Responsibility: Are you one of God’s children?

Published 5:40 am Sunday, September 22, 2019

By Timothy Johnson

Preacher’s Point

This morning while reading through social media, I saw a post listing eight promises from God. Every one of them is true, but the problem is, many people will apply God’s promises to themselves when they only apply to God’s children.

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We have a relationship with our children that we do not have with the other kids in town. We do not tuck every child into bed a night, but we do our own. We do not supply supper for every child on the street each night, but we make sure our children eat. This behavior is not to say we do not have love and compassion for all children, but we are responsible for our own, and our benevolence begins there.

God has only one begotten Son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16). However, God does adopt children into His family. Romans 8:15, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”

I have adopted grandchildren. When the first set of kids were adopted, the judge made this profound statement, “Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, you have done everything required to make these children your children. I can see that the lives of these children will do nothing but benefit from your love, care, and parenting; however, there is one last thing I must do.”

The judge then asked each child individually, “Do you want to be adopted by this family.”

Although everything needed was accomplished, even though the adoption could do nothing but benefit the child, the judge still asked them, “Do you want to be adopted?”

God’s adoption process is the same. God has done everything legally required to adopt us. With all of humanity being sinners, the law required a sinless blood sacrifice to pay for the sins of the world (Hebrews 9:11-12, 14, 22).

Now that God has done everything needed, it is now up to us to accept the adoption. John 1:12, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

Once saving faith is in place, the adoption is complete, and we are joint-heirs with Christ. Romans 8:16-17, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

The differences in the relationship between God and His children compared to the relationship God has with the unsaved is remarkable and can be seen in His promises.

God will never leave His children. Hebrews 13:5, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Sin separates the sinner from God. Isaiah 59:1-2, “Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”

Notice the preceding verse also mentions that God will not hear their prayers because of their sin. Meanwhile, God listens to His children. John 15:7, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

Another promise God makes to His children is peace, a peace that is beyond comprehension. Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

On the flip side, God expresses the point in several passages that those that are not His will not know peace.

Isaiah 48:22, “There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked.”

Isaiah 59:8, “The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.”

Ezekiel 7:25, “Destruction cometh; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none.”

Maybe you have wondered why God does not keep His promises. Perhaps you have heard Christians spout off the promises of God and figured they are out of touch with reality. The problem may not be that Christians are living in a fairy book world, or that God is unfaithful. It may very well be a situation where you are not one of His children, and the promise does not apply to you.

As real-life parents, we do not take every kid in town out for ice cream; that is something our children enjoy. God is the same way.

Timothy Johnson is pastor of Countryside Baptist Church in Kingman, Indiana. Email: preacherspoint@gmail.com. Sermons and archived Preacher’s Points can be found at www.preacherspoint.wordpress.com.