Listen to Your Children To Learn To Love God.

This is the Eleventh post from Chapter 4 of Friends With God: Living The Life Of Jesus In Us. Throughout this chapter and the previous chapter we have been exploring the doctrine of the “Penalty For Sin”, which was developed by Anselm of Canterbury in the 11th Century A.D.

In the previous post we explored Isaiah 53, showing that it is not talking about this false teaching of the Penalty For Sin, but is simply showing how Christ died. In this post we will ask: “Who is responsible for the death of Christ?”.

The Heavy Guilt Trip Of The Penalty For Sin Doctrine.

In cahoots with the idea that Jesus had to “pay a death penalty for sin”, comes the ludicrous idea that all humans for all generations are guilty of the death of Jesus. Even little children are told by religious teachers that “every lie or bad word you say is putting a nail into the hands of Jesus”- yet nothing could be further from the truth!

Their argument for this ridiculous notion goes as follows: because all have sinned (Rom 3:23) then all people are guilty of the supposed “death penalty” because of their sin. Yet, what about a day-old baby? Should their “wicked sins” earn them the penalty from a loving God of eternal death ? Yes they should, according to the nonsense taught as being God’s truth. Such doctrine blasphemes the name of God, as it portrays God as a simplistic, legalistic, evil being- whereas he is a merciful and loving creator, who loves everyone, especially children. 

Scripture tells us the exact opposite of this merciless logic. For we are told that not every sin is unto death:

If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. … All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death. (1John 5:16-17)

This agrees with the fact that ignorance of the law, as discussed in detail in this previous post, and not having the Holy Spirit to understand sin, are both considered by God as ample justification for applying mercy and granting forgiveness of our sins.

Yet when it comes to little children, Christ is adamant that they will be shown even greater mercy, compassion and love:

Truly I say to you, Unless you are converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven. … But whoever shall offend one of these little ones who believes in Me, it would be better for him that a millstone were hung around his neck, and he be sunk in the depth of the sea. … Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I say to you that in Heaven their angels always behold the face of My Father in Heaven. … Even so it is not the will of your Father in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
(Matt 18:1-14)

Jesus was extremely compassionate and gracious toward children, and warned us not to offend them under pain of death!

That is the scriptural death penalty that we should be very worried about- the penalty incurred from offending little children!

Yet, in order to make the “penalty for sin” doctrine have some appearance of legalistic logic, the proponents must take it to its ridiculous extreme- and claim that even little children’s sins have killed Christ!

By creating the idea that any sin is sufficient to require God to sacrifice his Son to pay this unbiblical penalty, they turn the Law of God into some kind of power that God must ‘logically and legally’ yield to.

Should God punish a three-year-old with death for taking someone else’s lolly, or scribbling on a wall? We as adult humans know that children simply don’t know better, but, according to “penalty for sin” concept, apparently God doesn’t have such basic mercy and compassion.

Theologians have argued the question of at what age a child become responsible for his sins? They have all sorts of weird ideas about a lesser punishment in a place called Limbo’ for young children who die. Such children are said to be “not burning in hell but their punishment is to be denied being able to look upon the face of God in Heaven”.  They also have the notion that children are born with a “mark on their soul”, somehow caused by Adam’s sin. These and many other made-up concepts, are the confused manifestations that are the outcome of the unscriptural, legalistic notion of the penalty for sin.

Who Is Guilty Of Killing Jesus?

However, such unscriptural ideas are required in order to distort what scripture says, and to continually add to scripture, to provide justification for the Penalty For Sin doctrine. Such people look at God’s words from an extremely punitive and legalistic perspective. They consider that when Peter said “Who his own self bore our sins”, that he meant all people for all time were guilty of the death of Christ.

Yet, scripture clearly tells us that most people in Israel at the time, certainly did not support the killing of Christ. This is shown when we realize that the reason the religious leaders took Jesus at night, was to prevent the vast majority of people from rioting if they became aware that he was being taken prisoner. (Matt 26:3-5)

The multitudes saw Jesus as a prophet, he healed thousands of them, they certainly didn’t want him to die. They had welcomed Him into Jerusalem calling out to Him -Hosanna – Save us. 

And a very great crowd spread their garments in the way. Others cut down branches from the trees and spread them in the way. And the crowds who went before, and those who followed, cried out, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the crowd said, This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth of Galilee. (Matt 21:8-11)

But if we want to know the truth of God, we must look at the Bible only, and not at outside unbiblical sources- no matter how highly esteemed they may be because of the length of time their teachings have been around. 

In order to understand exactly what was happening on the night that Jesus was betrayed, we need to realize that the night that they took Jesus was the Passover. This is the time when everyone in Israel, particularly righteous people who followed God’s Law, were in their own home eating a meal of roast lamb with their family. (Exo 12:1-13)

By taking Jesus at the Passover evening it effectively got all support for Jesus out of the way, as all those who followed Jesus were keeping the Law of God- as that is what he directed them to do. (Matt 5:17)

Scripture clearly tells us the people as a nation clearly hailed Jesus, and welcomed him into Jerusalem as the Messiah who was sent by the God of Israel to be their new king. (Matt 21:9-11, Mark 11:8-10; Luke 19:35-38)

Why would these crowds of people want to kill the one whom they praised as their king, particularly only a few days after welcoming him with singing and praise?

It was the religious leaders who were scared of Jesus’ popularity, and told him to rebuke the crowds that followed him and praised him as the Messiah. (Luke 19:39-40)

Jesus was not killed by the people, but he was delivered by the leaders to the Roman Governor Pilate, who also did not want to kill him. These leaders desired to kill him, because, as Pilate knew, they were motivated by envy and jealousy. (Matt 27:18, Mark 15:10)

The religious leaders were actually terrified of the people’s support for him, and feared that Jesus would take over their position and status. They therefore knew that if they arrested him during the day they would be greatly out-numbered by those who wanted to protect him from them. (Matt 21:45-46, Luke 20:19, Mark 14:2)

The leaders even said they were the ones guilty of his death, no one else. (Matt 27:24-25) Even Pilate did not want Jesus to die, much less everyone who has ever lived.

To try to blame all people, for all time, for being guilty of the death of Christ is ridiculous, and doesn’t fit with the clear context of his death as shown in scripture.

Do you really think the 12 Apostles wanted Jesus dead? As we have seen, they tried to fight with swords, but Jesus told them to put away their swords. (Matt 26:51-54) They therefore fled for their lives, but Jesus remained, as it was his Father’s will that he stayed, and died- an innocent  man killed unlawfully. (Mark 14:36, John 4:34, Luke 22:42)

We need to read scripture not believe made up lies about ridiculous legalistic doctrines based on unmerciful and unforgiving attitudes.

Do you think Mary the mother of Jesus, or the many women who were standing afar off wanted Jesus murdered? (Matt 27:55-56) Would Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, who buried him, have actually wanted him to die!? (John 19:38-40)

Clearly the vast majority of people in Jerusalem did not want to murder Christ. Yet, this foolish unmerciful, unscriptural idea of a penalty for sin, requires such an extreme approach to punitive laws.

Yet, scripture reveals that God’s law is not, in fact, punitive at all. At the foundation of the Law of God is love, faith, mercy, justice and forgiveness. The purpose of the law is to guide us in how to love others, rather than condemn us. Legalistic extremes find no place in scripture, except for being condemned.

Children Not Guilty Of The Death Of Christ!

We too, today, would not support the senseless, horrific murder of Christ. Moreover, humble, innocent children should never be accused of being guilty of the death of Christ!

Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I say to you that in Heaven their angels always behold the face of My Father in Heaven. (Matt 18:10)

God the Father has very special interest in every child. He is doubly merciful toward young children, for they are so innocent, loving and trusting.

How can anyone imagine that children are so wicked and evil, that they could possibly be guilty of the death of Christ? Yet, I was amazed recently when people on Facebook were saying exactly that. The vicious hatred, expressed by some, toward all children in general, was truly staggering, and a terrible indictment on the adults who said such callous and hateful things.

No wonder God says:

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the Earth with utter destruction. (Mal 4:5-6)

This verse is talking about the time of the return of Christ at the great and dreadful Day of the Lord, and the establishment of the Kingdom of God spoken of throughout scripture.

At this end time many people will have an evil heart of hatred toward their own children! When this occurs, then it would also naturally turn the children against their parents too.

End Time Hatred Of Children Must Be Repented Of!

At this end time, this hatred of our own children will be such a great, and apparently all-pervasive sin, that God would destroy all life on Earth, if it’s not repented of by at least a portion of people- namely God’s elect and chosen saints.

It seems that such repentant people are going to be like Noah, who, for his righteousness, was saved from the utter destruction of the flood.

Those who turn their hearts toward their innocent little children, will be saved from the utter destruction to come in the Day of the Lord. (Isa 2:12, 13:6-9, 34:8, Jer 46:10, Joel 1:15, 2:1, 2:31, Zep 1:14-18, 2:2-3, 2Peter 3:10)

God warns such hard-hearted people to change, or face the consequences:

But because of your stubborn and unrepentant heart you are reserving wrath for yourself on the day of wrath (the Day of the Lord), when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. For he will repay everyone according to what that person has done: eternal life to those who strive for glory, honour, and immortality by patiently doing good; but wrath and fury for those who in their selfish pride refuse to believe the truth and practise wickedness instead. (Rom 2:5-8)

This is particularly true of those who practise the great wickedness of having their heart turned against their own children.

Children Teach Adults How To Love God.

Yet, such hard heartedness was even evident in the first century, for Jesus actually had to teach his own disciples to love little children:

And they also brought infants to Him, that He might touch them. But when the disciples saw (them bringing children), they rebuked them. (His disciples harshly told those who brought the children to Jesus, to go away) But Jesus called them (the apostles) and said, Allow the little children to come to Me, and forbid them not. For of such is the kingdom of God. Truly I say to you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no way enter into it. (Luke 18:15-17)

We need to not only love little children with a good heart, but also to learn from them about how to love God!

If we don’t have this basic natural affection for our children, then we will not enter the Kingdom of God. This lack of natural affection is a characteristic of those in the end times, along with many other sins we are warned of. (2Tim 3:1-9)

The scriptural statement ‘he bore our sins’ is not meant to be an indictment of guilt upon all people, young and old, over all-time, for killing Christ, by each and every sin we commit. And it’s certainly not an indictment of innocent children. Such ludicrous, legalistic ideas crush natural affection and ignore the reality of justice, mercy and faith. Those who teach this concept need to be careful in how they judge:

For he shall have judgment (condemnation) without mercy, that has shewed no mercy; for mercy exults over judgment (condemnation). (James 2:13)

Can we not have mercy, even toward our own children!? 

We need to think rationally, while also basing our thinking on what’s in the scriptures. The penalty for sin idea is neither rational nor scriptural. Such legalistic extremism just leads to hardness of heart, confusion and distortion of the truth of God, and we may end up opposing the truth, while thinking we are doing God’s will. (John 16:2)