Sex Education & Children

Want to know why porn is so popular among 12-year-olds?

[Warning: The following article contains graphic words—but nothing our children are not getting in their sex ed. classes.]

Sex Education

Sex Education Should Not Be Taught by Public Schools.

I would normally apologize for using graphic language in an article—but friends, if they can teach it to our elementary school children, then it’s time we talk frankly about it! The Bible is crystal clear that purity is not just a suggestion, but a command from our Creator. We are told to flee sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18). In Paul’s letter to the church at Thessalonica he admonished, “abstain from sexual immorality” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5). He observed impurity as a work of the flesh that would keep one out of heaven (Galatians 5:19-21). I could list another 15-20 Scriptures that remind readers to remain pure and set our minds on things above.

Intellectually we understand this principle. We may even “Amen” it from our pulpits. I believe that on a basic level we understand why God puts such an emphasis on purity. But somewhere between the brain and our mouth/actions there is a major disconnect. We know what the Bible says, but we continue to justify our kindergarteners participating in sexual education.

Friends, they are five to six years old. Let me say that again—five and six. They are still learning to read and spell. Yet, because we are so married to the public school system and feel like we can’t do anything about it, we justify this atrocity, claiming “some children won’t get it at home.” Allow me to bluntly ask you: Have you actually looked at what they are “getting”?

In the Clark County school district (Las Vegas) they are considering requiring sex education for kindergarteners. According to Katherine Timpf, “Under the new curriculum, children ages 5 through 8 would be taught that “touching one’s genitals to feel good is called masturbation” (see http://www.nationalreview.com/article/389095/school-district-considering-sex-education-kindergartners-katherine-timpf). Again, they are teaching this to kindergarteners!

But Las Vegas is not the first. Literally all across the country there is a push to expose children to sexual images, sexual content, and homosexual tolerance starting at a very young age. In 2013 children in Chicago joined this illustrious club. One news report noted, “Kindergarteners in Chicago public schools will soon be given sex education. The Chicago Board of Education approved the program, which includes discussions on sexual orientation and gender identity.” (http://www.10news.com/news/watercooler/chicago-school-board-approves-sex-education-program-for-kindergarten-030113)

This follows a 2010 report from Montana where they proposed teaching 5th graders the different ways people have intercourse and first graders about “gay love” (http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/07/14/montana-sex-education-proposal-draws-outrage-graders-learn-gay-sex/). Gay love? In the first grade?!

Allow me to stop right here and “read your mind.” Most individuals reading this with children in the school system right now are probably thinking, “That won’t happen at our school.” You are right—because if FoSE (Future of Sex Ed) has their way with your school system, it will probably be much worse. Elizabeth Harrington wrote on the new national standards in 2012: “Ideally, comprehensive sexuality education should start in kindergarten and continue through 12th grade,” says the “National Sexuality Education Standards” report, drawn up by a range of advocates, academics and public education officials. The Future of Sex Education (FoSE), an initiative started by sex education advocates, developed the standards “to create a strategic plan for sexuality education policy and implementation.” (http://cnsnews.com/news/article/begin-sex-ed-kindergarten-says-new-national-standards-report; see also http://www.futureofsexed.org). Just a quick glance of the scrolling “news” headlines on their websites gives you a pretty good understanding of what they are teaching:

And these are the people who want to set the standards! While we in the church are busy arguing about whether this is acceptable, they are having strategic planning sessions on the future and implementation of sexual education. They are three steps ahead of parents, many of whom have yet to even acknowledge this battle for the heart, purity, and soul of our children. For you see, the homosexual agenda met all the way back in the early 1990s and made sexual education one of their agenda items. Ask yourself this question: Who are these individuals coming in teaching children about gay love and anal intercourse?

What has happened to abstinence and purity? Oh that’s right they were considered religious by the courts, and therefore aren’t supposed to be taught in the government schools. In Kendrick vs. Bowen 1987, the court ruled: “The harm of premarital sexual relations…[is] elements of religious doctrine. It is a fundamental tenet of many religions that premarital sex…[is] wrong. In short, [teaching premarital sexual abstinence] has the primary effect of advancing religion…. [T]he inescapable conclusion is that federal funds have been used… to teach matters inherently tied to religion.” [KENDRICK v. BOWEN; 657 F. Supp. 1547, 1562, (D.D.C. 1987)].

Just how far have we sunk? I refuse to show you some of the graphic images they show our children. But consider these examples of where our school systems are in terms of sex and purity:

  1. Provincetown, Mass decided to make condoms available to first graders in 2010 (http://www.wcvb.com/Condoms-For-Elementary-Students-Yes-Says-Mass-Town/11288760)
  2. In Red Hook, NY middle school girls were instructed to “role-play lesbian relationship” and ask female classmates for a kiss as a part of an anti-bullying exercise (http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2013/04/middle_school_girls_told_to_ask_for_a_lesbian_kiss_in_anti-bullying_workshop.html)
  3. In Fayetteville, AR thirteen year old Chloe Rubiano was ordered to remove her shirt because it said “Virginity Rocks.” Chloe and her mom believed the shirt sent a positive message, however school officials told her that she had to put on something else. (http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/top-stories/school-orders-girl-to-remove-virginity-rocks-shirt.html)
  4. In Shawnee, Kansas one set of parents found out that the “abstinence-based curriculum” that they’d been told the school was using was far from it. Todd Starnes reported:

A Kansas father said he was shocked after he discovered his 13-year-old daughter’s health curriculum included references to vaginal intercourse, anal sex, and touching each other’s genitals. “I got furious,” Mark Ellis, of Shawnee, Kan., told me. “And I’m still worked up about it.” Ellis’ daughter is an eighth grade student at Hocker Grove Middle School in the Shawnee Mission School District. Last week, she came home from school and showed her parents a photograph she had taken of a poster on a classroom door. “How do people express their sexual feelings?” the poster read. Underneath the question was a list of possible answers. Some were G-rated, like hugging, holding hands and talking. But there were also some NC-17 answers like “vaginal intercourse, anal sex, touching each other’s genitals, oral sex, sexual fantasy and caressing.” (see http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/?s=sex+ed)

In an article titled “Obama: Sex Ed for Kindergartners ‘Is the Right Thing to Do’” Terence Jeffrey observed, “At a Planned Parenthood convention at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Washington, D.C., on July 17, 2007, a teenage girl who said she worked as a sex-education ‘peer educator’ in the D.C. public schools asked then-U.S. Sen. Obama what he would do to encourage the teaching of ‘medically accurate, age-appropriate, and responsible sex education’ (see http://cnsnews.com/news/article/obama-sex-ed-kindergartners-right-thing-do).

Christian parents, its time you reclaim your children and teach children that sexual relations were created by God—and are only good in the context of marriage. It’s time we as a church learn how to do the job correctly, so our government will stop perverting the hearts and minds of our young. It’s time we admit there is a major problem out there and begin discussions on what to do about the problem.

What’s even more unsettling is that the information in this article is really just the tip of the iceberg. I strongly encourage you to check out our latest book, “Failure: What Christian Parents Need to Know About American Education” by Jack Wilkie, which devotes a whole chapter to exposing the dangers of modern sex education and takes an in-depth look at all of the challenges to the Christian faith in American schools. Click the “Failure” tab above for more info or click the link to order your copy.

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Doctrine of Fellowship

Let Us Apply These Truths to the Doctrine of Fellowship!

(Brother Guy N. Woods was, perhaps, one of the most capable scholars our era has seen.  Sometime in the 1980s, brother Woods preached a sermon titled, “The Security of the Believer.”  His purpose in this sermon was to show that the Christian who is doing his best to live faithfully to the Lord, can depend upon the mercy and grace of God to forgive his sins of ignorance, weaknesses, and stupidity.  A large portion of this sermon is dedicated to expounding 1 John 1:7.  We note that this passage not only has reference to forgiveness through the blood, but fellowship of Christians one to another.  Below are some excerpts from this sermon.  I urge each and every Christian to consider carefully and prayerfully these truths as one studies the biblical doctrine of fellowship.  These are excerpts.  We have made a diligent effort to keep them in context, but space limits us from reproducing the entire sermon here.  We start with the words of brother Woods approximately six minutes into his sermon the audio recording of which is available on the Internet– Kevin Cauley.)

Fellowship

Our Fellowship Needs to Be in the Light.

“. . . we read in first John two and one: “My little children, these things write I unto you that you sin not.”  Observe that this is an admonition against sin – instruction to us to avoid it to the extent of our ability.  But the verse continues, “If any man sin, he has an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”  There our Lord is said to be our advocate and an advocate is a pleader, signifying about the same as our English words lawyer or attorney, the function of which is to plead one’s case.  This represents our Lord as our heavenly lawyer, there arguing our case not, of course, upon our merit, but upon his.  And further, had John here intended to look at the matter as an overall act and as sin continuously, then the verb of the passage would not have been in the aorist tense, but it is in the first John two passage.  And what it says in effect is this.  “I write to admonish you against a life of sin, but in the event (and I would insert parenthetically that this is not to be intent[ional] or by premeditation, but growing out of ignorance or weakness or stupidity) if one sins he has an advocate.”  And sins there suggest a single act.  And so what is said here is, that in the event of such for the faithful Christian, then there is the advocate provided.

Take a look with me please at what I regard as the single most wonderful thing for the Christian taught in the Bible.  In first John chapter one verse seven, “If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin.” . . .  Look at a simple analysis.  “If,”(there is the condition) “we walk” (there is the manner of conduct) “in the light” (that’s the sphere of conduct) “as he is in the light” (that’s the standard of conduct) “we have fellowship one with another” (that’s the result of blessing) “and the blood of Jesus Christ,” (that’s the agent) “cleanses us” (the action contemplated) “from all sin” (the subject under consideration).  Let’s examine it a bit closer.  “If we walk….”  Walking in the Bible is a very common figure for Christianity and a very fitting one because walking suggests an unwearied approach to a goal.  And that is exactly what Christianity is; it is a walk from earth to heaven and the goal is eternal life, but that walk is circumscribed, it’s not anywhere, everywhere; it is in the light.  Light is a synonym for truth as its opposite darkness symbolizes error.  Hence to walk in the light is to live by the truth, of course, the truth of God’s word.  For those who so do, the blood cleanses.

Number one, that teaches us that the faithful child of God is not condemned.  Did you observe that I said, “Faithful child of God?”  You are not to understand these remarks to apply to apostates.  You are not to understand me to be talking about one who deliberately pursues a course of sin.  I am not.  I am talking about people just like us who want to go to heaven, who are trying to go to heaven, but who because of our weaknesses and frailties, imperfections, our ignorance and often times our stupidity, we make mistakes.  What is our first proposition?  The faithful child of God is not condemned.

Listen.  Romans the eight chapter verse one, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”  What?  There is therefore now no condemnation to everybody everywhere?  Oh no.  Look at the limiting and restrictive phrases.  “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.”  To everybody who that’s in Christ?  Not necessarily so, because sometimes people in the body of Christ, the church, deliberately pursue a course of sin and fall.  Well, what then?  “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.”  To walk after the Spirit is to walk with the Spirit’s leading. Romans 8:14 “as many as are lead by the Spirit are the sons of God,” but we are lead to live as sons of God by the teaching of the Spirit upon the sacred page.  It follows then that to be lead by the Spirit is to be lead by the Spirit’s teaching.  So what John says here is that those who walk not after the flesh, which means a carnal fleshly ungodly existence, but who [are] guided and directed with the Spirit, these are those who have the assurance of the passage.  What’s the similarity between Paul’s condition and John’s?  What was Paul’s condition?  “Who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”  What was John’s condition?  “Who walk in the light as Christ is in the light.”  What do those statements mean? Exactly the same.  One is a commentary on the other.  And both of them mean to live as best you can by his word.  What results for those who thus do?  The blood cleanses.  If we walk in the light the blood cleanses.  If we keep on walking in the light, the blood keeps on cleansing.

Secondly, the reason the faithful child of God is not condemned, God does not impute to him sin.  The word “impute” often appears in the Bible, both Old and New Testaments.  And it means to charge to account, to put to one’s credit, to chalk up against.  That’s why we say that there is a relationship in which a faithful Christian can be with God in which there is not an imputation of sin, we’re simply saying, that to such God does not charge it to their account.  Here’s a passage surely every preacher in the audience can quote it and give the reference.  But all of you should again ponder it if you haven’t yet memorized it to do so before you retire this evening.  It is found in Romans chapter four and verse eight.  Romans four and verse eight, and it reads, “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord doth not impute sin.”  Isn’t that a magnificent utterance?  Under consideration here is a person said to be in a happy fortunate state.  Why is it that he is so greatly blessed?  God does not impute sin to him.  What does the word impute mean?  To charge to account.  Here it is the person whose account God does not place sin.  Why?  Because he is in a relationship to God where he cancels it out.  What is that relationship?  As we walk in the light the blood cleanses.  If we keep on walking in the light, the blood keeps on cleansing.

A failure to recognize this principle leads people into error touching the relationship of prayer and confession to forgiveness.  I don’t remember having heard it in recent days, but I think it hasn’t been but a few months since I heard a preacher suggest the idea that a person must specifically catalog every sin of which he is guilty and make specific mention thereof to God in order to be saved.  Why, I’m certain that’s not so.  I’m sure that if that were so, none of us would ever get to heaven.  For granting that we can and must –and you watch this distinction because it’s a vital one – granting that we can and must catalog those sins with which we are acquainted and our confession must be as public as the sin, a sin known only to God should be confessed only to God and certainly not to a so-called prayer partner.  Sin known only to one or a few confessed to the one or the few as the case may be.  A public sin confessed before the church.  Of course the book so teaches.  But what about that vast area of sin – that vast area of sin of which we are all guilty which we don’t even know we did, how can you confess a sin you don’t know you committed?  Why for one to know every sin of which he’s guilty, he’d have to know the Bible perfectly.  He’d have to know as much as God knows … because if there’s any area of information that he didn’t possess, there might be duties and responsibilities in that area that he’s violating.  It is in that area especially that the marvelous truth of this lesson applies.

A failure to recognize this principle leads people to a restricted concept regarding the extent of God’s grace.  I recall being in a meeting a few years ago in an Arkansas town, sat in a Bible class on the Lord’s day of the meeting, a brother, not a preacher, but a man of some ability, teaching the lesson to a group of past middle aged people all of whom so far as I know were Christians and he was taking the position that in spite of and despite the fact that they did the best they could, they still might not be able to make it to heaven.  And amazingly a number in the class agreed.  I regard that as a reflection on the grace of God as an insinuation that He offers us salvation but he puts it up there just a little bit beyond our ability to reach.

Ponder the picture that is so vividly drawn for us in the earlier chapters of the Revelation, [in] four, five, six, seven, are the Ancient of Days, the God of heaven, who sits in inexpressible splendor on the throne of his glory and before Him are the four living creatures, beyond them, the twenty and four elders, beyond them, a hundred and forty and four thousand, and beyond them in vast mighty semi-circle, a multitude which no man can number.  How many?  A multitude which no man can number.  Well, who are they?  Are they people who lived perfect lives?  No, quite the contrary.  Listen to what the text says.  “These are those who have come out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb.”  How we should rejoice friends that there is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins where sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.  That sentiment often expressed in sermon and song finds origin not only in this great passage, but in a remarkable one found in the prophesy of Zechariah chapters twelve, thirteen and fourteen of a fountain open in Jerusalem with a stream flowing to the former and the hinder sea.  Imagine if you will a bubbling fountain.  See a stream flowing backward from it, one forward.  The fountain represents the pouring out of our Lord’s blood at Calvary.  The stream backward, the provision made for the saints who died in the triumphs of faith in earlier dispensations.  The stream forward, the provision made for us in this the Christian age.  Sometimes people postpone obedience to the gospel on the ground they are afraid they can’t live good enough.  Why friends, if we could live good enough, we wouldn’t need any plan at all.  It is simply because we can’t live good enough we have to have a plan.”

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Just a Pebble

It Only Takes a Pebble

Going on walks with my darling wife is a great joy to me. Nineteen years ago we used to walk almost six miles daily. These days we don’t get out as often as we did, but we still do get out and walk together. Holding her hand makes me feel happy and secure. Sometimes we “exer-walk” so there isn’t much hand holding going on, but I still enjoy her presence. As we pop along we talk about the scenery, family, hopes, dreams, politics, religion and other stimulating topics. What I have observed over the years (and what my wife will readily tell you), is she is not the most surefooted person you will meet. She stumbles on curbs, cracks, pebbles, and I am quite certain she even trips on her own shadow at times. Because of this, I am always trying to make certain her steps are on solid ground. I will kick pebbles out of the way or make her aware they are in her path.

pebble

A Little Pebble Can Cause a Big Fall.

On a secular level, “We the people…” are walking along with representatives we have chosen. We constantly warn them of trouble on the path they are walking. We say, “don’t step here”, “don’t walk there”. We tell them what has happened when other people made the false steps they are about to take. At times, even other governments tell them, “Stop! Don’t go that way!” Yet, our representatives continue on as if they didn’t hear a thing anyone has said. They, of course, end up tripping all over themselves. Sometimes, folks trip over the unseen. It happens. The most surefooted of us will do so. However, when you trip over a known obstacle you could have avoided, you have no excuse.

Now my wife, she knows from past experience that she doesn’t want to fall or hurt herself. She heeds advice about oncoming trouble. Unfortunately, sometimes she trips and falls anyway. I don’t like to see her get hurt, but even worse, I don’t like it when I get hurt too. I can try to break her fall or she may just fall into me. Either way, the chances are we both end up scratched, dented, or sprained. This is one reason that I try to be proactive as possible in telling her about potential tripfalls.

In regard to our elected representatives, our concern for them is also directly related to our own safety. If they walk the road of enabling abortions, we see the tripping of the conscience of our society. Life is no longer considered sacred, but something easily tossed away. If they walk the road of homosexual marriages, we see the stumbling of the family unit. No longer is appropriate role given for youth, but only a tripping along about who they are and what they are supposed to do. If they walk the road reckless spending, the poor stewardship may result in a lack of being able to protect the nation. When a government starts tripping a whole lot of people are hurt. It only takes a pebble, something that wasn’t heeded and someone ends up getting injured.

On the religious level, many examples illustrate the principle that it only takes a pebble to stumble. The book of I Peter calls folks to keep their eye on the road of their salvation. It tells them to pay attention to the basics and remember the steps of their savior. The book of II Peter tells them to watch out for folks sending a deceptive message. False teachers would cause the Christians to trip up in their spiritual walk. Behaviors unapproved of by God would be encouraged. These pebbles cause the apostle Peter to holler out the warning “Look out!”, “don’t do this”,” remember where God said to step!”

Today, preachers everywhere warn the followers of God to beware of pebbles. Christians are great about avoiding logs in the road, but unfortunately, some do not avoid the pebbles. They stick with a behavior they heard someone else say was “O.K.”, or something that they feel isn’t really that big of a deal. As they continue in this behavior, not only are they spiritually laying in the middle of the road, but they are now a bigger stumbling block to others traveling the same road. Issues like petting, flirting, drinking, dancing, improper dress, courting outside of their faith, poor media diet, these are often the type of issues that result in spiritually banging up your knees and elbows. Rather than changing their behavior and heeding warnings, Christians get up and try the same behavior again and again, bringing harm to themselves and ultimately others. Eventually, they give up and don’t travel the road at all.

Whether the issue is of a secular or religious nature, when someone gives you warning, it is best to consider their advice. Proverbs 10:8 – The wise in heart will receive commandments; But a prating fool shall fall. Folks will generally warn you if it appears you will be hurt from a poor course of action. Even more so, if they think they are going to end up hurt because of your actions, they will say something. Be wise enough to consider their words instead of marching onward sure in your own steps. Proverbs 28:26 – He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool; But whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered. Remember, regardless of who you are, someone, somewhere is walking in your footsteps: Luke 6:39 – And he spake also a parable unto them, Can the blind guide the blind? shall they not both fall into a pit?

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Sunday in the U.S.A.

Sundays Excepted

Did the Founders of American civilization believe in the God of the Bible? More specifically, did the vast majority of them embrace the Christian worldview? Even though they advocated freedom of worship, and opposed any persecution instigated against those who sought to practice divergent religious views, did they, themselves, approach life from the perspective of the Christian religion? A mountain of evidence exists to prove that they did. Consider just one.

Sunday

Sunday Is the Day to Assemble and Worship God.

Though the Founders intentionally omitted an extensive treatment of religion in the federal Constitution, since they intended for the federal government to stay out of the religious arena and leave such matters to the States and local communities, they nevertheless implied their religious orientation in that seminal document. Article 1, Section 7 of the Constitution reads:

If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law (Constitution of the United…, emp. added).

“Sundays excepted”? Indeed, to this day, the U.S. government shuts down and does not transact business on Sunday? Why? If this provision had been made in respect of Jews, the Constitution would have read “Saturdays excepted.” If provision had been made for Muslims, the Constitution would have read “Fridays excepted.” If the Founders had intended to encourage a day of inactivity for the government without regard to any particular religion, they could have chosen Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. Instead, the federal Constitution reads “Sundays excepted”—proving that America was Christian in its orientation, that the Framers themselves shared the Christian worldview, and that they were determined to give political recognition to and accommodation of that fact by making allowance for the Christian day of worship. Their decision reflects a respect for Bible teaching on the matter (Acts 20:7; Revelation 1:10).

This respect for the Christian worship of God on Sunday has been perpetuated throughout American history. The vanishing “Blue Laws” verify this fact. For example, in the 1846 South Carolina court case City Council of Charleston v. Benjamin, the court declared:

The Lord’s day, the day of the Resurrection, is to us, who are called Christians, the day of rest after finishing a new creation. It is the day of the first visible triumph over death, hell and the grave! It was the birth day of the believer in Christ, to whom and through whom it opened up the way which, by repentance and faith, leads unto everlasting life and eternal happiness! On that day we rest, and to us it is the Sabbath of the Lord—its decent observance, in a Christian community, is that which ought to be expected (2 Strob. L. 508 [S. C. 1846], emp. added).

Many other examples exist (cf. Miller, 2006). America was founded on Christian principles. The future of the Republic is endangered in direct proportion as those principles are abandoned. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12).

REFERENCES

City Council of Charleston v. Benjamin (1846), 2 Strob. L. 508 (S. C. 1846).

Constitution of the United States, [On-line], URL: http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/ constitution.html.

Miller, Dave (2006), “America, Christianity, and the Culture War (Part I),” Reason & Revelation, June 2006 – 26[6]41-47, [On-line], URL: http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2942.

Dave Miller – Apologetics Press – http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=7&article=2405

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Greatness

Who is the Greatest?

In any aspect of life, whether occupations, rela­tionships or even spiritual lives, we want to be success­ful. There is certainly nothing wrong with this desire, as long as we harness such in alignment with the will of God. For example, the “hypocrites” during the days of Jesus were basing their greatness on the glory of men rather than the admiration of Almighty God (Matt. 6:1-8). The heathen Gentiles determined success simply by material wealth (cf. Matt. 6:32). These are but a few examples of misaligned success. Yet, in three chapters of Matthew specifically, this particular inspired biog­rapher provides some principles from Jesus of how we can achieve greatness; he bookends this magnificent section of scripture with a discussion to answer the question, “Who is the greatest?”

greatness

There are Principles to Follow for Greatness.

First, we achieve greatness through the qual­ity of humility (Matt. 18:1-6; 19:13-15; 20:20-29). The disciples of Jesus were interested in the subject of greatness, and using a physical illustration of a small child, He teaches that one gains greatness though hu­mility. Later in Matthew 19, some tried to bring chil­dren to Jesus through the crowd so that He could bless them, and the disciples rebuked such an action. How­ever, Jesus pointed out again that the nature of humil­ity in children is a key to greatness in the kingdom of heaven. As if they still had not learned the lesson, the mother of James and John requested a political move to Jesus on behalf of her sons, which created a negative ripple through the other apostles. Thus, Jesus teaches again the need for humility based upon His own humil­ity. Therefore, not only is it a quality that we need to stress, but we recognize that it is difficult to grasp.

Second, we achieve greatness though the de­sire to remove sin from our lives (Matt. 18:7-9). Jesus makes similar statements in the great Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:27-30. The essence of what Je­sus conveys is that we must develop the quality to be ready to remove whatever temptation and sin there is in our lives. As children of God, we do this through repentance and confession (1 John 1:9). Harboring sin creates a calloused heart.

Third, we achieve greatness when we refrain from offending at all costs (Matt. 18:10-20). Because we are human and “fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23), we will offend others in our lifetime (cf. Matt. 18:7). However, how do we react when such oc­curs? We had better be willing to make it a priority of resolving quickly, even going before the congregation if the situation warrants such.

Fourth, we achieve greatness when we dis­play forgiveness (Matt. 18:21-35). After answering the question of forgiveness that Peter asked, Jesus gives a parable to demonstrate the need for forgiveness in our lives. When we think about how much God has for­given us, how can we not display the same quality to a much lesser degree to our brethren?

Fifth, we achieve greatness when we achieve the divine standard of marital success (Matt. 19:1-12). Jesus resolves some issues about divorce in the Law of Moses and stresses the divine pattern for success in marriage. When we consider the amount of conflict in marriages today, we need to exemplify this quality our­selves and establish a beautiful pattern for our world.

Sixth, we achieve greatness when we are not materialistic (Matt. 19:16-26). Jesus met a materialistic man who was unwilling to part with his possessions. We cannot be such today.

Seventh, we achieve greatness when we fol­low Jesus without reservation from the very time we obey the gospel (Matt. 19:27-20:19). After discussing the need of possibly even forsaking all for Christ, He teaches a parable about those who would respond to the gospel at a later time. Nevertheless, at whatever point one responds, from that moment forward, he should serve God without reservation.

Eighth, we achieve greatness when we follow the example from our Lord of displaying compassion (Matt. 20:30-34). Just as He was compassionate to two blind men, we are to be compassionate to those in need.

I promise you that if you will study these chap­ters in Matthew from this light, it can change your life! Who is the greatest? Jesus answers this question by providing eight principles that guarantee success in His eyes.

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