We Are God's Children and Heirs

- God made everyone but not everyone is God's children. Only those who put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior are adopted into God's family and become God's children. "To all who did receive Him (Jesus Christ), to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God--children born not of natural descent, nor human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." (John 1:12-13) "God sent His Son...to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are His sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father.' So you are no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you are His child, God has made you also an heir." (Gal 4:4b-7)
- The Holy Spirit bears witness together with our human spirit that we are children of God. "It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth." (1 John 5:6b) We can be certain of this truth.
- Everything belongs to Christ and by grace, we (God's adopted children) share in what is His. What a beautiful promise it is! We are assured here of our inheritance. We're heirs of all that God has to give and we're coheirs with Christ, to Whom the Father has given all things. Even God Himself is our Inheritance and Portion. To be a joint heir with Christ means to be a fellow sufferer with Christ. "Whoever does not take up their cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me." ~Jesus (Matthew 10:38) "Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering." (2 Thessalonians 1:4-5) "Rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you...If you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name." (1 Peter 4:13-14, 16) Those who share with Christ in His sufferings will also share with Him in His glory. The experience of suffering precedes the experience of glory.

- Whose we are defines who we are. Only in Christ can we find our true identity and value. May we never forget or lose sight of this fact that we are beloved children of God! He loves us with the same love with which He loves His one and only Son. He's always got our back. When we, God's children, demonstrate our Heavenly Father's characteristics (loving, gracious, merciful, patient, kind, forgiving, etc.), we are witnesses to the world of Who God is. When people look at us, do they see any resemblance to our Abba Father?