Friday December 4, 2020

Today’s Reading: John 1:1-18

“But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.“

John 1:12-13

Reflection:

There is a common misconception today that all people are children of God; that no matter who you are, or where you are from, we are all God’s children. While this is a beautiful sentiment, this is not a biblical truth. God’s Word reminds us that all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and that without Christ all people are children–not of God–but of wrath (Ephesians 2:3). YIKES! Think about that the next time you hear someone say, “We’re all God’s children.” Well, not according to God!

Such a thought is not an easy one to confront, nor is it a thought that is accepted in our society. The truth is this: yes, we all have one Creator, and that Creator is the LORD God of the Bible. All people have been created by God, and all people descend from Adam, who God made.

But because we descend from Adam, who sinned against God and earned God’s wrath, all people are children of wrath, and not children of God. We might try to blame Adam for our condition, but the reality is that none of us would have faired any better in the Garden and that all of us have sinned against God. We are not God’s children. Because we have sinned, we have chosen to be God’s enemies.

And yet, here is the beauty of the Gospel: that Jesus, the Eternal Word, took on human flesh and came to earth to die for sinners, so that, as our passage states, “to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.”

This is amazing! Why? Because it means that no matter who you are or where you are from, you do not have to be a child of wrath! You can be a child of God if you receive and believe in the Son of God. This is wonderful news because our acceptance into God’s family is not dependent upon our history, lineage, status, ethnicity, country, family, none of that. The Scripture says that ALL who receive Jesus and THOSE who believe in His name because God’s children according to the will of God.

And that is even more amazing because it is God who wants us to become children of God instead of remaining children of wrath! This is an encouragement to us to see how God has made away for all people, all who will believe in His Son, to become His children. Praise to our God, AMEN?

It may be difficult in our pluralistic society to hear that not all people are God’s children. But the truth is not all doom and gloom! The truth sets us free to see that there is a way to become God’s children, and that one way is through His Son, Jesus Christ, whom God sent to the world He so loved, so that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life; that all who receive Him would become children of God.

Prayer: Father God, thank You for making me Your child through Your Son, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful to be part of Your family and to be blessed with a relationship with You, the Creator, the Sustainer, and the King of all creation. What an amazing honor, o Lord! Help me, Father, to share Your Word with those who are not Your children, in truth and in love, that they may become Your children through Your Son. I pray these things in Jesus’ Name, AMEN.

Thru the Bible in a year (credit: Biblestudytools.com): John 1:1-18; 1 Chronicles 5-6; Zephaniah 2