“See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are” (I Jn 3:1). And such we are! If you have embraced the gospel message of Jesus Christ you are, in fact, a child of God. Do you know that? Do you sense that? Do you feel that? It is easy to see ourselves as God’s children on a theological or intellectual level, but are we experiencing its impact? Are we connecting to our identity as God’s child on an emotional or spiritual level?
Following Christ’s ascension, the initial group of Christ-followers were almost exclusively Jewish. And for these “children of Israel” to now be “children of God” was a radical change in identity. Throughout the Old Testament, God’s chosen people were known as “the children of Israel.” The children of who? Not the children of God, but the children of Israel. They were known by their earthly father, Jacob, who was renamed Israel in Genesis chapter 32.
In the gospels, the Jewish leaders saw themselves as God’s chosen people, identified by their connection to their forefathers. In their interactions with Jesus, they identified themselves as children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But this all changed when Jewish believers went from children of Israel to children of God.
What about us, 2000 years down the line? We too have become the children of God. Do we celebrate and rest in this incredible truth? These are facts, after all, not just opinions. If you are a believer, you are a child of God. You are adopted with full rights and privileges into the family of God. God is your Father. The seed of God dwells inside you. You now have a family resemblance to God your Father. Whoa, is that taking things a little too far? A family resemblance to the God of the Universe? Can this be true? We will explore that topic next time.