As God’s children, it is critical that we have a clear understanding of who we are in Christ. A human family can help us understand our relationship with the perfect God family (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).
If you are a parent and have children, then the following may give you insight regarding God’s attitude toward you as His child. When your child was born, he/she became part of your family. A good parent will always love their children, regardless of their behavior; and their child will always be their child since they were born into the family. Yet a good parent will not always be pleased with the child’s behavior. If the child is disobedient, a good parent will discipline the child to correct them and withhold blessings, if necessary, to correct the child and train them to take the correct path. The good parent is eager to bless the child and wants to do what is best for the child. If a child is extremely rebellious, the parent may let the child experience the consequences of their own rebellion to bring them to their senses. Regardless, the good parent recognizes that, despite that child’s behavior, by birth, they are in the family.
Hopefully, you see the picture: when you are born again, you become part of the God family—never to be forsaken! How much greater is God’s love for us than our human love for our children!
Bible verses to think about:
A. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that, as Christians, we are new creations. We have a complete change in our identity in God’s eyes. Romans 8:14-15 states that we are God’s children, calling to Him as “Abba Father” (which means “daddy”). Paul refers to Christians as saints in Ephesians 1:1. We have been changed from sinners to saints who still have the ability to sin. In 1 Corinthians 6:19, Paul communicated that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Colossians 1:27 tells us that Jesus lives in us! Ephesians 1:3-4 declares that we have all spiritual blessings in Christ!
B. God’s goal for us is learning to trust Him. The Christian life is a journey of faith. Romans 16:26 refers to the obedience of faith. Romans 1:17 tells us that the righteous (Christians) live from faith to faith. We become Christians by faith, and we are to live our lives by faith. Acts 26:18 indicates that we are sanctified by faith. Hebrews 11:6 states that it is impossible to please God without faith. The Christian life is sometimes referred in the Bible as “the faith”, for a good reason.
C. We are to practice trusting Jesus with childlike faith. In Matthew 18:3-4, Jesus reminds us that childlike faith is a key aspect of the Christian life.
D. As a good parent, God disciplines His children. Hebrews 12:5-13 and Psalm 89:30-33 imply that God disciplines us if we don’t listen to Him but will never break off His lovingkindness and faithfulness to us.
E. As parents understand, discipline is not solely intended for punishment but is also useful for training. We train children to develop them into responsible members of the family. This training can be painful at times. As God’s children, we learn the obedience of faith through suffering. God trains us through trials and difficulty to develop character and to prepare us to enter into the family work. Read Hebrews 5:7-9. God often takes his children through dark nights wherein it appears that He is destroying them—only to discover that He is leading them to discover Him as their life source for all aspects of their lives.