to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ Acts 26:18 MEV
In recent weeks we've been studying the inheritance we have in Christ. Many are unaware we even have an inheritance in Christ. They regulate any victory or fulfilled promise till the saints finally make it to Heaven. As for the here and now, let's hope we have good insurance, a good job, and a good doctor because we are in essence stranded here in this fallen world without aid or support from Heaven.
When we examine our inheritance closer we see that we are not alone. We are more than equipped to live this life on Earth in triumphant victory. We have seen in this inheritance we have the gift of no condemnation, no separation, and complete acceptance with God. We have received the blessing of the Lord.
Today, it seems good to share a rather controversial aspect of our inheritance in Christ. That is our sonship with God. The truth that those who believe are the children of God. Paul revealed it was God's design that we become the children of God.
What could be controversial about the truth that we are the children of God? The religious leaders of Jesus' day knew the full implications of sonship. See their words in John 5.
The religious leaders knew sonship implied more than just having a Father in Heaven;
Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God John 5:18 NKJV (emphasis mine)
Sonship brings with it equality. This is understandable when we think of earthly fathers and their children. When we attribute this towards our Heavenly Father it rattles so many minds of Christians everywhere.
Wait brother John are you dare to suggest we are equal with God? Before you stone me allow me to elaborate further.
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:5-7 NKJV
Jesus when He came to earth, manifested as God in the flesh, but didn't take His equality with God, humbled Himself and came in the form of a man and served. This same mind should be in us. We have dominion and authority based on our sonship and we should serve one another in love.
When it comes to mankind, we are all created by God, saved and unsaved. There is no one superior and no one inferior. No one based on their ethnicity or national origin is "better" than or "more equal" than anyone.
Yet even among us humans, there are those who excel in things others do not. There are those who exceed many others' abilities in athletics, science, mathematics, creativity, and talent. Does that make the star athlete better than say minor league talent? It makes them superior in skill level but not in identity.
What am I saying? I am declaring in this inheritance we are made the children of God. This sonship gives us certain rights and privileges in Christ. None of this is based on our performance or doing. It's all based on the redemptive work of Christ.
In Christ, we have been made partakers of the divine nature. God has given us His Spirit to dwell within. We are the children of God by Faith. We are not just mere sinners who have been given mercy from a Holy God. We are now the very children of God, with God Himself indwelling us in the person of the Spirit. We are not inferior, worthless beings, we are the children of God.
Let this mind be in you. It is not robbing God of His eternal glory and truth that He alone is God Almighty, the only One worthy of all praise and adoration and worship, to take our place as sons and daughters. We are not inferior worms in the dust. Because of sonship, we can come into the presence of God freely, without shame, guilt, or any sense of inferiority or worthlessness.
As a son, we have the privilege and right to feast at the King's table. We have freely been given all things that pertain to life and godliness. It's not that we are bringing God down to man's level. No, God has brought us up to sit with Him in the heavenly places.
In summation, we are made in the image of God. We are recreated as born-again children of God, made alive in Christ. This loving Father accepts us as His own. He made us partakers of the divine nature. He made our hearts his home. He has made us new. His Spirit is within.
He now accepts us as His kids and we have been made joint-heirs with Christ.
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Romans 8:16-17 NKJV
We are joint-heirs with Christ. This means how God sees Jesus is how He sees us. How He loves Jesus is how He loves us. How much Jesus is in right standing with the Father is how much we are. We are not inferior but in equal standing with Jesus. We have equality with God because of Jesus, celebrate it.
Image by Ryan Morrison from Pixabay
