Jesus Christ is my God!
Issued 26.03.2001
Childlike mind
Evil thoughts are learnt. A baby gets a pure mind as a birth present. One's mind is not empty but God has initialised it with good thoughts. When growing a child abandons the thoughts given by God and learns wickedness, which overwhelms one's mind. The mind of an adult is like a wall filled with evil writings and pictures. Jesus Christ calls you to adopt a childlike mind, for He has the power to wash clean your mind. He presents you with new attitudes and thoughts.
Lovely babies
How cute are baby animals! How lovely are human infants! Why are we charmed by them? Especially the shapes and the expressions of their faces excite something pure in us. There is something in them, which is a ray of purity reflected from the face of God. Glory to God, He is the source of loveliness! The whole nature has lost much of its purity because of sin. Fortunately God will one day recreate everything and remove sin forever.
The word Designer is included in the word Creator. What God designed He also created. Every designer always expresses in his plans something of himself. Because He Himself is lovely He has created cute things!
Jesus says: "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven." Matthew 18:10 If you look down on the childlike mind you look down on the loveliness of God.
How cute are baby animals! How lovely are human infants! Why are we charmed by them? Especially the shapes and the expressions of their faces excite something pure in us. There is something in them, which is a ray of purity reflected from the face of God. Glory to God, He is the source of loveliness! The whole nature has lost much of its purity because of sin. Fortunately God will one day recreate everything and remove sin forever.
The word Designer is included in the word Creator. What God designed He also created. Every designer always expresses in his plans something of himself. Because He Himself is lovely He has created cute things!
Jesus says: "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven." Matthew 18:10 If you look down on the childlike mind you look down on the loveliness of God.
Childlike mind
God has put something of Himself not only to the face of a baby, but also to one's mind. God is pure minded.
The mind of a baby is not an empty wall, but God has initialised it with pure thoughts. "At that time Jesus said, 'I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.'" Matthew 11:25-26
If you want that God approaches you and reveals His secrets to you, adopt the childlike mind. A child receives a message without doubts from the person whom he/she loves. So fall in love with God to be able to learn from Him.
God has put something of Himself not only to the face of a baby, but also to one's mind. God is pure minded.
The mind of a baby is not an empty wall, but God has initialised it with pure thoughts. "At that time Jesus said, 'I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.'" Matthew 11:25-26
If you want that God approaches you and reveals His secrets to you, adopt the childlike mind. A child receives a message without doubts from the person whom he/she loves. So fall in love with God to be able to learn from Him.
Adult-like mind
A child is eagerly waiting for things to be told to him. An adult eagerly examines to be able to find out the truth. When he has invented something he is proud of his doctrine and is bumptious with his discovery. Adult-like mind wants to define the truth and it doesn't appreciate a message that is revealed to him as a present.
Jesus calls adult-like minded to forsake their thoughts and to become childlike minded. The disciples made an adult-like question to Jesus and got the advice to change and become like little children: "The disciples came to Jesus and asked, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' He called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.'" Matthew 18:2-3
This is not a request to be credulous but to be pure minded. People are often childish when they receive mindless things, which lead them to conflicts with themselves. So that you would not mix the childlike mind with the childish the next explanation is needed: "Stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults." 1Cor.14:20 To become a grown-up means that evil things grow in us and not only better understanding. Therefore Jesus sees that the salvation means becoming a childlike person.
A child is eagerly waiting for things to be told to him. An adult eagerly examines to be able to find out the truth. When he has invented something he is proud of his doctrine and is bumptious with his discovery. Adult-like mind wants to define the truth and it doesn't appreciate a message that is revealed to him as a present.
Jesus calls adult-like minded to forsake their thoughts and to become childlike minded. The disciples made an adult-like question to Jesus and got the advice to change and become like little children: "The disciples came to Jesus and asked, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' He called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.'" Matthew 18:2-3
This is not a request to be credulous but to be pure minded. People are often childish when they receive mindless things, which lead them to conflicts with themselves. So that you would not mix the childlike mind with the childish the next explanation is needed: "Stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults." 1Cor.14:20 To become a grown-up means that evil things grow in us and not only better understanding. Therefore Jesus sees that the salvation means becoming a childlike person.
Godless adulthood
Learning evil things begins younger and younger, but at the latest the puberty is the time of the Fall. A child must become independent, but it doesn't mean that he should do just the opposite of what the parents say.
Godless adulthood is rebellious and knowingly tries to get rid of the commandments of God. Peaceful and smiling baby faces are fading out under the pressure of evil. Instead of them gloomy peace or restless joy appears on the hard faces. When man gets more self-assurance his rebellious spirit changes to proud dignity and dissolute joy.
May he, a conceited, wise and learned adult forsake his dignity and receive Jesus as the wisdom of God. If God has hidden something from you, do not think that you are able to find it out. Do not become a theologian, because it means that you have rejected the childlike mind. Do not make God the object of science, but let Him make Himself known to you.
Learning evil things begins younger and younger, but at the latest the puberty is the time of the Fall. A child must become independent, but it doesn't mean that he should do just the opposite of what the parents say.
Godless adulthood is rebellious and knowingly tries to get rid of the commandments of God. Peaceful and smiling baby faces are fading out under the pressure of evil. Instead of them gloomy peace or restless joy appears on the hard faces. When man gets more self-assurance his rebellious spirit changes to proud dignity and dissolute joy.
May he, a conceited, wise and learned adult forsake his dignity and receive Jesus as the wisdom of God. If God has hidden something from you, do not think that you are able to find it out. Do not become a theologian, because it means that you have rejected the childlike mind. Do not make God the object of science, but let Him make Himself known to you.
Mind of God's child
No-one can purify one's mind oneself. On the other hand God purifies nobody with violence. You can come to Jesus as you are. On the other hand close to Jesus you don't remain as you are. When Jesus forgives us our sins He also affects a new mind in us, if we remain in Him.
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Rom.12:2
"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." Eph.4:22-24
So do not be satisfied only with good conscience, for Jesus wants to give you more. Unclean mind brings about new sins, but pure mind protects against temptations. Great is this lovely secret: How the Spirit of God renews thoughts and attitudes!
No-one can purify one's mind oneself. On the other hand God purifies nobody with violence. You can come to Jesus as you are. On the other hand close to Jesus you don't remain as you are. When Jesus forgives us our sins He also affects a new mind in us, if we remain in Him.
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Rom.12:2
"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." Eph.4:22-24
So do not be satisfied only with good conscience, for Jesus wants to give you more. Unclean mind brings about new sins, but pure mind protects against temptations. Great is this lovely secret: How the Spirit of God renews thoughts and attitudes!
Spiritual maturity
Becoming a believer of Jesus means becoming a child of God. The appearance of this new creation in the unclean minded man is a great challenge to every believer. Every day the attitudes of the old creation must be put to death and the consciousness must be opened to the mind of the new creation, "until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants." Eph.4:13-14
What kind of person is a spiritual grown-up? He has the mind of Jesus Christ. "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." Phil.2:5
Becoming a believer of Jesus means becoming a child of God. The appearance of this new creation in the unclean minded man is a great challenge to every believer. Every day the attitudes of the old creation must be put to death and the consciousness must be opened to the mind of the new creation, "until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants." Eph.4:13-14
What kind of person is a spiritual grown-up? He has the mind of Jesus Christ. "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." Phil.2:5
The Bible version used in references is NIV