September
4, 2003
CHILDREN
OF GOD
"As
many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become
children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were
born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the
will of man, but of God" (John 1:12, 13, NKJV).
Those
who receive Jesus receive the right to become God's children.
Those who receive Jesus become His brothers and sisters, "Whoever
does the will of God is My brother and My sister"
(Mark 3:25). "And your reward will
be great, and you will be sons of the Most High"
(Luke 6:35). "Nor can they die
anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of
God, being sons of the resurrection" (Luke 20:36).
"While you have the light, believe
in the light, that you may become sons of light"
(John 12:36).
Those
who believe in Jesus are born again, not of the will of the
flesh or of man, but of the Will of God! "I
say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom
of God... That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that
which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that
I said to you, 'You must be born again.' " (John
3:3, 6, 7). If you then, being evil,
know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more
will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who
ask Him! (Luke 11:13). It is the Father's will that
we receive His Son and He will share with us His Spirit. "If
you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father,
and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with
you forever, the Spirit of truth --He dwells with you and
will be in you" (John 14:15-17).
It is
God's will that we receive Jesus, come into unity with Him
and receive His inheritance, eternal life and live and reign
with Him. "For God so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes
in Him should not perish but have everlasting life"
(John 3:16). "If we endure, we shall also reign with
Him" (2 Timothy 2:12). "To
him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne,
as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne"
(Revelation 3:21).
"Behold
what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we
should be called children of God!" (1 John 3:1).
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