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Our Father's Children
February 02, 2014
The scriptures teach that we are to take care of blood family in Christ first, and then our spiritual family in Christ. Jesus referred to God as the heavenly Father of believers. The apostle Paul referred to believers in Christ as adopted children of God. He states that with the adoption comes the shared inheritance of the promises given to Jesus Christ. First, though, Paul writes, we must share the suffering. He maintains that the weight of suffering in this present world is well worth the glories of the inherited promises. - Bernie Parsons
Our Father’s Children
by Bernie Parsons
Presented to Globe church of Christ on 02-02-2014
Presented to Load church of Christ on 02-23-2014
I recently talked about family – husbands and wives, parents and children.
Now, I want to talk about God as our father, and we as His adopted children.
Luke 11:9 "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye
shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to
him that knocketh it shall be opened.
11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him
a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children:
how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that
ask him?"
Jesus established that those who follow God’s commandments are regarded as
His children. If you have the Holy Spirit of God, then you are one of His.
"Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons
of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have
received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the
children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;
if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to
be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation
of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason
of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain
together until now.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the
Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption,
to wit, the redemption of our body."
Through God’s Holy Spirit, we are adopted into the family of God. The
apostle Paul said that the relationship makes us fellow heirs with Christ of
those things that God has promised Him. In this life, though, we share the
sufferings that Jesus endured. When temporary sufferings are weighed against
the glorious eternal rewards, the balance shifts heavily in favor of the
glories.
In Christ, our uselessness – vanity – is converted into fruitfulness in the
Holy Spirit.
Galatians 3:22 "But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the
promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith
which should afterwards be revealed.
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we
might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is
neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to
the promise.
Galatians 4:1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth
nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of
the world:
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of
a woman, made under the law,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption
of sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into
your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an
heir of God through Christ."
Under the law, God’s people were treated as young children needing tutoring.
With Christ, we are adopted into the family of God as adults. We have been
redeemed. We are His!
Ephesians 1:3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted
in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of his grace;
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good
pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together
in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on
earth; even in him:
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated
according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of
his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in
Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were
sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the
purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory."
Before our world was made, God laid His plan for our adoption into His
spiritual family. He predestined and predetermined that those who would
trust Jesus would be sons and fellow heirs.
Hebrews 12:5 "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you
as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor
faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he
receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son
is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye
bastards, and not sons.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we
gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the
Father of spirits, and live?
10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but
he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous:
nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto
them which are exercised thereby.
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned
out of the way; but let it rather be healed."
