Who Are Those "Little Ones" of Whom Christ Spoke?

Our Lord certainly loved children. The gospels contain many references to him touching, blessing, and even using a child as an example of trust in him.

Unfortunately for trusting souls, unscrupulous ministers misread certain passages of Scripture and come up with bizarre doctrines. For instance, the cultic teacher I once knew believed that children had angels assigned to them but once they turned twenty, they no longer needed their supervision  since they were full grown. He got this notion from Matthew 18:10 (KJV) which reads, "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven."

It's clear from what Jesus said earlier in the passage that he meant all believers, not physical children. Matthew 18:6 (KJV) says, "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea."

Scripture is clear that Jesus meant leading trusting believers astray was a serious offense. Even James recognized this when he wrote in the third chapter of his epistle,  (Bible in Basic English) "Do not all be teachers, my brothers, because we teachers will be judged more hardly than others."

The heavenly Father also takes a strong stance against lying teachers. Look at what 2 Peter 2:1 (KJV) boldly states. "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction."

One of those teachers of lies misled me for fifteen years and caused me to hate God for another nine. I wrote about how the Lord freed me from his wicked lies in a book called How I Was Razed. Visit Amazon to find out more about this wondrous testimony of providential leading.