180. Children of God
Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Faith in Christ makes us children of God. The promise of being a child of God is repeated throughout the Bible. God has declared His people to be His sons. Believers are adopted as children of God and brothers of Christ. Blessed are those who become as children, that is, they become children of God.
Everyone agrees that all parents love their children insanely, even more so than children love their parents. Children love parents, but in a different way. This kind of motherly love will always be there unless there is some kind of mental dysfunction. This parental bond with children is something we can understand, if we have children. Our understanding of this experience can easily be transferred to our understanding of the love of God the Father.
Humans were created as the beloved children of God (God wanted one of me, so He made one), but all humans have rejected that relationship, and they have deliberately, even violently, left the family and wandered off. But God could not just let us go; He pursued and chased after us; He loved us, the rejecters, like this: He sent His only-begotten Son to bring us back; He sent forth His Son so that we might receive adoption as sons. We were created and redeemed: twice loved. Some difference exists between natural born children and adopted children. The adopted were particularly chosen. The natural have the similar DNA. So also we share the life of God and also we are particularly chosen. 1 John 3:1: “See what kind of lovethe Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God, and so we are.”
One of the blessings of being a child is that children are dependent for life and happiness upon the parents. The child grows up and eventually becomes more independent. But spiritually the children blissfully never grow out of dependence upon God the Father. This means we get to play all day long and somehow everything belonging to the support and wants of the body are provided. This God does for His children: He provides and we play. But the children of God still have the sinful and rebellious urge to be our own gods and be independent. Thankfully, when we come back to God He is always there with open arms to welcome us back, to have a party, and to take care of us. Receive this promise, believe with child-like faith, and enjoy the protection and provision of the Father. What could go wrong?