Are all people children of God, or do some BECOME his children?

Question

John 1:12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

How do we reconcile the popular idea that everyone is a child of God with the biblical evidence?

Bongernet, a fact is a statement about reality backed by evidence. You present none. Why answer a question about biblical interpretation for which you have no evidence?

Good point, Magtod. The New Testament talks about Jesus as being God's ONLY begotten son. Everyone else who becomes a child of God becomes part of the life of Christ by a second birth.

Cuchlain77, thanks for your explication of the much maligned word "religion." I had never connected the Prodigal Son parable to the issue of who is a child of God--nicely done.

Answer 1

The popular idea cannot be reconciled with scripture. Do we want to believe what is popular or believe what is true? Give me true every time!

We are children of God by adoption, upon acceptance of Christ as our Savior- not before.

Galatians 4:4-5
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Someonewhocares- Ps 82:6 was written and refers to the Jewish nation, who God has a special covenantal relationship with. We must be careful to not apply specific promises to Jews as promises to ourselves.

Answer 2

Good question - The Bible indicates that all men are born as children of God:

Acts 17:26 "And He has made from one blood every nation of men....... 28 "for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'

However, there is an adoption as children mentioned as well:

Galatians 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.....4:5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

The way to reconcile this is found in the prodigal son story in Luke 15 - The son is a son until he leaves his father (a metaphor for God). When he returns, he is spoken of as one who was dead and is now alive, similar to our being dead in sin, alive in Christ and adopted through Christ. Likewise, we are born in a relatioship with God as innocents, but when we choose to sin (James 1) we break that relationship.

Consider the word "religion" - re= to do again, ligion=rope or tie (like ligament). Religion is the effort to retie the cord to God

This is why young children (Matt 19:14) and repentant sinners (Christians, John 3:5) are those who have a place in the kingdom of heaven

Answer 3

Though God "hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth" (Acts 17:26), spiritually speaking we are "dead in trespasses and sins" and are "by nature the children of wrath" (Eph. 2:1, 3; cf. jn. 8:44), and thus need to be born spiritually (Jn. 3:3), and being made alive in Christ.

It is this Jesus, the Son of the living God, who alone lived sinlessly, serving others selflessly day and night, but "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." (1 Pet 2:24).

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened [resurrected alive] by the Spirit:" (1 Pet 3:18).

"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." (Acts 3:19).

Praise the Lord!

Answer 4

"Our Father who art in heaven..." The Father is waiting to his son, the prodigal son.

Being a children of God what I have to do for me to call God's children?

For me, I have to return to my Father's house where He is waiting for me.

In a Father, Mother and Son relationship, it is a relationship that binds them as a perfect family- love exits.

Jesus death on the cross, you will witness the greatest love of all by contemplating the seven last word and I quote:

Jesus said, "Woman ( Mother of Jesus- Blessed Virgin Mary), behold your son..."- a perfect mother is given to us.

"Father into your hands I commend my Spirit."- his life is given to us

Jesus never spoils his love to us even in a single breath.

Answer 5

Psalms 82:6
all of you are children of the most High.

Answer 6

ok first of all how could you placed away infantile issues and nevertheless save the softness of heart that a infant has? merely as you stated it. you placed away infantile habit (like immaturity, irresponsibility, etc.) yet you hold the softness of heart that a infant has (worrying, loving, accepting, purity). once you compromise for Jesus into your heart as your Lord and Savior, you have become a infant (or son) of God because of the fact you're giving up your worldly elementary elementary approaches to alter into like Christ. sort of like how the Bible makes use of "Christ", "Lord", "Jesus", "God", "Father", etc yet all of them propose the comparable man or woman. as a ways because of the fact the girls of God section, Jesus isn't different than for women right here. The Bible merely makes use of adult males as a connection with all of us of all genders, so adult males and girls. We nevertheless try this immediately human beings say "Come on adult males" yet they could say it to a team of adult males or women, you comprehend? nicely the Bible is doing the comparable ingredient. If this does not extremely make experience to you, please be happy to digital mail me and ask extra questions.

Answer 7

All are children of God but some have lost there way.

Answer 8

God loves us all, but we become His children by accepting Jesus as our personal savior.

Answer 9

So then, what are those others? Where did they come from? Where they adopted?

Answer 10

I believe you just did it!