Two views of whether it is the will of the Father that not one of the little children perish:
1.Yes, just as the shepherd rejoices over the restored sheep, so the Father in heaven cares for each of his children, the believers, the found
sheep. All these found sheep are in Matthew 18:14 called the little ones
(believers) and the Father does not will that any of them perish, so Jesus intentionally calls God your Father,
stressing how God cares for his children as a Father, so there is no falling away of the saints.
God the Father’s love for the one shows his love for each, which is what moved him to send Jesus, so the Son’s mission to save the lost flows directly from the Father’s will. The kingdom is marked by restorative love, so what is lost receives priority. Disciples who give themselves to seeking and preserving the lost are the great ones, who will enter the kingdom due to their humble service.
Interpretation 2:
Yes, the parable of the lost sheep shows God’s will to save and preserve even the very least (the little ones; see Matthew 18:5): lost sinners (Luke 15:7).
Interpretation 1:
Yes, just as the shepherd rejoices over the sheep that has been found, so the Father in heaven—whether through the work of his servants or otherwise—cares for each of his children—the believers—all of whom are found
sheep. Those who belong to this flock of found sheep, are here in Matthew 18:14 referred to as the little ones
—the believers—and the Father does not will that any of them perish. Jesus therefore intentionally refers to your Father,
highlighting that God cares for his children as a Father, and therefore there is no falling away of the saints.1
God the Father does not wish for even one of his flock of small and inconspicuous believers to be lost. His love for the one demonstrates his love for each. It is this divine love that moved him to send Jesus, so the Son’s mission to save the lost flows directly from the will of the King. The kingdom of heaven is a kingdom marked by restorative love, and therefore what is lost receives priority. Disciples who devote themselves to seeking and preserving the lost are the truly great ones, and they will enter the kingdom because of their humble service.2
Interpretation 2:
Yes, the parable of the lost sheep speaks of God’s good pleasure in saving and preserving even the very least (the little ones; see Matthew 18:5)—that is, lost sinners (Luke 15:7).3
14 So it is not the will of myFather who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.