A True Child of God Matt 12: 50 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

When we receive Jesus Christ, Jn 1:12 says that he gives us power to become the sons of God.  Until recently, I haven’t considered what he meant by “power to become” sons of God.  After all, when you get saved, you are a child of God.  So, why would he say that he gives us power to become the sons of God?  The reason, practically speaking, is that a “true” child of God is:

A True Child of God

Submitted

Submitted – Matt 12:50 – Jesus Christ is the only “begotten” Son of God.  We are sons of God by the new birth.  Therefore, doctrinally, we are brothers and sisters to the Lord Jesus Christ.  However, Jesus said, “whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”  In other words, the ones he claims as brothers and sisters are the ones who do the will of his Father.  Well, there are far too many Christians who do not do the will of God.  John says that you can tell the difference between a child of God and a child of the devil by who does righteousness and who doesn’t do righteousness [1 Jn 3:7-10].  You must obey the Father if you want to be a true child of God.

Separated

Separated – 2 Cor 6:14-18 – again we must stress that a person who is born again is doctrinally a child of God.  He’s “in” Jesus.  But, practically, the Lord says that he doesn’t consider Christians “sons and daughters” until they “come out from among them,” and are “separate.”  Righteousness can’t have fellowship with unrighteousness, light can’t have communion with darkness, Christ has no concord with Belial, and believers have no part with infidels.  We are the temple of God and we are to be separate.  We are to have “no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them,” [Eph 5:8-12].  You must separate yourself to the Lord if you want to be a true child of God.

Sanctified

Sanctified – 1 Jn 3:1-3 – a true son of God purifies himself even as Jesus is pure.  Our relationship with the world is supposed to be like Jesus’ was.  Today, far too many Christians are more like the world than they are like the Lord.  This process of sanctification is something that takes a lifetime and can only be accomplished as you immerse yourself in God’s words. As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word…” [1 Pet 2:2].  See also Jn 17:17; 15:3.

Spirit-led

Spirit-led – Rom 8:14 – look carefully at this verse.  “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”  Who are the sons of God?  As many as are led by the Spirit of God.  Well, if you are not being led by the Spirit of God can you really call yourself a true child of God?  I can remember too vividly a period in my early years as a Christian that I was not even remotely following the leadership of the Holy Spirit in my life.  After my “come to Jesus meeting,” when I yielded my life to the Lord, the change was so drastic that I often have believed I wasn’t even saved until then.  The difference between being a Spirit-led Christian and a carnal Christian is about like the difference between being saved and lost!

Scourged

Scourged – Heb 12:5-11 – in this passage we find the following, “For whom the Lord loveth he chaseneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.”  Do you know what he calls those who are “without chastisement?”  He calls them “bastards and not sons,” [Heb 12:8].  A bastard is an illegitimate child.  He chastens us for our good that we may be “partakers of his holiness” and bear “the peaceable fruit of righteousness.”  The Lord will just back off of chastening you when he sees that it is doing no good [Is 1:5].  You aren’t responding as a son.  A true child of God endures the chastening of our loving Father.

Conclusion

You need to go on from being born again to becoming a son of God by the power of God by following these five Biblical definitions of a true child of God.