Today’s meditation is based on Galatians 3:26, “It is through faith that all of you are God's children in union with Christ Jesus.” (GNB)
The above mentioned verse explains to us that everyone who has put their faith in Jesus Christ are children of God. We have the blessed privilege of being sons and daughters of the Almighty God who is the creator of heaven and earth.
One of the most exclusive relationships is that between a parent and a child. Most often parents would not like it if someone spoke ill of their children, because of the love they have for them, and the uniqueness of this relationship. So also, children who have a close relationship with their parents will be upset if anyone slandered their parents. This is a natural reaction and if there is no anger or annoyance expressed, we can be sure that there is something amiss in that relationship.
The relationship Jesus had with God the Father
When Jesus lived on this earth, He entered the temple at Jerusalem to find that the people were engaged in business, rather than in prayer or worship. This enraged Jesus so much for He proclaimed that this was His Father’s house, a house of prayer which had been made into a den of robbers. This was because of the intimate relationship that Jesus the Son of God had with God the Father, and the rights that were endowed on Him because of this intimate relationship. Jesus was zealous about the temple which belonged to God the Father, and was purely initiated to be a house of prayer for all people.
The rights to become God’s children
Only the God of the bible declares that anyone who puts their faith in Him, is accepted to be His sons and daughters, and God makes them His own.
We read about this John 1:12, “Some, however, did receive him and believed in him; so he gave them the right to become God's children.” (GNB)
All those who believed in the Lord Jesus, and received Him as Lord and Savior of their lives, are given the right to become His children, and are granted this esteemed position. This is an open invitation for everyone, and there is no barrier based on country, nationality, language or background. However, many who have accepted the Lord Jesus as their Savior have forgotten the privilege that is theirs because of this relationship.
It was to such a group of people that Paul had to write this way and remind them in Galatians 3:26, “It is through faith that all of you are God's children in union with Christ Jesus.” (GNB)
The purpose of this message is to help us comprehend who we really are, and the position that is ours as sons and daughters of the Most High God. We become children of God because we have put our faith in Jesus, and this truth must be deeply embedded in our hearts. God did not just call us to be His disciples, followers or ambassadors, but has called us to be His children.
Adam was created as the son of God
When God created Adam, He created him as His son because He desired that all of mankind should be His children. No wonder then that of all that God created, the only ones who were bestowed with His image and likeness were human beings. This is an entitlement lavished on us which we need to realize and value.
We read in Luke 3:38, “Cainan was the son of Enos. Enos was the son of Seth. Seth was the son of Adam. Adam was the son of God.” (ERV)
Interesting to note how Adam is referred to as the son of God. As sons and daughters of God there are many benefits and blessings. However, as children of God we must remember that though we have certain privileges from having this position, we also have certain responsibilities that we have to fulfill. So it is important that we understand both our benefits and our obligations as God’s children.
Let me give you an example of a person who is without job for a while, and then gets a good job in a government office. Once he gets the job, there are certain changes that he will need to make in his lifestyle in order to fulfill these responsibilities. If for instance he was used to sleeping late in the morning, and the job requires that he has to report to duty early in the morning, he certainly has to change his sleeping habits, to get to work on time. If for some reason he failed to fulfill the responsibilities entrusted to them, he will surely face the risk of losing his job.
The first privilege that I would like to share in this message is the confidence that we have as children of God. Let us look at some of the things that a child of God can be confident about.
1. Confidence to pray to God
As a child of God we have the firm confidence that whatever we ask God He will give it to us. There are many who pray without faith or confidence, and hence are not too sure if their prayers will be answered or not.
We read in 1 John 5:14, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” (ESV)
Every child of God has the confidence that when we pray according to His will, we can be sure that God will hear and answer us. Those who don’t have this confidence will not receive what they ask for, because they do not have the assurance that they will have their requests granted by God.
How do we perceive the will of God?
The more we read the word of God, the better we will be able to understand the will of God for our lives. It is the will of God that we be set free from sin, and be rid of all kinds of bondages. These bondages are not necessarily pertaining to substances, for there are those who are sadly in bondage to people too. If you are trapped in some relationships or friendships, you should ask God to help you be freed from them, for certainly this is God’s will. It is also God’s will that our inner man should grow and flourish every day. When faced with weakness or depression you can pray that God will help us overcome, for it is God’s will that you be well and whole. The Lord desires that you should live a life free from debt. All of these are revealed in God’s word, and for such we can pray with confidence knowing that God will answer our prayers.
In James 1:6, we read, “But when you pray, you must believe and not doubt at all.” (GNB)
Our prayers should be filled with faith, and without any doubt. Let us read and understand the will of God as disclosed in the word of God, and as we pray accordingly we can be sure that God will definitely grant it to us.
Oftentimes we find that many are faltering to understand the will of God for their lives. For instance a husband and wife may be separated over a small misunderstanding, and they may have a doubt if their coming back together is according to God’s will or not. Be sure to realize that it is God’s will that the husband and wife be reconciled, and there is no question about this whatsoever based on the word of God. There are some who will give faulty counsel to such spouses who have separated, and tell them that their marriage was a mistake. This is contradictory to the word of God which clearly admonishes that what God has joined together no one should separate. Therefore, in order to comprehend the will of God we need not go to men for counsel, but must always go back to the word of God.
2. Confidence to draw near to God
The other confidence we have as children of God is that we can approach Him with confidence. Let me give you an example to explain this point. Just imagine there is an industrialist, who is a strict man, who has hundreds of employees working under him. He is also a busy man who has many highly educated men who are working for him, all of whom have to take prior appointments to meet with him. If that industrialist had a toddler son, it doesn’t really matter however busy the man is, the little boy has access to his Dad at any time, and the father will never shun his son. This unique privilege belongs to the son, only because he has this special relationship with his father.
We read in Hebrews 10:19, “And now we are brothers and sisters in God’s family because of the blood of Jesus, and he welcomes us to come right into the most holy sanctuary in the heavenly realm—boldly and with no hesitation.” (TPT)
It is a fact that God is most holy, and sinful men cannot approach Him. However, the blood of Jesus has cleansed us, and made a way for us to approach God’s throne without any fear, but rather with total confidence. The sin that separated a holy God and sinful man was bridged when God the Father laid the sins of all mankind on His Son Jesus. It is that blood that Jesus shed for us on the cross that gives us access to the Father at any time without any fear or hesitation. We therefore have a way through Jesus to approach the most holy God with total confidence.
Here’s another example to explain this. The government in order to make things easy for the people has made many facilities available online. Nonetheless, many who are not aware of it will still go to people seeking favors who will make the best use of their ignorance and fleece them of their money.
We have been made holy through the blood of Jesus, and Jesus has made a way for us to draw near to the throne of God. Let us therefore make use of this right with confidence, and come near to the throne of God with boldness. Since many are not confident of this they go to others requesting them to pray for them. Let me encourage you that the Lord delights to hear each one of us pray to Him, and He will answer those who call on Him with confidence.
3. Confidence that we will receive mercy from God
We read in Hebrews 4:16, “Let us have confidence, then, and approach God's throne, where there is grace. There we will receive mercy and find grace to help us just when we need it.” (GNB)
So often, as children of God we falter in many ways. When this happens many give up on prayer, fellowship, and wrongly believe that God will not accept them because of their sinfulness. There are those who once had a close relationship with the Lord, have backslidden and feel apprehensive to get back to God.
• The son who lost it all
There is a wonderful parable that Jesus told in Luke 15:11-32. A father had two sons and the younger son asked his father for his share of property. The father though a wealthy man was also a loving one, and he obliged to the son’s demands. Once the son got his share he went far away from his father’s house, and squandered all his wealth in riotous living. Brought down to a most despicable condition, the man decided to find a job in a famine stricken land. Sadly, the only job he got was to tend pigs. It was at this point that the young man came to his senses, and realized all that he had forfeited when he walked away from his father’s house. The rights, luxury, food and all the other privileges that were his as long as he stayed at home. As he decided to get back home, he set aside his fears and had the courage and confidence that he would beg his father to take him back, at least as a servant.
Even if we have fallen away, we can come back with confidence to God, knowing that He will certainly have mercy on us.
• The son felt worthless
These are the words of the young man to his father in Luke 15:21, “Then his son said to him, 'Father, I've sinned against heaven and you. I don't deserve to be called your son anymore.'” (GW)
The young man felt worthless, and requested his father to take him back as just one of his servants.
Even before the young man could finish the statement that he had probably rehearsed many times over this was his father’s response as recorded in Luke 15:22, "The father said to his servants, 'Hurry! Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.(GW)
Look at all that the father brought for this prodigal son who returned home. Not sure how the boy had been clad before he left home, but now his father gave him the best rode, put ring on his finger, and sandals on his feet. Such was the love of the father who accepted his son just as he was and re-instated him back to his rightful position as the son in the family.
For those who feel that you have lost it all, and are not fit to be called children of God, remember that God extends His love and forgiveness to you, for His is a merciful God. The word of God reminds us again from Hebrews 4:16, that as children of God we can approach the throne of grace with confidence knowing that God is merciful to accept us just as we are.
As children of God we have confidence to pray to God, confidence to draw near to God and confidence to know that we can approach God because He is merciful and gracious to us. All this is possible because of what Jesus did for us on the cross so that those who believe in Him could enjoy this privilege as sons and daughters of God. If anyone is lacking this confidence turn back to God and He will strengthen you, and give you the assurance that you are His sons, and daughters.
Rev. F. Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewsfriends.net
Transcribed by: Sis. Esther Collins
