Baby Steps

28And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 29If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him. 1Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of aGod! Therefore the world does not know bus, because it did not know Him. 2Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
1 John 2: 28 - 29, 1 John 3: 1 - 3 NKJV

We have been having the discussion over the past few weeks of a child of God versus a son of God.  Now, this has raised quite a few questions from our group, much to Dennis' delight I'm afraid.  Now, I would assume that we all know in our hearts that the behavior of a new christian and one who has been in the Lord for awhile is different.  For I will agree that as newborn christians we have a tendency to act as children, dependent on our heavenly Father for all that we have and know.  This christianity is new to us, and we all feel the glory and happiness of God in our lives.  As a young child looks to their parents, so a young christian looks upon God.  I believe that this is indeed natural.  However, as a child grows in knowledge and understanding, his behavior changes as well.  This is the next step in our spiritual journey.  For we now have that knowledge and awareness of our Lord in our young hearts, but we are still yet children.  I liken the growth of a newborn christian to that of the baby steps a child takes as they grow.  We will grow in our behavior and knowledge, but along the way we will also make our mistakes along the way.  We all know the answer to this question, but it bears repeating.  If a child should make a mistake in their behavior during their formative years, should that childs parent do away with their offspring?  No, and so it is with our heavenly Father in our lives.  As young christians, we will indeed go astray and make mistakes in our journey to spiritual growth.  I reflect on the story of the prodigal son, who once he had grown out of his childhood decided to strike out on his own.  Did his father consider him no longer a part of his family?  No, he awaited his sons return!

11Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. 12“And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. 13“And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 14“But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15“Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16“And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the epods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. 17“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18‘I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19“and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’ 20“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21“And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22“But the father said to his servants, f‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23‘And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24‘for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
Luke 15: 11 - 24 NKJV

I like to liken the story of this prodigal sons life journey as one that is not  too far removed from our own.  For we ourselves were born into our Lords inheritance and have felt that very desire of that prodigal son to wander and to find our own way in the world.  Does our heavenly Father reject us when we strike out on our own?  NO!  Like the father of that prodigal son, I believe that our heaveny Father grieves over our decision, but he awaits our return to Him.  Make no mistake, as surely as a child who has grown in his youth, we young christians will one day also seek to strike out on our own accord.  Does the fact that we choose this decision for ourselves nullify our inheritance in our Fathers family?  No, for our kinship with Him always remains despite what decisions we make.  God does not change, He simply waits for His children to return to Him once again.  The discussion on the thoughts of a child and a son can be a interesting one.  As scripture tells us, when we were children, we thought as children.  However, as we grew, we gave up on those childish things.

~Scott~