The Gospel - The Means of Grace XXII

Obtaining The Kingdom By Faith

"Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein." (Mark 10: 15)

The great Hardshell debater, C. H. Cayce, often used this verse in debate in an attempt to prove that sinners are born again apart from the gospel and faith. He argued that adults "receive the kingdom," or are born again, in the same way as infants. Since infants "receive the kingdom," he argued, apart from hearing and believing the gospel, then so are adults. But, this is fanciful and totally against the meaning and intent of the words of Jesus. Hardshells are always intent on finding any verse that says "adults are regenerated just like infants," that is, apart from conversion, apart from faith and repentance. They think they find it in John 3: 8, where Jesus said - "SO is everyone who is born of the Spirit." If they can find one person who was regenerated apart from faith and conversion, then they will argue that all are born again in the same manner.

First of all, the "little child" in the above passage is not an infant, but young child. It is the same class of people mentioned by Christ when he said - "suffer little children to come unto me." (Matt. 19: 14, etc.) But, how can one let and encourage infants to come to Jesus?

"Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 18: 3)

In this account of Matthew, Jesus connected being "converted" with "entering" the "kingdom of heaven." Obviously a "little child" can be converted.

Second, the word "receive" is from the Greek word "dechomai" and is in the active voice and means to accept. Vine, in his new testament words, said that dechomai "signifies 'to accept,' by a deliberate and ready reception of what is offered (cp. No. 4), e.g., 1Th 2:13, RV, 'accepted;' 2Cr 8:17; 11:4. See RECEIVE, TAKE."

This certainly disproves the Hardshell notion that the "little child" is an infant and an infant who is receiving passively, and unconsciously, or non-cognitively, the kingdom of God.

The Greek word for "little child" is "paidion" and means "a young child, a little boy, a little girl." It does not mean "infant" or one just a few days old.

Hardshells have several man-made propositions that they take to the scriptures and twist the scriptures to make them harmonize with them. This is their hermeneutic method. For instance, when they read verses where "faith" is a requirement for eternal salvation, they will deny that it is belief, but will make it to deal with God's faith (so called), or Christ's faith (so called), or with some kind of "seed faith" that believes nothing, but is a kind of spiritual substance deposited in the nature of one who is "regenerated," a seed substance that is "dormant." (Which is nonsense, of course) This is their method of interpretation regarding passages dealing with faith and salvation.

Another instance of their false hermeneutic method is seen in how they handle those verses that speak of "salvation." In those passages where salvation is seen as conditioned upon faith and perseverance, they will not make it deal with "eternal" salvation, but with a "time salvation." The remaining passages they will say deal with eternal salvation, the ones where God seems to be doing all and requiring nothing. In such a method the context is ignored and their purpose becomes finding a way to interpret the passage, by twist, so as not to oppose their man-made propositions. Those passages which seem to contradict Hardshell propositions must be made, by hook or crook, to harmonize with the Hardshell propositions.

Another instance of their hermeneutic method is seen in how they deal with those passages which speak of salvation being a "receiving" or an "entering" of the kingdom of God (or of Christ or heaven). Those passages that seem to show that the entering of the kingdom is the work of God without mention of means or conditions the Hardshells will say is dealing with eternal salvation. But, with those passages that seem to connect the receiving and entering of the kingdom with those who believe and persevere in the Christian faith, they will want to say that they are talking about "time salvation," or to the regenerated sinner's "joining the church," or being baptized into the "one true church," which is "the kingdom that God set up." This kingdom, the Hardshells affirm, applies to them alone, to the "Primitive Baptist Church."

When a person reads the bible, he must not bring any preconceptions to it. He must approach it "honestly." He must desire to know its true interpretation. "An honest and good heart" (Luke 8: 15) is required if one is to know the truth of scripture. "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine," said Jesus. (John 7: 17) "If any man has the will to do his will," or "if anyone really, honestly, and sincerely wants to know the truth, he WILL know the truth."

Seeking the Kingdom

"seek ye first the kingdom of God." (Matt. 6: 33)

The kingdom, like the Lord and salvation, is to be "sought" if it is ever to be "found."

The Hardshells will not make this "kingdom of God" to be connected with final, or eternal, salvation for it puts a condition upon obtaining the kingdom of God. So, they will affirm that the "kingdom of God" in this passage must refer to the church, which to them is the "Primitive Baptist Church," to the exclusion of all others, and refers to the experience of "conversion," an optional experience that comes after "regeneration."

"...the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found..." (Matt. 13: 44)

What is this "treasure" that is "found"? The Hardshells will not connect this finding of the treasure with being regenerated, but to their "conversion." To many of them the "treasure" is the church, and they alone are "the church."

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matt. 7: 21)

This entering of the kingdom the Hardshells will deny is talking about eternal salvation, but to a "time salvation," when one "joins the old Baptist church." Since the passage speaks of "doing" the "will of God" as a condition, the Hardshells cannot accept that it refers to the "eternal kingdom" or with eternal salvation, but to entering the old Hardshell church. Clearly Jesus put the entering of the kingdom in the future, however.

Jesus spoke of those who would be "...instructed unto the kingdom of heaven..." (Matt. 13: 52) Being taught is a necessary step for entering God's kingdom. Jesus said elsewhere - "everyone therefore who has heard and learned of the Father comes unto me." Again, being taught precedes coming to Christ, and coming to Christ precedes "life." Being "instructed into (unto) the kingdom" is the same as being "instructed unto salvation," for entering the kingdom is equated with being saved. One becomes a citizen of this kingdom when he receives, by faith, the gospel of Christ.

"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." (Luke 12: 32)

Every Hardshell preacher I ever heard cite these words of Jesus, have made them apply strictly to themselves as a denomination. To them, the "little flock" is a reference to the "one true visible church of Christ," now known as, they say proudly, the "Primitive Baptist Church." This is part of what it means to be a "cult," for a group to say "we be the only ones."

But, the truth is, the "little flock" of Jesus is the body of the elect, and they have ever been a minority or remnant. A person asked Jesus - "Lord, are there few that be saved?" (Luke 13: 23) Jesus replied - "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." (Luke 13: 23, 24) Jesus said "few there be that find" the strait way. (Matt. 7: 14) The "little flock" are the "few" who shall be saved. In this way the story of Noah's situation becomes typical, for Peter says that only a "few," that is, "eight souls," were "saved through water." (I Peter 3: 20)

And who does Jesus identify as this "little flock," with these "few"? Those who have "entered" the "strait gate," and who travel the "strait way," these are they.

Most Hardshells say that the saved (elect) are on both roads, the broad that leads to destruction, and the strait that leads to life, and that it is not eternal life or eternal destruction that is meant, but "timely" or "temporal" destinies, to things that only pertain to this mortal life. But, this is not the common use of the terms in the new testament, but a rare usage. Second, "leads to" is future oriented, and therefore the life and destruction are not viewed as present realities. If entering the strait gate, and beginning the walk on the strait way, denotes conversion, or becoming a Christian, then the "road" that is traveled by the Christian must be equivelent to his whole Christian life and walk. This road "leads to life," being that which comes at the end of the road! What comes at the end of the Christian life, when he dies? "Life"! Eternal life! What comes at the end of the worldly life, when one dies? "Destruction"! Eternal destruction!

Further, walking of this Christian road, where are the few, is necessary for obtaining that "life" that comes at the end of the road, that comes at the end of one's life.

"The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it." (Luke 16: 16)

Not only are sinners "instructed unto" the kingdom, and "seek for" and "find" it, and "receive" it by choice, but they are said to "press into it." Again, this is another way of expressing the salvation experience, but Hardshells will deny that it deals with salvation, for it requires men to "press into" it, and so will make the "kingdom" to be their denomination, which men should "press into." But, again, they are simply applying their man-made proposition to the verse and they refuse to justify interpreting "entering the kingdom" as not dealing with its normal new testament usage and sense.

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God...Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:4, 6)

Most Hardshells will say that this "kingdom" is a reference to the church, or to that institution known today as the "Primitive Baptist Church." It is good that Hardshells teach that the church is to be composed only of those who have been "born again." But, is Christ speaking of "seeing" and "entering" the local church? Is he not rather referring to inheriting the kingdom of God when Jesus comes again and sets up the kingdom on earth? The Hardshells, like those called "Reform Baptists," will insist that these words of Christ affirm that "regeneration precedes conversion," or precedes faith. They think that Jesus' affirmation that one must be born again in order to "see" the kingdom affirms it. "Seeing" the kingdom is interpreted as a perceiving of the kingdom, and such a perception is part of faith, they argue.

But, it is clear that Jesus is referring to final salvation, to that time when Christ returns and resurrects the bodies of the sanctified, and glorifies them, and when they "inherit the kingdom" that was "prepared" for them "from before the foundation of the world." (Matt. 25: 34) This latter passage is admitted by Hardshells to be dealing with final salvation, or with the "eternal kingdom."

The new testament scriptures speak of the kingdom of God being both a present reality, in some sense, with those who are elected and called, and also a future reality after Christ comes and glorifies believers.

Throughout the Book of Acts we find the message of the gospel to be a message concerning salvation and the kingdom of God. Notice this survey:

"...speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God..." (Acts 1: 3)

"But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God." (Acts 8: 12)

"Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." (Acts 14: 22)

"...disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God." (Acts 19: 8)

"And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more." (Acts 20: 25)

"And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening...Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him." (Acts 28: 23, 31)

These verses show that the kingdom of God is connected with being saved. The saved will inherit the kingdom, while those who are not saved will not.

"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Rom. 14: 17)

"For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." (I Cor. 4: 20)

These verse identify the leading aspects of the kingdom of God. This is a description of what is received when one receives the kingdom. How does this fit with Cayce's idea of what infants in the womb receive when they are "regenerated"?

"That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory." (I Thess. 2: 12)

To be "called to" salvation is at the same time to be "called unto his kingdom and glory." This calling is by the gospel. (II Thess. 2: 14)

"And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (II Tim. 4: 18)

"For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." (II Peter 1: 11)

"And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." (Rev. 12: 10)

These verses give the predominant teaching concerning the kingdom of God and show how it is mostly yet future and is connected with being eternally saved.

The kingdom, in scripture, being viewed as both now received and as yet future, is like what is said of receiving eternal life. It is likewise sometimes presented as a present reality, but sometimes as a future reality.