children, but to become as little children. No one shall be saved because he is a child, but those who are as a child shall be saved.

It is difficult to become as a child. In fact it is impossible in our own power. Our totally corrupt existence opposes childlike existence. It is not a small order to change an adult’s ways into that of a little child. Only God’s Holy Spirit is able to do this. To become as a little child means to become affectionate, dependent, and honest. Something needs to be broken within us. Our own wisdom, righteousness, and ego need to go. Our untruthfulness has to be exposed. We imagine ourselves as kings, but we must be dethroned. Our crown was broken into pieces in Paradise. But we attempt to glue it back together with virtues and duties that we secretly wish to utilize to earn salvation. The crown was broken. Now we need to lose it. The truth is that to become as a child we need to die to ourselves. Man must die to his own honor, his own virtue, and his own piety. The old man who desires greatness must die.

How is this with you? Do you know something of this? The path to heaven begins and ends with humility. Only in humility is the kingdom entered. Oh, impenitent sinner, except ye be converted, except ye be converted!

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.