One of Jesus’ most profound teachings appears in Matthew 18:2–3 (NASB), where He calls a child to stand among His disciples and says, “Truly I say to you, unless you change and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Whenever we see Jesus begin a statement with “Truly,” it signals that what follows is of the utmost importance.

There are many facets to understanding this truth, but let’s focus on just one. Think about a moment when a child, feeling hurt, might say “I don’t love you” to a parent. Typically, the child doesn’t mean it literally; they’re simply expressing their pain in the only way they know how, hoping the parent will understand just how deeply they’re hurt. A loving parent recognizes that the child still loves them and is only communicating frustration or disagreement.

Sometimes we do something similar in our relationship with God. Out of hurt or disappointment, we may deliberately sin—almost as if we’re trying to register our displeasure with Him. It sounds childish, but in my own walk, especially while dealing with my wife’s dementia, I’ve noticed myself falling into this trap on rare occasions. I’ve also found it bothered me deeply afterward.

Infrequently, that would be me, when I childishly register my displeasure with God. This immature action on my part bothered me so much that I wanted to understand why I was doing what I was doing. Basically, God explained to me that I was being childish in a negative fashion. I needed to understand why I did what I did. God told me.

Now consider 1 John 1:9 (NASB), which says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God’s righteousness means He always acts according to His perfect, holy nature. Because of His faithfulness, we can trust that He will forgive us when we come to Him with sincere confession. Yet that forgiveness also hinges upon His justice—sin cannot be dismissed casually; it was paid for at the cross of Christ. Therefore, God’s righteous character allows Him to be just and merciful at the same time.

I’m not sharing this because I’m proud of what I did; I’m sharing it because I’m being honest. If it can happen to me, it could happen to you. That “unrighteousness” referenced in 1 John 1:9 is my own childish rebellion. What really bothered me was that I already knew this but was still falling into the “rebellious” aspect. All sin is ultimately rebellion against God, including rebellion against His righteousness.

This leads us to how we can learn from our mistakes:

1. Acknowledge Our Childish Reactions
   Recognize that lashing out at God—though it may happen in moments of pain or confusion—is ultimately an immature way of coping. Facing our own weakness is the first step toward repentance and growth.
2. Confess and Seek Cleansing
   Confession isn’t merely naming what we’ve done wrong; it’s agreeing with God about the nature of our actions. Once we do this, He promises not only to forgive but also to cleanse us, shaping our hearts to be more like His.
3. Reflect on God’s Character
   By remembering God’s righteousness and mercy, we see that He can handle our honesty and our struggles. We learn that our sin has real consequences yet also see that grace is available because of Christ’s sacrifice.
4. Allow Childlike Faith to Replace Childish Rebellion
   Jesus calls us to be childlike—trusting, humble, and teachable—not childish in rebellion. As we depend on Him in faith, we grow out of spiritual immaturity and into deeper obedience and trust.
5. Embrace Growth Over Perfection
   God understands our weaknesses and is more concerned with our ongoing transformation than with a momentary lapse. We learn from our missteps by allowing the Holy Spirit to mature us day by day.

In sum, recognizing our childish outbursts of rebellion against God is part of the journey. By acknowledging and confessing these moments, we align ourselves with His righteousness and experience genuine transformation. In doing so, we move beyond simply knowing what is right to actually living in faithful, childlike trust under the gentle hand of our righteous and merciful God.

I needed to really understand this, maybe you do too!

From one sheep in God’s sheepfold to another.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration.

Worthy is the Lamb! Blessings!

Bruce Cooper is a disciple of Jesus, married to Peggy, with 5 grown up children, 7 grandchildren. He is retired from the Canadian Armed Forces and resides in beautiful Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. a.k.a. “Papa.” To read more of Bruce’s work visit Reasoned Cases For Christ. 

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