Ironside
09-06-2007, 09:09 PM
On becoming a child of God
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Here in these verses we are told how to become a Christian, how to become a child of God. But first let us consider the means by which one can NEVER become a Christian or a child of God. There are three ways enumerated in verse 13 by which one can NEVER become a child of God.
Notice first, that the children of God did not become God’s children by natural descent, heredity, lineage and natural conception:
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
13 who were born, not of blood…………….”
Blood here refers to family bloodline. A young man once applied for membership in a local church, stood up and said: “Friends, you know very well my parents. They are Christians. You know very well my brothers and sisters, all of them are Christians. And I have been thinking as of late that it would be good for me to become a member of the church since I am also a Christian by virtue of me being born to Christian parents. And so I thought that maybe it would only be right and fitting if I become a member of the church to which they are members.”
An old man stood up and asked: “Have you experienced the new birth? Was there a time in your life when you were born again?”
To which the young man replied: “I am born in a Christian family you see. I am a Christian.”
But the Bible says: you are not a Christian just because your parents are Christians. Not of blood.
Secondly, notice that the verse goes on to tell us that one does not become a child of God, a Christian by our own determination to live the Christian life:
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh,……..”
The expression “nor of the will of the flesh” means that no one becomes a Christian by one’s own determination to live the Christian life.
“I decided to go to church, read my Bible daily, attend Bible school, pray daily etc. I just got tired of the activities of the world. It’s about time that I turn over a new leaf in my life. I am now determined to live the good life to improve myself.”
But the Bible says: “Not of the will of the flesh”. You don’t become a child of God by determining to be one, mustering all your might to improve yourself.” Repentance is not improving oneself. Repentance is changing our attitude towards God, sin, self and Christ. It is seeing ourselves as sinners helpless and hopeless to save ourselves. You can do all of the things listed in the preceding paragraph without being repentant. You might as well read books on psychology, join self improvement seminars and read the books of secular psychologists etc. [One can be reformed by these secular methods but never transformed, only by being born again can one be transformed].
No, not of self determination, not the will of the flesh.
Third, one does not become a child of God by the will of man.
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man,……..
A man stood up and recounted his credentials [the credentials which he relied on for salvation]: “I was baptized by no less than the senior pastor of our church. When I was young I was dedicated to God with a very elaborate ceremony attended by pastors of all denominations. When I was entering my teenage years, I was ceremonially confirmed by my church to Christianity. They prayed for me and committed me to God. Now who are you to tell me that I am not a Christian?”
The Bible says: “You don’t become a Christian by the will of man.”
Now if one does not become a child of God by lineage, by the determination of the flesh and by the will of man over us, how then can one become a child of God? First, know that becoming a child of God is the work of God. Notice the words below:
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Being a child of God is the work of God in the sinner who is repentant and trusting in Christ alone for salvation. When one recognizes his need of salvation, when he sees himself as helpless and hopeless to save himself and throws himself to the Savior for salvation. Upon trusting in the work of Christ alone for salvation, he by God’s Holy Spirit becomes a child of God:
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God,…………
It is when one receives Christ that one becomes a child of God. Receiving Christ here in this verse is explained as believing or trusting in His name for salvation. Notice:
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
“Believe” here means to trust. This is not just mere head belief. Some people believe in the Lord like they believe in the existence of New York City. To show you the difference let me ask you a couple of questions: “Do you believe that there is a place called New York City in America?” Yes. “Do you trust in New York City?” Of course not. What should we trust New York City for right?
Do you believe that once there was a man called Jesus Christ who once walked this earth, died for the sins of sinners and rose again? If yes. Do you trust Him and what He did for you on the cross of Calvary?
Not all who have head belief trusts. But all who trust, believe. And all who trust in Christ Jesus alone for salvation becomes a child of God.
Ga 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Here in these verses we are told how to become a Christian, how to become a child of God. But first let us consider the means by which one can NEVER become a Christian or a child of God. There are three ways enumerated in verse 13 by which one can NEVER become a child of God.
Notice first, that the children of God did not become God’s children by natural descent, heredity, lineage and natural conception:
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
13 who were born, not of blood…………….”
Blood here refers to family bloodline. A young man once applied for membership in a local church, stood up and said: “Friends, you know very well my parents. They are Christians. You know very well my brothers and sisters, all of them are Christians. And I have been thinking as of late that it would be good for me to become a member of the church since I am also a Christian by virtue of me being born to Christian parents. And so I thought that maybe it would only be right and fitting if I become a member of the church to which they are members.”
An old man stood up and asked: “Have you experienced the new birth? Was there a time in your life when you were born again?”
To which the young man replied: “I am born in a Christian family you see. I am a Christian.”
But the Bible says: you are not a Christian just because your parents are Christians. Not of blood.
Secondly, notice that the verse goes on to tell us that one does not become a child of God, a Christian by our own determination to live the Christian life:
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh,……..”
The expression “nor of the will of the flesh” means that no one becomes a Christian by one’s own determination to live the Christian life.
“I decided to go to church, read my Bible daily, attend Bible school, pray daily etc. I just got tired of the activities of the world. It’s about time that I turn over a new leaf in my life. I am now determined to live the good life to improve myself.”
But the Bible says: “Not of the will of the flesh”. You don’t become a child of God by determining to be one, mustering all your might to improve yourself.” Repentance is not improving oneself. Repentance is changing our attitude towards God, sin, self and Christ. It is seeing ourselves as sinners helpless and hopeless to save ourselves. You can do all of the things listed in the preceding paragraph without being repentant. You might as well read books on psychology, join self improvement seminars and read the books of secular psychologists etc. [One can be reformed by these secular methods but never transformed, only by being born again can one be transformed].
No, not of self determination, not the will of the flesh.
Third, one does not become a child of God by the will of man.
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man,……..
A man stood up and recounted his credentials [the credentials which he relied on for salvation]: “I was baptized by no less than the senior pastor of our church. When I was young I was dedicated to God with a very elaborate ceremony attended by pastors of all denominations. When I was entering my teenage years, I was ceremonially confirmed by my church to Christianity. They prayed for me and committed me to God. Now who are you to tell me that I am not a Christian?”
The Bible says: “You don’t become a Christian by the will of man.”
Now if one does not become a child of God by lineage, by the determination of the flesh and by the will of man over us, how then can one become a child of God? First, know that becoming a child of God is the work of God. Notice the words below:
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Being a child of God is the work of God in the sinner who is repentant and trusting in Christ alone for salvation. When one recognizes his need of salvation, when he sees himself as helpless and hopeless to save himself and throws himself to the Savior for salvation. Upon trusting in the work of Christ alone for salvation, he by God’s Holy Spirit becomes a child of God:
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God,…………
It is when one receives Christ that one becomes a child of God. Receiving Christ here in this verse is explained as believing or trusting in His name for salvation. Notice:
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
“Believe” here means to trust. This is not just mere head belief. Some people believe in the Lord like they believe in the existence of New York City. To show you the difference let me ask you a couple of questions: “Do you believe that there is a place called New York City in America?” Yes. “Do you trust in New York City?” Of course not. What should we trust New York City for right?
Do you believe that once there was a man called Jesus Christ who once walked this earth, died for the sins of sinners and rose again? If yes. Do you trust Him and what He did for you on the cross of Calvary?
Not all who have head belief trusts. But all who trust, believe. And all who trust in Christ Jesus alone for salvation becomes a child of God.
Ga 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus