LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
Who Are the Children of God?
Very often we hear the following expressions worldwide: "All men are children of God," or "All men are brothers." Is this true? Human wisdom will present its own arguments either in favor or against it. It is good then to seek the truth from a trustworthy and credible source to avoid any mistakes. The Lord Jesus said, "Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures ..." (Matthew 22:29). Only the word of God can give us light on this matter. Dear reader, if you have a Bible at hand, it does not matter what version you have, take it, and let's look at the answer.
Take, for example, John 1: 11-13: "(Jesus) came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received Him, to those who believed in his name, to them gave He power to become the sons of God; which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. " This version in the bible in simple words it says: "He came to live in this world, but his people did not accept him. But those who accepted him and believed in him, they became children of God. They are children of God by God's will, not by human will. "
We can immediately conclude that being children of God is not a condition with which we are born. We are not children of God by the mere fact of having come into this world. It is a gift of God, a privileged position given to "those who received Him ... those who believe in His name". Therefore, those who did not accept Him or believed in Him, they are not children of God!
As believers we have a testimony that we are children of God by the fact of having believed in Him, we have received Christ into our hearts. God's word also tells us that, before that day, we were included among "the children of disobedience, among whom we all once lived in the lusts of our flesh ... and we were by nature children of wrath, even as others" (Ephesians 2: 3).
We were children of disobedience and children of wrath, that is, the wrath of God was upon our lives. All mankind inherited from the fall of Adam, the first man, his sinful nature, "for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
God is holy, and has no communion with sin, but He loves the sinner and desires to save him. So he gave his only begotten Son, Jesus, "that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). For this reason it is preached the word of the gospel, that men may know that by just receiving the Son of God, they can be saved and become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Returning to the initial question, it is now clear that not all men are children of God, therefore, not all men are brothers. The children of God are those who receive His Son, and are also brothers in Christ. The children of wrath are all unbelievers, those who having heard the gospel, they have not believed his announcement, and have not received Christ.
God's children or children of wrath. According to what God's word says, which one of these conditions are you today?