4 Things Make Us God’s Children

A reason; a means; a way; a surrender

Our God is a great God; and here are the 4 things which make us children of God, heirs of eternal life in Heaven.

*For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Ro 8:15-17 ESV+

1. A Reason: Our Heavenly Father wanted children to love, who would love Him back.

2. A Means: God’s only Son had to become a physical man, Jesus, and die on the cross to redeem us from our sins.

3. A Way: Our Father gives us indwelling of the Holy Spirit, enabling us to love our God above all things.

4. A Surrender: We must surrender our human will to God, and through the Holy Spirit, accept Jesus into our hearts.

1. The reason our Father created us was He wanted children to love, children who would love Him back, who would be brothers and sisters for Jesus; whom Jesus would not be ashamed of. Our Father foreknew His creation of mankind would sin, for one must have a free will to choose to love someone; and this freewill allows us not to love our God above all things, not obey Him. Yet out of a great loving desire to have children, He still created us.

*just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him . In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, Eph 1:4-5 NASB+

*For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Ro 8:29 ESV+

Out of our Father’s great love for us, came great mercy for us. Our Father made a plan of salvation to forgive our sins so we can become, remain His children; if we will love Him above all things. And if we love our God above all things, we will strive to obey His commands.

*And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Matt 22:37-39 ESV+

*"He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him. Jn 14:21 NASB+

Our Heavenly Father will freely give us a means, and a way to have our sins to be forgiven, forgotten forever; if we will just surrender our human will to our Heavenly Father, which will enabled us to believe in our God, have faith in Him. We then become our Heavenly Father’s spiritually holy children while living on earth, and when we die heirs of Heaven.

*and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. Ro 8:30 NASB+

*For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Eph 2:8-9 NKJV+

*For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” Heb 8:12 ESV+

*He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. Rev 21:7 KJV

2. There is only one means in our Father’s plan of salvation, by which our sins could be forgiven, be paid for. His Son had to become a physical man, became Jesus, and had to give His physical life on a cross to redeem us from our sins. Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, showing us how all the children of God will likewise be resurrected from the dead when Jesus returns for us.

*and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross , so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 1Pe 2:24 NASB+

*But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation Col 1:22 NIV+

*But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Ro 8:11 NKJV+

Christ’s atoning grace on the cross is the only means by which we can have all of our sins forgiven; so our spiritual being (soul+spirit) can become holy, and we can be set apart as God’s children; brothers and sisters of Jesus, of whom He is not ashamed.

*By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Heb 10:10 NKJV+

*Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. Heb 2:11 NIV+

3. The way our Father makes us His children is by giving us the indwelling baptism of the Holy Spirit. Our Heavenly Father will forgive; spiritually wash away all the sins of all who will surrender our will to Him; through the means of Christ’s grace, the blood Jesus shed on the cross as atonement for our sins. Our spiritual being (soul and spirit) then becomes holy, so the Holy Spirit can spiritually live within them; for the Spirit is God is holy, can only live in a perfectly holy place. Baptism of the Spirit

*"I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." Mk 1:8 NASB+

*Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 1Co 3:16 ESV+

*If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. Ro 8:10 NASB+

The indwelling baptism of the Holy Spirit is a spiritual baptism, the only baptism we need to be saved. The indwelling baptism is the same as being born again, or receiving the renewing of the Spirit.

*And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Jn 20:22 NASB+

*Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Jn 3:3 NKJV+

*not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, Titus 3:5 NKJV+

Note: We will also receive continual baptisms of gifts from the Holy Spirit, at different times after we have received the indwelling of the Spirit; so we can do the work our Father would have us do. Paul tells in his rhetorical questions that we will not all be given the same gifts; including speaking in tongues, and we should joyfully accept the gifts we are given.

Some may receive a special gift from the Spirit, like talking in tongues, after they receive the indwelling of the Spirit. Others are given the indwelling of the Spirit without any physical reaction, just a peaceful feeling deep within our hearts, and will later be given special gifts from the Spirit. All who have received the indwelling of the Spirit, should also receive water baptism as Jesus asked us to do; to show physically how we have spiritually had our sins washed away, forgiven by our Heavenly Father. So we can become His holy children.

*And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues ? Do all interpret? 1Co 12:28-30 NIV+

The Spirit gives us the love and faith to make our God; the Father, His Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, the most important thing in our lives.

*Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is accursed "; and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. 1Co 12:3 NASB+

*Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Ro 5:5 NKJV+

The Spirit sanctifies us; forgives our sins before we can even repent of them, so we remain spiritually holy, so He can continually remain in our hearts.

*that I should be a minister of Christ Jesus unto the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Ro 15:16 ASV

*But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 2Thess 2:13 KJV

The Spirit guides and helps us remain children of God.

*For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Ro 8:14 ESV+

*Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Ro 8:26-27 NKJV+

The Spirit guarantees us we are children of God. And we do not belong to Christ unless He dwells within our hearts (makes moral decisions of our spirit).

*And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory. Eph 1:13-14 NIV+

*You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. Ro 8:9 ESV+

4. All we must do is surrender our will, and accept the will of our Father; to receive this great gift of salvation from our Heavenly Father. There are no works which we must do; our Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, will give us the grace and faith we need to be saved. Yet it can be very hard to give up our will, and too easy to be conformed to the world; its pleasures, power, and political correctness. We must accept the will of our great God; as it is taught in His Word, and only in His Word. Or we will never be able to find our God, never become His child.

*the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. Ro 8:7-8 NIV+

*Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Ro 12:2 ESV+

*As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 1Pe 4:2 NIV+

Our Father chose us, we do not choose Him. He foreknew who He would be able to mold, refine; with His love, and by trials, tests, and tears, as He did with Israel. So we will be able to love and trust Him above all things. We should accept His great gift of salvation quickly whenever it is offered to us. For we might not get another chance to become a child of God; and satan is always ready to snatch away any who hesitate, and make them his children.

*"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. Jn 6:44 NASB+

*And it shall come to pass in all the land," Says the Lord, "That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one-third shall be left in it: I will bring the one-third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, 'This is My people'; And each one will say, 'The Lord is my God.' " Zech 13:8-9 NKJV+

*And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. Ro 8:30 ESV+

*But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 2Thess 2:13 NIV+

We are called in many different ways to surrender our will and receive the gift of grace we are being offered.

Our Father calls us;

*To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Ro 1:7 ESV+

Jesus calls us;

*Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Rev 3:20 NKJV+

The Holy Spirit calls us;

*The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." Jn 3:8 NKJV+

We should respond to our God when He calls us, using the knowledge we have about our God. Some will know much about our God, some will have heard nothing about our God. Yet all people can reach out to our God, pray to Him, for praying is merely reverently talking with our Father, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit. What we say is not as important as how sincere we really are in wanting to change, wanting to give up our will; so the Spirit can guide us. And our Father already knows what we need and will answer our prayer based on the intentions we have in our hearts.

*To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: 1Co 1:2 ESV+

All who do not know who our God is, but feel something is missing in their lives; from one in a crowd of a million in an African crusade, to one who is depressed and all alone. They merely have to call on the name of the Lord, surrender their will to our Heavenly Father; and let the Holy Spirit come into their hearts.

Some believe they cannot receive forgiveness because of all the bad things they have done. Yet Jesus came to save sinners, and the only sin which cannot be forgiven is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Blasphemy is when you reject the Spirit; do not surrender your will so the Spirit can come into your heart. Call on the name of the Lord, surrender your will and the Spirit will bring the love, peace, and grace of Jesus into your life.

*"Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Matt 12:31 NKJV+

*for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Ro 10:13 NIV+

To the many who have heard or know about Jesus, or have been taught about Him; but have not been willing to give up their own human will, their own worldly pleasures and have rejected Him. Your hearts will become harder as time passes, and no one knows how long we will live, when we will physically die. Then Jesus will take believers’ spiritual beings to Heaven, while satan will take unbelievers’ spiritual beings to Hades. Today is the day you should repent, ask our Savior to forgive your sins, and receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

*"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?' Lk12:20 NASB+

*Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Rev 3:3 ESV+

Others believe they are Christians, but are only lying to themselves; for they have not completely given up their will to our God. They use their own will to define who their god is. They pick and choose what they want to believe, taking some of their beliefs from the Word, and the rest of their beliefs from the world and their own selfish desires. They end up with a god who does not exist; and because they believe they have already been saved, they may never completely surrender their will to our God. We can only pray with them and for them, remind them that we must all give up our human will, our worldly pleasures, so our eyes may be opened, remain open so we can love our wonderful Savior about all things.

*On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Matt 7:22-24 ESV+

*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!" Lk 11:13 NKJV+

And finally there are true believers, who have the Spirit living in our hearts. We will always need to ask our Father for guidance from the Spirit, to help us continually grow in love, knowledge, and the ability to serve our Lord better. Lest we become lukewarm, and allow worldly pleasures, desires or problems creep into our lives; diluting the truths in God’s Word, which we should all know and live by, and have Jesus turn His back on us; want nothing to do with us.

*So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. Rev 3: 16 ESV+

*For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 2Ti 4:3-4 ESV+

*For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Heb 10:12 NKJV+

When we become children of God, not only are we given the indwelling of the Spirit, but our Father and Jesus also spiritually come to dwell within us. Jesus spiritually becomes one with us, we spiritually become one with Him.

*Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. Jn 14:23 NKJV+

*I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. Jn 15:5 NKJV+

Though we do not physically realize it, we spiritually are raised with Jesus into Heaven, to His seat at the right hand of His Father.

*and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Eph 2:6-7 NASB+

Jesus announces our names to our brothers and sisters in Heaven above. And the angels rejoice as Jesus tells them another sinner has become a child of God and an heir of eternal life in Heaven.

*For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother." Matt 12:50 NKJV+

*"I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. Lk 12:8 NIV+

*"In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Lk 15:10 NASB+

A good story to read which emphasizes this message is The Chasm

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Who Our God Is; Who We Are

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+ ESV “Scripture quotations marked [ESV] are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version,” copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good New Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Some words in the verses from these Bibles may be emphasized with bold letters.