From the Pulpit: Children of the Living God

By: Rev Mike Scott

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 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. The Spirit itself bearing witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God (Romans 8:14—16).

The first institution Almighty God establishes on this Earth is the family as He brings Adam and Eve together and declares “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). The family is a place where love and loyalty are to abide and is likewise a place where children are nurtured and instructed. Sadly, not all families are Christian families; therefore, shameful behavior such as infidelity, spousal abuse and child neglect are all too common.

Throughout Scripture, Jehovah God uses several analogies concerning the church. For example, the church is likened unto a building with Christ as the foundation (see Ephesians 2:19—21) and a body with Christ as the head (see 1 Corinthians 12:27). But one of the most powerful analogies is that of the family as its members are considered to be children of God and the church itself is likened unto a bride with Christ as her Groom. It is important that we understand the meaning of these two concepts.

The Church as the Family of God

First of all, as born-again believers we are considered to be part of the family of God, which means we are His children and He is our Father. Concerning the birth of Christ, the apostle John writes “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:11—12), and the apostle John declares “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God…” (1 John 3: 1). The Bible makes it quite clear that those who fail to respond to Christ in faith are considered to be of their father the devil (see John 8:44), while those who do the will of God are members of His family (see Mark 3:32—35).

There are two important aspects to consider regarding our being part of God’s family, and the first concerns the unity of the church. If we are indeed children of God, then this means we are brothers and sisters in Christ with every other believer. As such, we are to come together in the unity of the Spirit as we worship God, exalt the name of Christ Jesus, and bring praise, honor, and glory to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. One of the saddest realities in existence today is a church that is divided by dissension and disharmony. When this takes place, Christians find themselves taking sides and looking down on fellow believers. Churches have actually divided over petty issues, which has resulted in animosity within the body of Christ, hurt feelings and families being torn apart. The Word of God exhorts us to “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another” (Romans 12:10), and it likewise instructs us to “…do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). There is no place within the Christian church for hatred, bitterness and jealousy, for “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1)!

A second important aspect that needs to be considered concerning our being part of God’s family has to do with the chastisement we receive when we err from the faith. In the book of Proverbs King Solomon declares “My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: for whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth” (Proverbs 3:11—12), and writing to the Hebrews the apostle Paul says “…whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (Hebrews 12: 6). As believers it should be our desire to obey our Heavenly Father in every way, but there are times in which we fail to live up to His standards. It is during these lapses in judgment that God will chastise us through either conviction by the Holy Spirit or an even more sever punishment such as affliction or adversity. We need to understand that God doesn’t bring the chastening rod upon us as a sadistic tyrant who enjoys seeing us suffer; instead, He does so as a kind and compassionate Father who desires for His children to live holy and righteous lives.

The Church as the Bride of Christ

While Christians being members of the family of God basically refers to our relationship to our Heavenly Father in this present life, the church as the bride of Christ carries with it a future (eternal) aspect. Before Christ was crucified, He gave His followers the assurance, “In my Father’s house there are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to myself; that where I am there ye may be also” (John 14:2—3), and following His resurrection and ascension into Heaven holy angles inform them that “…this same Jesus, which is take up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into into heaven” (Acts 1:11). The blessed hope all believers possess is the reality that one day Christ the Lord will come again to receive the church unto Himself as He descends “…from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God…” (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

In that day the church, which is made up of every born again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (both dead and alive), will be transported to Heaven to receive “…the inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians 1:12). In the book of Revelation the apostle John describes Christ and His church coming together in a great celebration known as the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Concerning this glorious event the apostle says “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb…” (Revelation 19:7—9).

We are given two pieces of information concerning the bride (the church), and the first of these is the fact that she is prepared—his wife hath made herself ready (v 7). In a very real sense, this present life is to be spent in making preparation for the next, and the only way to do this is by placing saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Almighty God has made a way whereby every living soul can have a home in Heaven in that He has given His only begotten Son to die on Calvary’s Cross. To accept Christ as Lord and Saviour not only brings peace, joy, and contentment in this life, but it likewise assures us a seat at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

A second piece of information we are given concerning the bride is that she is pure—arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints (v 8). Earlier in Revelation, John has a vision of “…a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues…” (Revelation 7:9) standing before the throne of God. He is informed that this great throng of folks “…have washed their robes, and made the white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14). Any righteousness we as believers possess is imputed unto us through a right relationship with Christ. His precious blood washes away every sin and transgression, which means we are fully justified in the sight of our Heavenly Father.

Everyone who places saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is a member of the family of God and will one day be part of the bride at the great Marriage Supper of the Lamb. There are special privileges that are ours due to our salvation experience, but none is so wonderful as the assurance that one day Heaven will be our home.