Are you ready to leave the orphanage?
1 “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.”
Matthew 18 1-3
According to Christ speaking through Jesus who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
The answer came as Jesus drew a child to him and said that everyone must be converted and become as little children.
Christ speaking through Jesus goes on to say that those who are not converted and do not become as little children shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
So we must Consider the ramifications of what Christ was actually saying.
The question arises why would we have to become like little children to be allowed to enter the kingdom of heaven?
We have to consider the elements of being a child and how different they are from being what we consider adults.
The child exists with the parent as a matter of trust not questioning the motives of the parent but simply trusting them.
When we transfer this analogy to the parenthood of God himself we are talking about the perfect father and our actual creator who knows us better than we even know ourselves.
The message the Christ is conveying to us is a complete opposition to man-made religion which is choosing spiritual orphanage over being the accepted Child of God.
The child nature Christ is speaking of is just the opposite of the religious mindset.
The child doesn’t live in a fearful state wondering where his next meal will come from or if his parents actually love him, he simply trusts.
Trusting and obeying is the simplicity of the child that is exemplified as being able to enter the kingdom of heaven, what does this mean?
The conversion Christ was talking about was the reversal of the religious mindset that makes religious man identify as an orphan instead of the accepted and beloved child that he actually is.
At the origin of religion is the mistrust of the father and man builds his own orphanage system based on his insecurity and distrust.
The religious spirit of a man cannot accept and trust the father because he is committing spiritual adultery subconsciously and not even realizing it.
The religious stronghold in the minds of those following religion is the most damaging addiction known to man and the hardest to conquer, the Father must deliver.
Religious mankind has created its own orphanage system designed by those who trust men more than God, it’s really that simple.
Today we see the multitudes following men who are self-exalted as hierarchy while ignoring their adoring father altogether.
This is chosen orphanage, a subconscious despising the father who loves, adores, and fully accepts his child.
Religion offers a paranoid substitute for trust in God, resulting in trusting men instead of God.
The religious institutions create their own orphanage structures based on their private interpretation of the scriptures instead of simply trusting the father.
The religious entities Cloister around man and listen to his version of God instead of simply sitting at the feet of the father.
Then come the words of Christ that except you be converted and become as little children you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.
This is a provocative statement and some would equate it with salvation but it is referring to the conversion process following salvation.
Reference to the kingdom of heaven is the same as the reference to the kingdom of God and where is that kingdom?
According to Christ the kingdom of God is within us.
So the conversion follows salvation to prepare us for the kingdom to make its home within us, we must be converted back to simply trusting our father as a child.
The reality is no child with a loving parent lays awake at night worrying about if they will have food the next day, they simply trust the parent to provide.
Here’s another interesting scripture about conversion:
Luke 22:32
“King James Bible
But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”
Here we have Christ once again talking about being converted this time he was addressing Peter who The religious identify as the church leader, what did Christ mean?
If we study the scripture Christ is telling Peter that he has prayed for him so his faith wouldn’t fail. This means that Peter’s faith would be challenged and scripture Shows us this reality throughout Peter’s life and ministry.
If we follow Peter‘s ministry we will see him vacillating between grace and law even having to be corrected by the apostle Paul.
Peter frequently compromised with the religious of his day, giving into their demands for legalism pertaining to their religion, leaving the finished work of Christ behind and doing so.
So we see that Peter according to Christ had to be converted and at that time he was not yet been converted.
Peter had left the oneness of Christ and relationship with the father to consider religion and this was his need for conversion.
As we see our precious father restoring his children to the body of Christ we are seeing the conversion taking place at his hand.
Religious spiritual orphanages that are built by man and teach trusting man instead of God are being minimized by the father himself.
The true children of God are having a mind and heart conversion from trusting in mankind back to the loving trusting mindset of the child and this pleases father God.
Are you undergoing the conversion?
Are you beginning to see the fallacy of man-made religion and the damage it has done to the child of God and those seeking the father?
Are you being internally ministered to by the Holy Spirit and finding yourself seeking the father vertically instead of only horizontally and corporately?
The words of Christ to Peter are the same as to us,” when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren.”
The reality is there is no strength in religion, just an extended orphanage mentality.
Are you being called to conversion and the return to the trust of the father and leaving the foster homes of the religious?
Will you and can you accept the challenge of conversion?
As we will see in Peter’s life it is a process and restoration requires it.
We see the unconverted trying to fill the ministry role and representing the father as a mean stepfather instead of the loving father He is.
Wilt thou be converted?
The conversion begins with accepting the finished work of Christ instead of depending on the religious orphanage it cannot save you.