Are You A Child of God?
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It is a common belief, especially in liberal churches, that we are all children of God. And because we are all children of God we all deserve God's love and the respect of other people. But there's a problem. According to the Bible this IS NOT true. What is true is that we are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). That we are God's image bearers means we are unique among all of God's creation. And it is because we are God's image bearers, we are loved by God and deserve the respect of other people.
Let's look at scripture:
"'You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord?'" - Acts 13:10
"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies." - John 8:44
"and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one;" - Acts Matthew 13:38
“The children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not obey God is not of God, nor the one who does not love other Christians.” - 1 John 3:10
From these verses we can see there are two groups of people. Those whose "father" is the devil, and thus they are children (sons) of the devil. And there are those who are "sons of the kingdom" also known as "children of God." John chapter three provides a further description:
"Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. No one who abides in Him sins; no one who (habitually) sins has seen Him or knows Him. Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother." 1n John 3:4-10
It is clear that those who are the children of Satan are characterized by lawlessness... by their not obeying God's commands. What they often do to address this is change what scripture says, or deny parts of God's law. Homosexuality is a prominent example. Scripture plainly says that homosexuality is a sin (Genesis 19:1–13; Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:26–27; 1 Corinthians 6:9). Churches that teach we are all God's children will deny what these scriptures plainly say.
Sin is the defining characteristic of the children of God. This does not mean they are not "nice" people. They may be very giving, helpful, courteous, pleasant, humble and kind people. But they are missing the one most important characteristic... righteousness... meaning obeying God. If you are not obeying God, it does not matter how nice you are, you are a child of the devil.
Keep Acts 13:10 (above) in mind. The devil is full of all deceit and fraud. He does not stand in truth and is the father of lies (John 8:44 above). So even though someone looks good, and acts in a kind and generous manner, they are not godly nor is that an indication they are a Christian. Of course the father of lies will lead some (not all) of his children to do "good," in order to deceive us into believing his lies... such as the lie that we are all children of God.
On the other hand, those who are truly the children of God are born again (John 3:3), God having replaced their heart of stone with a new heart. They know they have sinned (disobeyed God aka. broken God's laws) and deserve God's just punishment. And they are trusting in Jesus Christ ALONE as having taken the fullness of that punishment on Himself in their place, so that they now have eternal life with God.
Non-believers (including those, such as Catholics and Mormons, who believe in an imaginary Jesus), as well as all Christians before they began trusting in Jesus Christ, are described in Ephesians 3:2:
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath (deserving of wrath).
And scripture is clear, unlike Jewish beliefs, we are not children of God because of who our parents were. Romans 9:8 says:
It is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.
It's very clear. In God's eyes humanity is not divided by skin color. That's the work of Satan. Humanity is divided into two groups and JUST two groups. The children of the devil and the children of God. Which one are you in?
Are we all God’s children, or only Christians? (GQ)
How can I become a child of God? (GQ)
Marks of a Child Adopted by God (JM)
Before you get the good news, you need to know the bad news. It's about you. God says:
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. - Romans 3:23
Sin means disobeying God, aka breaking God's law. God is perfect and perfection is required to enter heaven. It's a standard none of us can achieve. We all fall short. For example, compare yourself with just one of the Ten Commandments. Have you ever told a lie?
All liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. - Revelation 21:8. Or what about:
Have you ever taken something that does not belong to you, no matter how small? Have you ever looked at another person with lust? In Matthew 5 Jesus said:
Everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.' Have you done that?
You have broken God's laws. You have sinned. There must be justice, and that means eternity in hell, the lake of fire, the second death. Unless...
Unless there was someone willing to pay that penalty on your behalf. Someone who will take on themselves the consequences you deserve. And there is. There is one person who can and will do that. That person is Jesus Christ. If you trust this is true (believe), and repent (turn away from disobeying God), Jesus' death is applied to your account and you are freed from the penalty of sin to be with God forever.