Are you a child of God?

Some people like to think that everyone is a child of God, but John 1.12, as we saw last time, makes clear that believers become children of God by receiving Christ by faith as Lord and Saviour. This assumes they were not children of God before. 

Writing to believers therefore, the apostle John says: “Now we are the sons [and daughters] of God” (1 John 3.1-2). Christian conversion changes our standing before God; henceforth we are his children and he is our Father. A new relationship is established which will not be annulled. And a radical change has come over us. 

Formerly we were among the “sons of disobedience… by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind” (Ephesians 2.2-3). But now, you “are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3.26). The apostle calls believers, “the sons of light” and exhorts us to “walk as children of light – in all that is good and right and true” (Ephesians 5.8-9). In the context (which is worth checking out – verses 3 to 11) this means giving up all sin and impurity, and walking in the light, in holiness and truth. So being a child of God has moral implications: we are to resemble our heavenly Father in his goodness, purity, and holiness – bearing the family likeness.

But we also have entered a new relationship with God, as a child beloved of its father. Either you had a good father, in which case you have a good idea of how God is now your Father; if you had a not so good father – even an absentee father – you may learn from God’s self-revelation in the Bible what it means for you to have God as your good Father now. First, it means he loves you unconditionally. You may mess up at times, drift away, grow cold spiritually; God remains constant in his love for you. His love means he always wants the very best for you. You can trust him absolutely; he is incapable of ill will towards his children. 

And you can talk to him at all times. It’s good to set time aside to pray to him, share with him your situation, your worries, projects and desires, seeking his guidance and help. He is always there to listen with attention, eager to lead you in the right way. So as you read his Word, look out for those passages which tell you how best to live and to please him.

Whatever you may have to face, you can count on his presence to support you. Though at times he may lovingly reproach you for your waywardness and failures, the Bible is categorical: “God is for us” (Romans 8.31). He is never far away. He has promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you”, so we may boldly say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13.5-6).

Your heavenly Father is your supreme ally in living a good life in a difficult world. You can talk to him about anything and everything. He talks to you as you read the Bible, speaking words of truth, guidance, and encouragement that you need to hear.

He also gives good gifts to his children, so feel free to ask him for what you need in order to live a life that pleases him. You nourish this relationship by time consciously spent in communion with him. He will help you in various ways as he watches over you every moment to do you good.

Clive Every-Clayton