We are Children of God

"Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become the children of God." John 1:12

What a wonderful verse, full of promise and grace. God promises to make you His child, when by faith you receive Him as Lord of your life. He would never mislead you. God is trustworthy and His Word is trustworthy. So if this is indeed true, why are His children so different?

Why do some seek spiritual maturity, yet others seemingly never mature. Some others struggle greatly throughout life and some only for awhile. Our walks and testimonies are as varied as our personalities. Our free will and our propensities for obedience, or rebellion are totally determined by our own choices. Throw into that self-inflicted mix are a few circumstances completely out of our control, and there you have it. The dynamics of life as we choose to respond to it, and live it. So, if we all start off at a similar place of salvation, what affects us in such a way to produce such different spiritual results. I think some of the answers are in this verse.

First, there is a difference between believing and receiving. We need to cognitively do both you know. We must believe and receive. I cannot imagine not doing both. I mean if you truly believe, then you will receive also. I know you can't receive without believing, but some seem to believe then stop receiving soon after. In the last part of our verse today, it says that he gave us the right to become children of God. Like other rights, I have to choose to exercise it. I have the right to say yes and no and maybe. I have the right to be wrong. I have the right to change and to be stubborn, to obey and to rebel. My favorite word in this verse is 'become'. Becoming is a process. Nothing instantaneous about that process either. Oh yeah, the potential, one way or the other is granted immediately upon salvation, but what I do with that gift is my free will. So we are choice makers. We can believe and receive and become as we choose. I am always amazed at the wonderful, faithful children of His who come from the worst possible circumstances. I am equally amazed at the troubled, reprobate children of His who come from the most idyllic circumstances. Free will is a very strong thing. Choice is the primary determinant of maturity and immaturity. Whether against all odds, or in spite of all favor, we do what we do. Nonetheless we are His children. Loved and saved by Him and His grace alone. As His child, I want to please Him. I want to be all that He has for me to be. I want to believe and receive everything He desires for me to know and have. I want to become whatever is His will. As I surrender and as I grow in my faith and walk, I want to experience all that I have a right to become.

Join me in Him,
Pastor Fred

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