NOT Everyone is a Child of God

There is a popular belief today that everyone is a child of God. This cannot be farther from the truth. It is true that God created Adam in His own image. Adam was seen as the son of God (Luke 3:38) in this image. He and his wife were supposed to bring forth children who would have in turn been children of God.

But something happened, we call it the fall. This event changed everything! When Adam and Even sinned and fell, they lost fellowship with God. The divine image was lost and Adam ‘died’. Afterward he gave birth to children in his own image.

This is bad news for mankind, it is a condition that makes us children of wrath by nature. It is also the reason why we need to be reborn. It is the new birth that restores the identity lost in Adam.

Today’s text:

John 1:10-13 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 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.

The very first revelation of the Bible is God. “In the beginning, God…”. Next to that is God’s creative power. In the first two Chapters of Genesis, we have the detailed account of the creation. The heavens and the earth, as well as everything contained in them, including man, are created by God.

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Genesis 2:1-2 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

Adam was created in the perfect image of God, which makes him a bona fide child of God as Luke 3:38 rightly describes him. But he lost this image when he sinned and fell. So before any of us were born, Adam has been tainted with sin. Everyone who is born afterward comes in Adam’s fallen image.

Genesis 5:1-3 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; 2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. 3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:

The Bible has made it clear that that through Adam, sin and death passed unto all men. Our true identity (before redemption) is described in the second Chapter of Ephesians as – “dead in trespasses and sins”:

Ephesians 2:1-3 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

No one can claim to be a child of God in this condition. Something must happen to you first. Until then, you’re nothing but a dead man working! That is the point of this lesson. By the end of this article, you would have learned about how to become a child of God.

Because “in Adam all die”, it takes divine intervention for anyone to be “made alive”. And those who have been made alive are the true children of God. This is the new birth. In order words, when you were born, you were basically born dead. Dead in the spirit. You therefore need to be born again. But being born again is totally outside of our effort or works.

Many people over several generations have tried to fix themselves by their own effort. This is a fruitless effort as far as God is concerned. We have all sinned and come short of God’s standard of righteousness (Romans 3:23). This means we can do NOTHING on our own to redeem ourselves. We’ve been disqualified. Therefore this new birth must be accomplished outside of our own efforts.

You may be wondering why you should care about this matter. The truth, which may sound harsh, is that if you are not a child of God, then you belong to the devil. Only the children of God are guaranteed eternity with God. This is why you should care, because of your eternity.

Becoming a child of God takes new birth, not the fixing of the one who believed. Notice that verse 13 of our text say “which were born…” The nature of this new birth is explained below:

The Power to Become a Child of God

John 1:12  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.

Our text says that Christ was rejected when He came, just like many still reject Him today. But notice that even then, not everyone rejected Him. Some people received Him. And because they did, these people were given the power [that is, the right, or the privilege] to become children of God.

I don’t know about you, but that implies to me that they weren’t children of God prior receiving Christ. When the power came on them, the new birth took place through work of the Holy Spirit.

So what’s the deal with those who still continue to reject Christ today? Simple, they remain children of wrath, dead in trespasses and sins.

1 John 5:12  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

Keep in mind that receiving Christ is another way of saying believing or trusting in Him as your Savior and Lord. The new birth of those who believe are further described as to what it is and what it is not.

Not of Blood

The new birth cannot be achieved through human blood relations. The Jews of Christ’s days rejected Him partly on the basis that they were Abraham’s children so they didn’t need Jesus Christ. Although the promise of the blessing of salvation is connected to the “seed” of Abraham, that seed is Christ. But they missed the point.

Unbeknownst to them, this blessing can only be attained by faith, faith in Christ, not by physical birth into the Jewish family or descendants. So natural birth cannot do it!

Another way of looking at this today is that if your parents are Christians, children of God, you don’t automatically become a child of because they gave birth to you. Same goes with you and your children. This is a matter of conscious personal decision.

Galatians 3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

Romans 9:7-8 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

See also: Matthew 3:9; John 8:33-41; Romans 4:11-16; Galatians 4:22-31.

Not By the Will of the Flesh

Although many try merit it, our salvation did not begin with our will. It has been the will of God before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). We simply need to submit our will His plan of salvation.

It is not about what we have done, or can still do. It is about what has already been done for us. We must submit to God and receive the salvation offered in Christ.

Not By the Will of Man

Many are making efforts every day to please God, especially in a religious way. But someone has already pleased God on our behalf. His name is Jesus Christ. We just need to get to God through Him. This is exactly the description of the Jews of the Apostles’ days, as well as a host of other religious people today.

Romans 10:1-3 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

These people have the zeal for God and for His services. But they render their services according to their own will, or in their own terms. By so doing, they abandon the righteousness of God offered in Christ, and they go about establishing their own righteousness. No human, religious, or humanitarian effort can justify us before God.

James 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

The process of getting reborn begins by knowing the will of God regarding it. Things work better when we know and do the will of God, not when we fulfill our own purpose.

John 6:28-29 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Therefore the best work any man can do is to believe in Jesus. More on this later.

See also: Psalm 110:3; Romans 9:1-5; 1 Corinthians 3:6; Philippians 2:13.

The new birth requires that a man be born of God. Jesus Christ said to Nicodemus that:

John 3:6-7  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

The Need for the Gospel

Being born again begins with the Word of truth, the gospel of salvation – “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth…” (James 1:18). When you understand the gospel and believe, you will be regenerated by the Spirit of God. A new nature is created in the believer at the moment of faith.

Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.

This gospel is simple, it is not complicated at all. After admitting you’re a sinner (Romans 3:23; 5:12) and there is nothing you can do to save or redeem yourself, the gospel states that Christ died for our sins, He was buried and He rose again the third day.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

The unsaved are meant to die and go to hell. That is the “wages of sin” (Romans 6:23; Revelation 21:8). But because of His love for the world, Jesus Christ came, suffered, and died for our sins. He was punished in our place. But on the third day He rose from the dead to crown the work of our redemption. If you believe this wholeheartedly, your sins will be forgiven, and you will be saved.

Christ is the only One who qualifies to be the propitiation or atonement for our sins. No one else can do it for us, and we definitely cannot do it for ourselves.

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

The Aftermath of Belief

At the moment of putting your faith in the gospel, that is, trusting Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, the Holy Spirit comes into you. He makes you alive in Christ, and takes His permanent residence in you. This is what it means to be born of God.

The one who was once dead in the Spirit is now reborn and adopted into the Family of God with the Spirit of life. The presence of the Holy Spirit in the believers makes this adoption a reality.

Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Galatians 4:4-6 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Those who have experienced this are the bona fide children of God. And they have begun their journey to eternity with God. The blessings awaiting the children of God are indescribable. You too can get in on this today and receive the “earnest” of your inheritance. Simply believe and accept what has been DONE for you, don’t try to DO anything to merit God’s acceptance.

1 John 3:1-2 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. 2 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.

What a wonderful thing to be a child of God and know it!

Thank you for reading!

Are You A Child of God?

I appreciate you taking the time to read this article. But the purpose of the lesson is for all the readers to evaluate themselves. Therefore, do not close this page until you have address this personal question: Can you boldly declare that you are a child of God at this moment?

If you doubt, or you know that you have yet to experience the rebirth discussed here, you can take care of it today. It is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

The new birth cannot be accomplished by your own efforts. You must submit yourself to the righteousness of God and receive the free salvation offered by Christ. Please review The New Birth section above and trust Christ for your salvation. A link is also provided below with a guide to how you can properly put your trust in Christ today and become a child of God.

Thank you for reading!