Little Children

Matthew 18:2-3

Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, "I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.“

Many adult Christians have the mistaken notion that little children are too young to understand the gospel and so should not be allowed to decide for Christ until they are much older. The problem, however, is not the children; it is the adults who find it hard to understand! They must become like little children before they can really comprehend the way of salvation and be converted.

Jesus said:

Luke 18:16-17

Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."

After all, what is there to understand? A very young child, instructed in the Scriptures from infancy as God has commanded his parents

2 Timothy 3:15

You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood,( Greek word for “baby”as the state in which young Timothy began to know the Bible) and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.

A child can surely comprehend that the God to whom his parents pray made him, that he has sinned against God when he does wrong, that God sent His Son, Jesus, to die for his sins, and that Jesus can save him and take him to heaven. An adult may require much explanation and may imagine many difficulties, but a child will simply believe–and that’s enough!

The word for “little child” or “little children” actually means children who are not much more than toddlers. It is the same word rendered “young child” when the wise men came to find Jesus in Bethlehem

Matthew 2:8

Then he told them, "Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!".

Little children should, by all means, be taught the gospel, and should be encouraged to come to Christ before they grow too old to understand with their hearts!