Better To Be Drowned In The Depths Of The Sea
The disciples of Jesus came to him and asked who would be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Note it is his "disciples" who asked the question...and it was these followers that needed a "change".
"The disciples came to Jesus and asked who would be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me..." (Matthew 18:1-5)
Have you ever noticed how a little child reacts to being told about God loving them and Jesus dying for them? It makes them happy and they believe without question - UNTIL - they get to some church that tells them if they have not been saved they will be forever separated from God who will eternally punish them in hell. It is still these followers ("disciples") that need to "change" and be saved from judgment, not the "little children".
“See that you do not despise 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)
The church who scares "little ones" , or anyone, and causes them "to stumble" from their love for God and Jesus into a phobia of fear needs to "change". In fact, it would be better for such a church "to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea"...
"If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!" (Matthew 18:6-7)
False doctrine is "such things" that Jesus said "must come". And "things that cause people to stumble" will be the source of "woe to the person through whom they come".
On another occasion the people of a Samaritan village did not welcome Jesus. The "disciples" asked Jesus if he wanted them to "call down fire from heaven to burn them up", and Jesus "rebuked" such a "spirit" in them...
"The disciples came to Jesus and asked who would be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me..." (Matthew 18:1-5)
Have you ever noticed how a little child reacts to being told about God loving them and Jesus dying for them? It makes them happy and they believe without question - UNTIL - they get to some church that tells them if they have not been saved they will be forever separated from God who will eternally punish them in hell. It is still these followers ("disciples") that need to "change" and be saved from judgment, not the "little children".
“See that you do not despise 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)
The church who scares "little ones" , or anyone, and causes them "to stumble" from their love for God and Jesus into a phobia of fear needs to "change". In fact, it would be better for such a church "to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea"...
"If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!" (Matthew 18:6-7)
False doctrine is "such things" that Jesus said "must come". And "things that cause people to stumble" will be the source of "woe to the person through whom they come".
On another occasion the people of a Samaritan village did not welcome Jesus. The "disciples" asked Jesus if he wanted them to "call down fire from heaven to burn them up", and Jesus "rebuked" such a "spirit" in them...
"But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?" (Luke 9:54-55 KJV)
I cannot think of anything worse than scaring a child with the heathen, Godless, heresy of eternal conscious torment in hell. I would rather be "drowned in the depths of the sea". Truly the "rebuke" of Jesus will fall upon those teaching it and anything else that causes children "to stumble". Unfortunately such teaching continues in the church, but thankfully Jesus will return, and "burn them up" and save all mankind from "their work" and that "manner of spirit".
"...behold I make all things new...children will be as in days of old, and their congregation will be established before Me...I will turn their mourning into joy, and give them comfort and joy for their sorrow" (Revelation 21:5; Jeremiah 30:20, 31:13)
I cannot think of anything worse than scaring a child with the heathen, Godless, heresy of eternal conscious torment in hell. I would rather be "drowned in the depths of the sea". Truly the "rebuke" of Jesus will fall upon those teaching it and anything else that causes children "to stumble". Unfortunately such teaching continues in the church, but thankfully Jesus will return, and "burn them up" and save all mankind from "their work" and that "manner of spirit".
"By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames." (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)
All will then "become like little children"...
"...behold I make all things new...children will be as in days of old, and their congregation will be established before Me...I will turn their mourning into joy, and give them comfort and joy for their sorrow" (Revelation 21:5; Jeremiah 30:20, 31:13)