The Sons of God

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not." (1 John 3:1)

It's an amazing thing that the God of all creation has chosen to redeem us, blotting out our sins, and allowing us to know Him; but it is unimaginable that He would also call us to be His sons and daughters. When I consider what the title of "son of God" really means, I have to look at the perfect example of Jesus Christ. All that Jesus was when He walked the earth - that's what God has called me to become today. Seem incredible? Does it seem impossible? Sure, but it is God Who has called us to this. As long as I keep telling myself that I can never be any more than I am now, I never will be. I'll keep on making excuses for myself, and never grow up into Him. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world. It is not my strength, not my resolve, not my will power, or my dedication that will secure me success. It is my belief in the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not merely being conformed to a new morality, or a code of Christian conduct; but it is being transformed by the renewing of my mind and heart in Christ. Like the worm that crawls into its cocoon and emerges a beautiful moth or butterfly, I am no longer resigned to crawl along in defeat. I can now fly - I can now overcome! I can be like Jesus!

Peter tells me2, "His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue," and that God has, "given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." (2 Peter 1:3,4) All that I need to live a life of godliness, I have been given. It is God's own divine power that enables me, and I can escape the corruption and lust that is all around me - and in my very nature - by taking hold of these precious promises in the Word of God, and believing that they are promises God has made to me.

Paul tells me that in Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and that I am, "complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power." (Colossians 2:9, 10) I can be complete, but my completeness, and my perfecting, can only come through Christ working out His will in me. It must be no longer I that lives, but Christ Who lives in me!

Again, Paul tells me in Philippians, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13) All things! Not just some things, or most things, or the things that aren't too difficult; but, I can do all things.

John says, "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. 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: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:11-13) It has nothing to do with what I can do for God, but what God can do in and through me. He has given me the power to become, and what I am becoming is a son of God. Jesus Himself said, "He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father."

Jesus, of course, is the only begotten Son of the Father. He was not born in Adam as you and I were. He was not conceived of human seed at all, but by the Holy Spirit of God. Though He was tempted in every way that we ever could be, yet He never committed a sin. We, on the other hand, were all born into sin as a result of Adam's bad choice. We needed One Who was innocent and faultless Who would pay the price for our transgressions. We needed a Lamb Who was without spot or blemish to be the sacrifice for sins, and spill His blood to atone for us. So God sent that His own Son to be that Lamb. "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became Him, for Whom are all things, and by Whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." (Hebrews 2:6-10) It was given to Jesus to taste death for all mankind. He was chosen to be the 2nd Adam in the sense that His obedience has purchased salvation for the whole human race just as Adam's disobedience brought sin and death on us all.

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." (1 John 3:2)

The title of "son of God" is not one that I must earn. The Father considers me a son the moment that I am born again. It is the maturity that I have to work into. Like a newborn babe, I must grow and mature. At first, I know nothing, and can do nothing for myself; but, as I grow, I learn to trust Him more and begin to resemble my Lord in character. When scripture says that God created man in His own image, it is referring more to the character of Adam and Eve in the beginning - before the fall. They were innocent and pure before their Maker, and were able to see God for Who He really is. I don't know exactly what I must be yet. The more time I spend with Jesus, though, the more I can see what He is like, and as I see what He is like, I can see what I must be. "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:18)

"And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure." (1 John 3:3)

It is this hope that I can be changed - that I can be like Him - that compels me to be pure. I am encouraged by the fact that He loved me enough to die for me, and wants me to know Him. That which I could never accomplish for myself, God has made possible by the faith of Christ. He is the forerunner, the firstborn of many brethren, the Captain of our salvation. He has authored my salvation and will also finish it. Though it is astounding that I should be called the son of God, yet, I will embrace it, and aspire to be all that God has called me to be, and promised that I can be. I will not frustrate the grace of God by making excuses for myself, convincing myself that I can't be better. I will believe! I will receive! I will be the son of God!

"Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:12, 13)