LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
Growing from Infants to Mature Children
"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 ... For it behoved him for whose sake all things are, and through whom all things hold together, that, when he should bring many sons to glory, he should by sufferings perfect the author of their salvation" (Jn. 1:12; Heb. 2:10).
In the two previous quotations the word sons appears. However, in the original Greek, the word translated here as sons is different in both cases. In John, it is teknós (infants, little children), and in Hebrews, huiós (older or mature children). So, if we stick to the more exact sense of both phrases, we would have to say: "...he gave them power to become little children of God", and "...having brought many mature sons to glory".
John refers to the moment when we were begotten of God, when we were born of God, as babes in Christ. And in Hebrews, it is the end of the race, a mature son, who is fit to be brought to glory. Thus, God's will is not to bring babes, but mature sons, to glory.
When a Jewish child reached thirteen years of age, the Bar-Mitzvah was performed, a ceremony in which the father of the family declared before all his relatives and friends, with great satisfaction, that his son, from that day on, was officially considered a mature son, with full rights of inheritance and government in the house. This ceremony, in Greek is called huiothesia, and can be translated as filiation. God's will is to bring many mature sons to glory, sons who have already passed through this experience of sonship.
We know the psychology of a little child. He centers all things in himself. In the home, the younger ones attract the attention of the parents and their older siblings. The young child is immature. In the family group, he takes first place. Everything revolves around him.
A child is mature when he is already able to take on responsibilities and, moreover, is capable not only of taking care of himself, but also of looking after others. In God's family, mature children are those who can bear the weaknesses of the little ones, can care for them, and even suffer for them.
The day of sonship of the children of God is a day of joy for the Father. The thirteen years referred to have only a symbolic value. It could be that someone matures spiritually before, or long after that time; but, without a doubt, this is an act of great joy for the Father. He will look with satisfaction on that son to whom he can already assign some tasks or put him in charge of his younger brothers. That son is in a position to make use of his inheritance.
God's will is that his many little children advance rapidly to maturity. He wants to have many mature children, and when that happens, he will bring them to his glory.