ALL BELIEVERS ARE ADOPTED AS GOD’S CHILDREN INTO HIS HOLY FAMILY
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“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” – 1 John 3:1 –
Believers are children of the Living God, the Almighty Lord, the Holy One, Creator of all. He delights in watching over us on our life’s journey. He guides and directs our steps. As children of God, we walk in His divine love, favor and blessing. Just as a father adores his children, so our Heavenly Father adores us. We are the apple of His eye (Psalm 17:8).
When we are born again, we are born into the kingdom of God. Jesus invites us to become part of His holy family. He becomes our King. We have His royal blood flowing through us. He places His Spirit within us as a guarantee that we are God’s children… forever His (Ephesians 1:13).
“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” – Romans 8:14-15
Our security rests in our Heavenly Father. We are His treasured children. No longer are we in bondage to fear, sin and death. We are redeemed… free in Christ… adopted into one kingdom family. We have a Father who is our “Abba”… an Aramaic word for a beloved and protective Father.
We look to our Abba Father as a child looks to his father with heartfelt love, adoration and trust. Because we have the righteousness of Christ, we can confidently come before the Father and He will welcome us with open arms. For He sees us as one with His Son.
“Looking at those seated in a circle around Him, He said, ‘Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother.’” – Mark 3:34-35
As Jesus teaches the crowds, His mother and brothers come looking for Him. Perhaps they question His mission, His ministry, His calling from God. Perhaps they have doubts that He is truly the Son of God.
Jesus looks around at His disciples… His loyal ones who have been by His side throughout His ministry. He shares that these are His true family. All who follow Him… all whose hearts are right with Him… are His spiritual family. What an awesome privilege! Jesus values us as His own. Those who trust Him as their Savior, He considers to be His brothers and sisters. We are loved by Him.
“No one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for Me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age… and in the age to come eternal life.” – Mark 10:29-30
As we follow our Savior, many of us will encounter misunderstanding and even rejection from friends and family. In trying to help, our loved ones may try to dissuade us from pursuing our Lord and His will. That is why Jesus promises us that what we gain from following Him far outweighs anything we leave behind. His promise applies not only to this life, but the life to come… our promised eternity in heaven.
All who have been born again in Christ are new creations. We have been recreated in Him. As sons and daughters of the kingdom, we now share the same Father as our Lord Jesus Christ. When we leave behind our own family and friends to follow Him, He promises we will live in His love and be blessed with a new spiritual family… the family of all believers.
“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.” – Romans 8:16-17
The Spirit of God unites all believers… all God’s children… as one in Christ. Together we share the same future and hope. We have been adopted into His kingdom family with all rights and privileges of true sons and daughters. As heirs, our inheritance is life eternal with our Lord Himself. As God’s sons and daughters, we now possess this priceless inheritance… this Living Hope… which will be for all eternity… our new and everlasting life in Christ.
“Now you… are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.” – Ephesians 2:19
All who follow Christ have a new identity. No longer outcasts, we now belong to the vast family of believers… the ones set apart as God’s very own. We need never feel alone.
God’s children are all who have ever believed, and will ever believe, in Him… past, present and future. In Old Testament times, those who believed in the One who was to come… who believed the promises, the prophecies… were considered righteous, holy in God’s eyes by their faith.
Now that Jesus has come as Savior of the world, all who have and all who will place their faith in Him experience His righteousness… right standing with God. We are made holy by believing in the person and work of our Savior. Today, we have the complete Word of God and the testimony of believers since the time of Christ as foundation for our faith.
All believers across the globe and throughout history are part of the spiritual family of God… His holy nation… His Church, with Christ as the Head. We are sons and daughters of the Most High God. One day in heaven, we will be united with this far-reaching family of God, spanning all of time. We will live forever in the glorious company of our Savior and all of God’s children.
