I have often heard people say “We are all children of God aren’t we?” And as often I heard that, I saw the other agree with the saying.
But are we?
No we are not!
We are all the creation of God, but we are not all children of God.
And now something shocking:
Not even all who call themselves Christians are.
“What do you say now”, I can almost hear you think.
“You are wrong, for I affirmed the questions the pastor asked me, and I repeated the prayer he did with me, and he assured me that I was saved from that moment and a child of God!”
Yes, my dear friend, I know that many churches work that way but I will show you one verse in the Bible that will make you think twice. You find it in John 1:12.
But let us read John 1:12 and 13 (NASB). It tells us:
(12) As many as received Him, to them He gave THE RIGHT TO BECOME children of God, even to those who believe in His name, (13) who were BORN, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but OF GOD.
Let us dig a bit deeper in this verse.
You just told me that you received Him, so you belong to the many, but what does it say further? Does it read: “As many as received Him, are children of God?” If that were so, you would be right.
So this is serious! We are not yet there where we thought to be, and so WE CANNOT RELAX AND SIT BACK.
There is still something to do!
There is still a (narrow) way to go.
Let’s go a bit deeper into it.
In the King James Version the same verses read: (12) But as many as received him, to them gave he POWER TO BECOME the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (13) Which were BORN, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but OF GOD. (John 1:12-13) (KJV)
The words “right” and “power” are translated from the Greek word εξουσια exousia (ex-oo-see’-ah). It is a word in the sense of being able and has the meaning of having the privilege, the competence, the freedom, the liberty, the power, the right, or the strength, to become children (τεκνον teknon (tek’-non) a child, daughter, or son) of God.
And this counts for them that were BORN OF THE WILL OF GOD and believe in/on his name only. So not all people are God’s CHILDREN, but they are all God’s CREATION.
These verses can be linked to John 3:3 “Except a man be BORN AGAIN, he cannot see the kingdom of God”.
What it is, to really become children of God, a parable may help.
Once we found the narrow way, we must not linger near the beginning of that way, just being GLAD WE FOUND IT (yes there is reason to be glad for that, for there are few who find it) but now we have to START WALKING on that narrow road; now we have to START GROWING IN FAITH.
In the first stage you are not yet so strong. If it helps you may like to compare it to a baby, who is still in the process of adoption. All is ready but the papers are not yet signed.
But there are also many who are already grown, and THINK they are there already, but FORGOT TO GO THE WAY. They really need to LEARN WALKING.
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