Matthew 18:2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.
And who were those children specifically? They were Jews, brought up with the belief in God and coming to Him. The message to us is to come to God in humility and those who do are taken in.
But almost children do not come to Jesus!
A good tree produces good fruit and a bad tree, bad fruit. Likewise, reprobate godless folks will not hear His voice, will not come to Him, nor their children ( dor they are bad fruit).
The Bible hammers the concept of a conditional salvation, based on belief in Jesus. GRACE through FAITH IN Jesus. Jesus says if you believe in Me, you will be saved.
And conversely those who do not ... the wrath of God abides in them (and their children). Jesus also promises to those who believe, "
you and your household will be saved".
Did Jesus condemn the Pharisees? Do you think He spared their children? Imo, I do not think he did, unless those children rejected their father's and followed Jesus. Likely, I think nothing that the Pharisees held dear was saved. "
White washed tombs" ... " brood of vipers', he called them ... and their baby vipers as well.
We spread the gospel so that people can hear the Word, receive forgiveness and be saved. Did he save all the children of the reprobate world in the Flood? No.
I think for some reason, people think children are more valuable then grown ups to God? Why? Less corrupted, more innocent? That's true in a sense, with our limited perspective. But we must first ask for our own forgiveness and then also for our children to be sanctified. We typically dedicate our children to God, ask for His blessing on their lives.
Children of parents of false belief systems or godless folks do not receive the same blessing. They do not love the Lord nor are they called to His purpose!
We are all born sinners, so if all children got saved, then why not all people? And if all people get saved, why are we so determined to spread the gospel?
We are saved. Saved from what? Judgment and ultimately the Lake of Fire, which to me is a quick death of both body and soul.
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And be not afraid of those killing the body, and are not able to kill the soul, but fear rather Him who is able both soul and body to destroy in Gehenna." Matt. 10:28 YLT
“Never be afraid of those who can kill the body but are powerless to kill the soul! Far better to stand in awe of the one who has the power to destroy body and soul in the fires of destruction!" PHILLIPS
"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." KJV
Destroy means to put an end to, annihilate. You can't have a never ending indestructible destruction, that is a contradiction. You throw a piece of paper in the fire and it burns in seconds. Likewise, if you fell into a lava lake that's 2000 degrees, how long will it take to be completely incinerated?
Aionios has variable meanings. It means eternity only when referring to God and His domain or our salvation. But when it is applied to this temporal realm, it means ages, lifetimes, generations, epochs. "Everlasting" can also be translated as age- lasting or age-during. So the destruction in the Lake of Fire is age-during, part of an age, at the end of the ages, specifically when the first heavens and first earth are destroyed at the Great White Throne Judgment. In a fervent heat the dissolves the elements of the universe as we know it. ( 2 Peter 3:10)
Christian children are set apart, sanctified; BUT not all children are. "You and your household!" And prior to Christ, those who lived by faith were saved. This makes sense to me. "GOD CAUSES ALL things work together for good for those who love the Lord, for those who are called to His purpose."
