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1. Matthew 18:3 (NKJV) Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,3 and said, Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
2. "Converted" stréphō – properly, to turn (transition); (figuratively) to convert by changing (switching) direction, i.e. go the other way (an "about-face"); taking an opposite or divergent course. Usually has a straightforward meaning ("turn"), graphically illustrating dynamic change (transitioning).
LISTEN TO THIS BROADCAST.
1. Matthew 18:3 (NKJV) Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,3 and said, Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
The three verbs in Jesus sentence are all Aorist Subjunctive. The aorist subjunctive can be defined as an event that will punctuate the succession of history if an individual is faithful to accomplish it as an act of their free will.
2. "Converted" stréphō – properly, to turn (transition); (figuratively) to convert by changing (switching) direction, i.e. go the other way (an "about-face"); taking an opposite or divergent course. Usually has a straightforward meaning ("turn"), graphically illustrating dynamic change (transitioning).
3. "Become" one transitioning from become, emerge, to properly, gínomai –another. Fundamentally means "become" (becoming, became) so it is not an exact equivalent to the ordinary equative verb "to be" (is, was, will be) Thus it is used for God's actions as emerging from eternity and becoming (showing themselves) in time (physical space).
4. 'Enter" eisérxomai – properly, come into, go (enter) into; (figuratively) to enter into for an important purpose –for the believer, doing so to experience the result of the Lord's eternal blessing.
5. "Kingdom" basileía – properly, kingdom; the realm in which a king sovereignly rules. A kingdom always requires a king – as the kingdom of God does with King Jesus! Especially refers to the rule of Christ in believers' hearts – which is a rule that "one day will be universal on the physical earth in the Millennium" (G. Archer).
6. "Heaven" This is plural in Greek. There are 3 Heavens referred to in The Bible. ouranós – heaven (singular), and nearly as often used in the plural ("heavens"). "The singular and plural have distinct overtones and therefore should be distinguished in translation (though unfortunately they rarely are)" (G. Archer)
