Whitefield’s sermon thoroughly explains how one grows in grace once he has been converted; his description of this process mirrors the beatitude declarations of Christ.
This is the most comprehensive sermon I have heard on this extremely important topic which should be of great concern to every professed believer for at least two reasons: 1. what true Christian growth looks like; 2. help in identifying if one is actually a believer and what to do if that is not the case.
Sermon HIGHLIGHTS are provided, yet these do not convey his emphases as well as listening to the sermon carefully.
[All square brackets, orange text, emboldening and underscoring are mine.]
- Sermon text: Matthew 18:1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Mat 18:2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them Mat 18:3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
- What it means to become like a little child
- What is real Christianity? Answered; common, false rationale explained
- Some are negatively, good people: explained / subtle warning to many who wrongly believe they are in the way to heaven
- The Lord Jesus Christ specifies what changes are required for us to enter into heaven: John 3: 3-8
- Solemn words: “unless you change and become like children”
- Christ was speaking to the disciples, who were already converted; and in John 3, to Nicodemus who was not converted: therefore, He spoke to saints and sinners
- The spiritual transition explained by several examples
- What must happen to our dispositions, habits, conduct
- This scriptural passage is the great FALSE stronghold of Arminian Christians
- Doctrine of original sin, as it relates to this text, the growth of true believers, the necessary comprehension of such, by unbelievers – carefully explained via the following scriptures:
- Psa 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
- Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
- Rom 3:12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
- He calls parents to consider the natural tendencies of their children, examples, that is, to consider the real world, not the world of men’s theories
- Jesus’ example, when He held the child and spoke those words, was to convict, mortify, humble the disciples amidst their worldly strivings
- That is, we too, regarding our worldly ambitions and lusts…must become like little children–explained
- Clarified what he is not saying
- Little children are more genuine in their interactions with others; that is, they do not hide their feelings, intentions, etc.
- True children of God learn of their own wretchedness, from the Holy Spirit, as they grow; surrendering to Him for guidance and illumination of His word [consider the beatitude statements of Christ for specific understanding: knowing one’s spiritual bankruptcy, mourning his sin as a consequence, being meeked, hungering and thirsting for Christ’s righteousness…]
- That is, the more one grows in the grace of God, partakes of the divine life; the more apparent his selfishness / wickedness… is to him
- Comparisons between new and mature Christians; described via illustrations
- The true way typically learned by examining one’s sins / errors [It is absolutely necessary to observe yourself, own your sin, self-examine for motives, concur with God’s description of self from His word, and receive the humbling that the Holy Spirit purposes to give you – yes, we are to humble ourselves, but any mature Christian knows that self-humbling cannot compare to God’s humbling of us, we would never subject ourselves to those sorts of afflictions: like cancer, loss of loved ones, etc.]
- The Holy Spirit would have us be completely honest and guileless in our interactions, not that we could do that with every professed believer, yet we should find those with whom we can [there is a learning curve here, mistakes will be made, pain will be experienced by those seeking to interact in such ways]
- Prudence required [planning to be obedient, and devising a strategy]
- Reasons that true Christians are often imposed upon, taken advantage of by other professed believers [appropriate boundaries will be established as one matures, because of the emotional pain of mistakes; and the seeking of counsel]
- Examine self to see if you are converted
- Are you aware of your wickedness? Do you seek guidance from the Holy Spirit?
- Are you little in your own eyes?
- Do you want to learn something new every day from God?
- Some wrongly conclude they have no grace when they observe that their heart is cool towards God; they’re sinning often; in a bad emotional frame, etc. But they may then be growing downward (in humility at the Lord’s hand); that is, they may be receiving experiential teaching from the Lord; being shown that they are wretched, that they are nothing, that they are helpless without Christ, etc.; truly experiencing what they formerly only believed in theory, intellectually, from the scriptures [Was David and Bathsheba… such teaching for David?]
- Experiencing such teaching from the Holy Spirit will, at least, partially block one’s joy; but this teaching is necessary [it is perfectly in line with the beatitudes: Jesus declared that poverty of spirit, or knowing that one is spiritually bankrupt, is the first identifying mark of the His true kingdom citizens]
- Whitefield noted that this is an emptying, but he didn’t state of what one is being emptied [it seems again, to be related to the beatitudes, and to have been specifically stated several other places in the following words of Christ, paraphrased: pick up your cross, deny your SELF, and follow me – the self has to be what is being emptied from one]
- [Emptying of self is equivalent to emptying of the lusts of the flesh, eyes, and pride; of the love of the world: of one’s sins…. I am finding that I am moving in that direction by examining my sins when they occur, to find my motives—every time I identify a motive, that is something that is a result of my heart not believing God’s word, (in that particular area), even though I want to believe it as I read, study, memorize…. Still, the 53 years of worldly brainwashing is not falling away without a fight and such deliberate actions]
- Praise God if you understand what he is talking about
- Admonitions to obey, love your heavenly Father
- If you’re a new babe in Christ then you will – explained
- Stunted spirituality explained
- If you’re converted, then deal with God as your little children deal with you: seeking protection, help, their needs and wants…examples
- Psa 103:13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
- Go and tell Him
- The Lord chastens and disciplines: Heb 12:6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” [see additional verses below video]
- Many of the Lord’s children think they are being given over when they have great trials; consider how the Lord corrected Miriam and Moses (and His other children on the pages of scripture):
- By losses, being forsaken by friends and family [psalm 38, e.g.], the loss of children and so on
- Afflictions are part of the Christian walk; He walks through them with His children
- Those who have gone on to glory
- Coldness among God’s people; don’t quarrel with other believers
- Walk in love; “little children, love one another”
- If any of you are graceless, Christless, unconverted, then get in your prayer closet…
- Cry out to God for…
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
whom: Deu_8:5; Psa_32:1-5, Psa_73:14-15, Psa_89:30-34, Psa_119:71, Psa_119:75; Pro_3:12, Pro_13:24; Isa_27:9; Jer_10:24; Jas_1:12, Jas_5:11; Rev_3:19 and scourgeth: Heb_12:7-8; 2Sa_7:14
STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS:
***The Sinner’s Prayer Post: see Archives 1 March 2020; or Categories: Man-Centered Spirituality
***Beatitude Life Posts: (Narrative explanations of the beatitudes) see, Archives, 2 January 2019; or Categories, Beatitude Life, and scroll to an early page to start at Poverty of Spirit
***True Kingdom Citizen Posts (the Beatitudes explained via sermon excerpts); see Archives 8 December 2019; or Categories True Kingdom Citizen