Not All People Are God's Children Says Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ, theologian of all theologians, emphatically states some people are not God's children. It may be a shocking fact for many as today's culture tends to to go by feelings or traditions instead of by the Word of God. But what does the Bible teach?
When Jesus was confronted by the Jewish men of his day, as recorded in John 8, they claimed they were children of the Father in Heaven. Jesus opposed them, saying, "if God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me." (John 8.42) Then Jesus goes on to say: "You are of your father the devil." (John 8.44)
Clearly, some people have the devil as their father, doing his will. The Bible says the fruit of those who are of the devil, is, among other things, lying and sexual immorality. Along with unbelievers, their fate, as seen in Revelation 21.8, is eternal death in the Lake of Fire. God's children, on the other hand, will enjoy eternal life because they are forgiven by mercy, not because they are good or religious people.
The Doctrine of Adoption Defined
Membership into God's family is what makes one a "son of God" whether male of female. The Bible makes no distinction between male and female when it comes to becoming one of his children.
Adoption is not a chosen act of the believer, but of the one who does the adopting. Just as justification is by the one who does the justifying, adoption must be from God, not an act of the will of man. The Westminster Shorter Catechism defines it for us:
Q. 34. What is adoption?
A. Adoption is an act of God’s free grace, whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges, of the sons of God.
Reformed Theologians Say Adoption is the Greatest Blessing
Wayne Grudem, General Editor of the ESV Study Bible, in his audio version of his Systematic Theology states, "there are a lot of reasons to think this [adoption by God] is a greater blessing than forgiveness of sins or being born again." Grudem explains the great benefits of being a child of God in his teaching.
Similarly, one of the most well known theologians of all time, J.I. Packer, says of adoption in his book, Knowing God, "Our first point of adoption is that it is the highest privilege that the gospel offers: higher even than justification."
Being legally declared right beore God (the doctrine of justiication) is wonderul - without it, all sinners would perish in Hell. Being able to call God "Father" is even greater because the closeness of that relationship, the love shared, makes Christians not afraid, but joyful even during the worst of times. They know they are cared for and are "heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ," as the Apostle Paul says in Romans 8.17.
How a Person Becomes a Son of God
How does one become a child of God? Through faith in Jesus Christ. Faith is having confidence in Christ instead of self. The Bible says of those who will inherit eternal life: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2.8,9)
No one deserves salvation nor earns it by obeying God's Laws, being baptized, being a good person, going to church, or any other human means. The one who trusts Christ who obeyed all of God's Laws and spilled his blood upon the cross, died, and was resurrected, this is a sinner who is born again and adopted into God's family.
The apostle John records in John 1.12,13: "but to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."
When a person understands they are enemies of God, not born as his children, but disobedient to his Laws (see the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20), this person will turn to Christ as Savior. God will not accept the proud; only the humble. They become a new person because God grants them repentance. When God gives this faith and repentance, by grace, God forgives all their sins and places them into his family for all eternity.
Sources
The Center for Reformed Theology and Apologetics. The Westminster Shorter Catechism.
The Holy Bible. English Standard Version.
Packer, J.I. Knowing God. Chapter 19: Adopted Sons of God.
Grudem, Wayne. Doctrine of Adoption MP3.
Tamara Slack - My name is Tamara Slack and as far back as I can remember, I have been in love with the written word. I once asked my husband what words ...
