Bible Truth #318 - Matthew 18:1-3

Matthew 18:1-3

1  At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

2  And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus said except you be converted... you shall not enter the kingdom of Heaven.

He did not say unless you change your mind, He did not say unless you repent, He did not say unless you believe, He did not say unless you follow me, these are all things that we do after God converts us. They are works of the redeemed man. Jesus said unless you be converted...

Well how does a man get converted? The structure of the text alone should tell you that man has nothing to do with it, the man doesn't convert himself. Here we once again get to where the rubber meets the road. The Arminian believes a lost man has the ability to change his heart. The Arminian has this idea that a lost man can believe, or repent, with the result that God would convert him.

Sorry. There is nothing a lost man can do to make God convert him. At a time of God’s choosing He converts every single person He chose in Christ before the Foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). Why do I say EVERY person? Because God is not willing that ANY of His Elect perish, but that ALL of us come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Every person God foreknew, He predestines, calls, justifies and glorifies (Romans 8:29-30). If man had to do something before God converted him, like believe and repent, that would be works of the flesh and salvation is not of works (Ephesians 2:9) and it would make God a respecter of persons - and Peter tells us very clearly that He is not (Acts 10:34).

A lost man can’t do anything to please God because he is spiritually dead which means everything he does is in the flesh - and they that are in the flesh can NOT please God (Romans 8:8). John tells us in the first chapter of his Gospel that we become children of God NOT by human decision (John 1:13). He tells us many other truths as well:

- a lost man hates Jesus and will not come to Him (John 3:20)

- it is God’s work that a man believes, not man’s “free will” (John 6:29)

- Jesus will not lose a single one that the Father has given Him (John 6:39)

- Jesus raises up every man God draws, not those who accept the drawing (John 6:44)

- man’s flesh is good for nothing which includes accepting Jesus (John 6:63)

- we did NOT choose Christ, He chose us (John 15:16)

- Jesus prayed for us, those the Father had given Him, not the world (John 17:9)

The bottom line, except you be converted... you shall not enter the kingdom of Heaven. And God does the converting, not man.