Children of God
So often, I’ve heard well-meaning Christians say, ‘We are all children of God.’ No matter what “god” you follow, we are all brothers and sisters. This is far from the truth! The scriptures clearly state that only those who have accepted Yeshua Jesus as the savior of their lives and the Messiah and welcomed the Holy Spirit into their hearts have been adopted by Yahweh God into His family.
Follow along with the scriptures below to see this undeniable truth.
Exodus 2: 25 Old Testament
25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them. Throughout Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and the rest of the Old Testament, the Israelites were considered the children of God.
Luke 1: 16
16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
When Jesus, Yashua arrived, it was time for the Israelites to turn to God. They needed to turn from being the children of Israel into the children of God.
John 1: 11- 13
11 He came to His own and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Unfortunately, many of the Jews refused God’s offer to become children of God.
John 11: 51 - 52
51 Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.
Jesus, Yeshua, would die for the Israeli people. His sacrifice will cover ALL the children of God around the world who accept His offer.
Romans 8: 14 – 17
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
Paul sums it up quite well here. We are adopted when we cry out “Abba Father!” We not only become His children, but His joint heirs with Yashua as well.
Romans 9: 7 – 8ot, 7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac, your seed shall be called.” 8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.
The seed of Abraham, the Israeli people, were first called by Yashua to follow Him. Israel rejected God’s purpose; Christians, the children of promise, are now the children of God.
Romans 8: 14 – 17
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
We become children of Yahweh (God) by being led by the Spirit and accepting His offer. We receive the Holy Spirit and become His children.
Romans 8: 21
21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Romans 8: 28
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Romans 11: 19 – 20
19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief, they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.
Here is a good analogy of our ascension to God’s family. The unbelieving Israelis of the time were broken off from Yahweh’s Family. The believing Israelis and Gentiles were grafted onto the tree of life through belief in Yahshua.
Galatians 3: 29
29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
If we accept Yeshua as our savior, we are the chosen people. God made promises to the Jews long ago. Because of their unbelief, the promises were transferred to the Children of God!
Galatians 4: 6
6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
When we become children of God, the Holy Spirit is sent to us to enter our hearts.
Ephesians 2: 19 – 20
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Yeshua Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.
Paul explains it another way: We were once strangers to God, Yahweh, but now we are fellow citizens of heaven and children of God. Notice that believers are called saints. God chose us, not a council of robed men in Rome.
Ephesians 5: 1
1 Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children.
We need to live a life imitating Yashua, the second person of God.
Philippians 2: 15
15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.
We are set aside as Children of God. No longer subject to the evils of this world. But not by our own deeds but by the leading of the Holy Spirit, as long as we are obedient to His will.
The author of Hebrews 12: 7 – 8 below (some believe is Paul, others believe it was written by another disciple) tells us that even being a child of the most high, we are subject to corrective measures from our Holy Father. Watch for His corrections! Yahweh sends us messages to remind us of our mistakes, just like a human father does.
7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.
1 Peter 2: 9 - 10
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
Peter says it well here. The Father chooses us as His family, a royal priesthood, the people of God. What an honor! I’m in awe to think such a thing. God picked ME!
1 Peter 3: 18
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.
1 John 3: 1 – 2
3 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore, the world does not know us because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
In this passage, John, Jesus’ best friend on Earth, tells us twice that we are now Yahweh’s children. As I mentioned above, it‘s such an honor that God loves us that much!
1 John 3: 10
10 In this, the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.
John gave us a simple test. Where do we stand? If we practice righteousness and love our brothers, then we are of God. The opposite response: you are of the devil!
1 John 4: 4
4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
I always liked this verse. John sounds like a loving grandfather, speaking to us about our conduct. The bottom line is that we are in the winning family. The Holy Spirit, who is in God’s children, is more powerful than the evil presence of Satan. We are unique in God’s eyes. We accepted His offer of salvation and became children of God. We will spend eternity with our Father, realizing all the promises He made for us.
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