What Is The Greatest Virtue In The Kingdom?
Matt. 18: 1-4
18 At the same time came
the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
2 And Jesus called a
little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
3 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.
4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the
same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
18:4
humble, tapelnoo
(tap-eye-nah-oh); Strong’s
#5013: Literally "to make low," used of a mountain in Luke 3:5.
Metaphorically, the word means to debase, humble, lower oneself. It describes a
person who is devoid of all arrogance and self-exaltation – a person who is
willing submitted to God and His will.
What Is The Greatest Virtue In The Kingdom?
If
pride is the greatest sin-and it is-then humility must be the greatest
virtue. It is humility that allows us to
acknowledge that God has a claim on our lives, that we are a fallible, mortal
creature; and that God is the Master of the universe.
It is humility that says,
"I am a sinner, and I need to be
saved." Humility is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 22:4). The truths of
the kingdom are only perceived by those who are humble. No one who is proud will ever gain anything from God, because "God resisteth the proud,
but giveth grace unto the humble" (James
4:6). Those who are humble receive
the grace of God and are given the secrets of the kingdom, because they come as
beggars. Jesus Christ said, "Blessed
are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom heaven" (Matt. 5-3).
Childlessness. CHARACTER AND THE KINGDOM
Jesus confronts the tendency
of humankind to associate authority with an exercise of dominance over others.
The dominion or authority in kingdom life God wants to reinstate in us, is for
victorious, fruitfulness living and for the overthrow of hellish powers, not
for gaining control of others or for serving our own interests.
His call to childlike
humility and a servant like heart (John 13:1-17) establishes the spirit and
style by which the authority of the believer is to be exercised as an agent of
God’s kingdom power. (See Matt. 19:14; Mark 10:14, 15; Luke
18:16, 17).
Playwright Janet
Irene Thomas
Founder/President/CEO
Bible Stories
Theatre of
Fine &
Performing Arts
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