Tag: Faith Worthy of the Kingdom

In a culture where women and children were often overlooked, dismissed, or used, the Kingdom of God broke every norm. Jesus didn’t just tolerate women and children—He honored them, taught them, touched them, healed them, included them, and commissioned them.

“Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the Kingdom of Heaven.”
— Matthew 19:14

“Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
— Mark 14:9

The early Church, following the example of Christ, created space for women and children to be seen, valued, and used by God. They weren’t peripheral to the Kingdom—they were essential to it.

Women in the Early Church

From the beginning, women played key roles in the spread of the gospel and the life of the Church:

• Phoebe was a deacon and trusted courier of Paul’s letters (Romans 16:1–2).
• Priscilla, alongside her husband Aquila, taught Apollos more accurately in the faith (Acts 18:26).
• Mary, Junia, Tryphena, Tryphosa, and Persis were recognized as co-laborers (Romans 16).
• Widows were entrusted with prayer, service, and teaching younger women (1 Timothy 5:5, Titus 2:3–5).
• Many female martyrs, like Perpetua, Blandina, and Felicitas, faced death with courage that shocked their persecutors.

The early church fathers, even while bound by certain cultural norms, often honored these women’s faithfulness.

“The women of the Church are not silent in works, though they may be in gatherings; they teach by their examples.”
— Tertullian, On the Veiling of Virgins

Children in the Kingdom

Unlike Roman culture that viewed children as disposable or property, Christians believed children were image-bearers of God with a right to life and dignity. They:

• Rescued abandoned infants from exposure
• Raised children in the teachings of Christ
• Included them in the body of believers
• Valued their prayers, worship, and spiritual gifts

The testimony of young martyrs like Agnes, Pancras, and many others showed that children were capable of great faith and spiritual maturity.

“Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have ordained praise.”
— Psalm 8:2

A Different Witness to the World

The early Church stood out in how they treated the least valued members of society. They didn’t marginalize the weak—they exalted them. In the Kingdom, greatness isn’t about power—it’s about purity, humility, and sacrificial love.

“Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”
— Matthew 18:4

What We Can Learn

1. The Kingdom lifts up those the world casts aside.
2. Women and children are not spiritual spectators—they are Spirit-filled citizens.
3. God uses the faith of the least likely to shame the strong.
4. Churches today must embrace the fullness of the body—including every generation and gender.

Sources:

• The Holy Bible — Matthew 18:4; Matthew 19:14; Mark 14:9; Romans 16; Acts 18:26; Psalm 8:2
• Tertullian, On the Veiling of Virgins
• The Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicitas
• The Martyrdom of Blandina, in Eusebius, Church History
• Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor, Book 1

Jesus never promised an easy road for those who follow Him. In fact, He said quite the opposite:

“Enter by the narrow gate… For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
— Matthew 7:13–14

The early Christians didn’t just understand this—they lived it. Their path was narrow. Their lives were hard. But they counted the cost, took up their crosses, and followed their King with joy.

They knew that Kingdom citizenship came with sacrifice, but they also knew it came with an eternal reward.

They Counted the Cost Before Following

Unlike modern altar calls that often emphasize blessing over burden, the early Church believed that following Christ meant dying to self. Jesus warned:

“Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple… any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be My disciple.”
— Luke 14:27, 33

This wasn’t theoretical. They risked their jobs, homes, families, and lives. And they followed anyway.

They Chose the Hard Road Over the Popular One

The world offered comfort, protection, and compromise. But these believers knew that the wide road leads to destruction. They chose:

• Poverty over dishonesty
• Imprisonment over idolatry
• Martyrdom over military service
• Rejection over reputation

They knew that obedience might cost them everything. And still, they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ (Acts 5:41).

Discipleship Was a Lifelong Surrender

For them, faith wasn’t a moment—it was a movement of the heart toward lifelong obedience. Baptism marked the beginning of a radical new allegiance. They didn’t ask, “What’s the minimum I must give?” They asked, “How can I give all?”

“Let none of you turn deserter… let us serve God with a pure heart, and we shall be found righteous in the last day.”
— 2 Clement 11

What About Today?

The Church today often minimizes the cost to maximize attendance. But Christ never changed His standard. The gate is still narrow. The cross is still required. And true discipleship still demands total surrender.

To be a citizen of the Kingdom means to walk a road that the world will never understand—but one that leads to life eternal.

What We Can Learn

1. Jesus calls us to count the cost—not just raise a hand.
2. Discipleship means daily surrender and sacrifice.
3. The narrow road is hard—but it leads to life.
4. The reward far outweighs the suffering.

Sources:

• The Holy Bible — Matthew 7:13–14; Luke 14:27, 33; Acts 5:41
• 2 Clement, ch. 11
• Tertullian, On Baptism
• Hermas, Commandments and Similitudes