Childish Ways

[gcdonner]

Context is your friend. Here's the whole paragraph:

8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

You don't have to guess at this, Paul tells you what he is talking about. Prophesies, knowledge, doctrine, the opinions we share on MN ... all of that is like a child playing at being an adult, because now we only know in part, like a child playing at being an adult. We still see in a mirror dimly. We still know in part. We still reason like children.

But we shall become fully mature when we see face to face. We shall know as fully as we are known by God. Then we shall no longer be children.

There are other places where "like a child" means other things like not trained in doctrine or not practiced in distinguishing good from evil, but I think this is what Paul is getting at in this passage.

So you think all the opinions shared here on MN are childish? Do you include yourself in that estimation, Bootstrap?

[Adam]

This discussion reminds me of a humorous incident that occurred while we were checking the Enga translation of the book of Matthew. I wrote about the incident in a newsletter and will relay it below.
----------
Anyone familiar with the Wicked Bible knows just how devastating a typo can be. The Wicked Bible was a printing of the King James Version that accidentally printed, “Thou shalt commit adultery” (famously omitting the word ‘not’). We had a similar close call as we were checking Matthew 18:3, which reads, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” During the checking process, our translation consultant was asking the Enga team what children were like and what qualities of children Jesus might have been talking about. We were expecting them to talk about how children are quick to trust and believe and other such qualities that would make them a model for people who want to live a life of faith. Instead, the Enga team members just kept listing all of the bad qualities of children, saying things like: "They are liars, and they are disobedient, and they don't listen to their parents." Upon hearing their response, both the consultant and I were very confused as to why they were ignoring more positive aspects of what children are like. As I sat there puzzled, I reread the Enga text only to discvoer that it said, “If you change your ways, and humble yourselves, and become like little children, you will not enter the Kingdom of God.” We forgot to put in the word ‘don’t’ before ‘change’! No wonder the Enga team was telling us all the negative characteristics of children that we should avoid! They were trying to figure out how not to be like children so that they could enter God's Kingdom!

[Valerie]

When I consider how Jesus has the insight about 'babes, infants, children' I think that most denominations take a low view of them- when He uses them as examples for humbleness, for faith, for praise as in these handful of examples, I think the error is in most of us who see children more like the disciples did who didn't have the insight about children. Of course they need to mature, but in the area of faith, we need to become like little children. Also, children without hesitation, ran up to be with the Lord, we need to have their desire to be with Him like that. We would do well to consider these passages.

Matthew 18:
1At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
2And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
3And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

Luke 18:17
“Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.”

Matthew 19:14
“But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 21:16King James Version (KJV)
16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

Mark 10:13-16King James Version (KJV)
13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

Psalm 71:5-6King James Version (KJV)
5 For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth.

Matthew 11:25-26King James Version (KJV)

25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

[Bootstrap]

So you think all the opinions shared here on MN are childish? Do you include yourself in that estimation, Bootstrap?

In analogy Paul is using here, yes, certainly, and even Paul's teachings are childish. We will know when we see face to face. And perhaps my opinions are the most foolish of all.

[gcdonner]

So you think all the opinions shared here on MN are childish? Do you include yourself in that estimation, Bootstrap?

In analogy Paul is using here, yes, certainly, and even Paul's teachings are childish. We will know when we see face to face. And perhaps my opinions are the most foolish of all.

I understand what you mean now. If we stop and think about it, we are mostly speculating here on MN, since our knowledge is limited.
I would have to fall into the same boat you put yourself in...perhaps.

[MaxPC]

This discussion reminds me of a humorous incident that occurred while we were checking the Enga translation of the book of Matthew. I wrote about the incident in a newsletter and will relay it below.
----------
Anyone familiar with the Wicked Bible knows just how devastating a typo can be. The Wicked Bible was a printing of the King James Version that accidentally printed, “Thou shalt commit adultery” (famously omitting the word ‘not’). We had a similar close call as we were checking Matthew 18:3, which reads, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” During the checking process, our translation consultant was asking the Enga team what children were like and what qualities of children Jesus might have been talking about. We were expecting them to talk about how children are quick to trust and believe and other such qualities that would make them a model for people who want to live a life of faith. Instead, the Enga team members just kept listing all of the bad qualities of children, saying things like: "They are liars, and they are disobedient, and they don't listen to their parents." Upon hearing their response, both the consultant and I were very confused as to why they were ignoring more positive aspects of what children are like. As I sat there puzzled, I reread the Enga text only to discvoer that it said, “If you change your ways, and humble yourselves, and become like little children, you will not enter the Kingdom of God.” We forgot to put in the word ‘don’t’ before ‘change’! No wonder the Enga team was telling us all the negative characteristics of children that we should avoid! They were trying to figure out how not to be like children so that they could enter God's Kingdom!

Great example, Adam