Is Everyone a Child of God?

“For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”  Galatians 3:26

Before Christ brought salvation by way of His death and resurrection, God’s people, Israel, were living in bondage to the law, or as Paul put it, “shut up” or locked up under the law.  There was no real way of escape from the law.  Folks could violate any of the numerous regulations, but there was always a price to pay, usually by way of dominion by one of Israel’s enemies, thus losing their freedom.  Once under the thumb of one of their adversaries, their miserable conditions led them to repent and return to God’s law, the observance of which was very demanding.  The law was strict and somewhat cumbersome as there were rules to follow about every facet of life.  Some of the sins, like adultery, called for a death sentence (Leviticus 20:10), a very harsh and permanent punishment.  It would be plausible to think that the people living under this strict and demanding law would hope for some other way to be right with God.  Perhaps one reason that the law was so difficult and impossible to keep was to hopefully cause them to embrace faith in God’s promise of a Savior which is how the Old Testament saints were deemed righteous by God (Hebrews 11).  “For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh to God” (Hebrews 7:19).

Paul used the analogy of a “schoolmaster” when describing the law.  In other words, the law was a “teacher” which showed God’s chosen people that their sin made it impossible for them to be in good standing with God based on their own self-righteousness.  The animal sacrifices which they were to carry out were primarily a forerunner of the one and final sacrifice that Christ would make upon the cross.  There had to be a blood sacrifice by One who was sinless in order to satisfy God’s justice for the sin of mankind.  The shedding of blood was necessary for the remission, that is, the forgiveness, of sin (Hebrews 9:22), because sin is so egregious to our holy God.  Sin defies God.  All sin is against God.  It is a slap to His face, a hostile act to His righteousness and goodness.  Only repentance and faith in Jesus Christ can justify a sinful man or woman.

Since Christ came, died for the sins of men and women, and was resurrected by God as God’s satisfaction that Christ’s atonement was sufficient to pay the penalty for all sin, the law was no longer needed because Christ fulfilled the law perfectly making it no longer necessary to be taught by the law but rather by Christ Himself through the conviction and power of the Holy Spirit.  In effect, Christ, through the Holy Spirit, becomes not only the “Schoolmaster” to lead us to salvation, but also the means whereby we can be saved.  The law could only show those who were under the law their sins, but Christ not only led us to see our sins, to see ourselves as God sees us, He also gave us the way of escape from the guilt and bondage to sin.  Rather than the law, the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin and will lead us to repentance and faith if we will only hear Him and submit to His calling.  A person without the Holy Spirit will try to excuse or justify his or her sin, but those with the Holy Spirit residing within their souls know that sin cannot be justified by any efforts on their own.  The only acceptable means of justification is Christ and His redemptive work on the cross.

Paul then gave the definition of the “children of God”–those who by faith have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  This is an incisive statement that goes to the heart of the matter.  It is both inclusive, in that only those born again by repentance and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ are included, and exclusive, in that all those who have rejected Christ and His gospel are excluded.  There are some folks who say that all people are God’s children, but Paul’s statement negates that idea.  It is true that all people are God’s creation, but His children are only those who have become a member of His family because they have been adopted by Him by grace through faith in His Son.  The Apostle John wrote in John 1:12-13, “But as many as received Him (Jesus), to them gave He the power to become the sons (and daughters) of God (italics added), even to those that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God”.  John makes it clear that physical birth (of blood), attempting to “turn over a new leaf”, or any other man-made was to God will not provide entry into the family of God, but only those who have committed their lives to live for Christ.  John’s statement also makes clear that the power and ability to become a child of God is found ONLY in Christ.  Jesus said in John 14:6 that He is “the way, the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father, but by (Him)”.  How much more clearly can we see that the children of God are only those who have come to God by way of Jesus Christ?  The invitation to become a child of God and a brother or sister to Jesus Christ is still being delivered across the globe.  God delights in adding to His family as many as will accept His invitation.