My brain is a little slow today but I'll give it my best to give the revelation that I have recieved.
There is all this talk and controversity about what it means to be a child of God. There are many theories and philosophies but it all comes down to love. Love for God and Love for others.
What is Love
A lot of people have different ideas about love. A lot of times people think to love someone would mean to agree with that person in everything and be all smiles towards that person and let him do whatever right or wrong he will.
Real love, the highest form of love, is wanting the best for that person, wanting him not to just have the best, but to be the best. Real love would help the person grow telling him when he is wrong, yet not condemning him. But not just telling him when he is wrong but also praising him for being right from time to time, which would help motivate him to more right.
You and God
When talking about God and Man, one would often come to the question of salvation. We are saved by Grace through Faith in the life death and ressurection of Jesus Christ. A lot of religious people can't believe that it is that simple, so they try to add works to it. Yes there will be works but works will not earn you salvation.
Where then does works come in. Works would probably come in after the fact. You are not working to gain salvation, but you are working because you have already gained salvation. But then faith and works may not guarentee salvation. For Jesus said "Many will come and say to me "Did I not prophesy in your name? Did I not expell Demons?" And I will confess to them "I never knew you, depart from me."
Ouch! I don't know about you, but I consider prophesy and expulsion of demons in Jesus's name to be works, and it had to have been done in faith. How then can we know we are saved?
Perhaps what we should look at is Jesus's response. "I never knew you." What did he mean by that. Certainly it's not "I never knew you existed." For God is omniscient and he is the creator and he created everything through his son. What do you mean when you don't know someone?
"Hey James, do you know John?" "No I don't know him." You've probably seen him before but what we mean to know someone is that we have a relationship with him.
So when Jesus said "I never knew you", he is in fact saying, "I have no relationship with you. A lot of those who prophesy and preach who Jesus "never knew", are those who have done it to be seen, who have acted out of self righteousness. Often times they have the characteristics of judgmentality and close-mindedness. If you don't agree with every idea and doctrine they say, however wild and foolish they sound and how unscriptural they are, you are a heathen to them. Don't be discouraged or disheartened by them for they speak even against Jesus.
Remember the Pharisees, religious, (self righteous), they put exclusive emphasis on the works of the law with no regard to God's love. Jesus prophesied to them and rebuked him and instead of listening to him, they sought to murder him. Yet, in murdering him, they played a hand in carrying out the salvation plan.
So to be a child a God, you must have a relationship with him. How does one have a relationship with God?
The Importance of Prayer
That's where prayer comes in. Now prayer is a different realm. Many people believe that God doesn't answer prayers. But many people approach prayer with the wrong reasons, because they view God in the wrong way. It seems to people that prayer is you ask for something and if that which you ask for is granted somehow, that prayer is answered, yet others believe that God just says three responses, "Yes, No, and wait!"
That would be quite a boring relationship if all a person could say is "Yes", "No", and "Wait." For prayer is designed to be a conversation with God where you gain insight, growth and maturity in the spirit.
The Importance of Scripture
Part of a relationship with God is reading the written word. Inspired Truth, reading and knowing what it really says and not just listening to every "qualified" preacher. A lot of times they will teach more according to their own selfish agenda than God's agenda. It's one thing to hear about scriptures but to actually read it all the way, that gives you a certain peace.
It is good to keep studying scripture for you will always find new meaning and new insight through it. Also in prayer and meditation will you find insight.
In this you will grow in the love of God and you will also grow in love for your neighbor. (Any other person) You would do what you can to improve the lives of others.
You can do all kinds of preaching and religious rituals but if it is not done out of love for God and (at least) Love for others, then it is useless. In fact if you don't walk in Love, you don't know God, for God is Love. Jesus is Truth. Just like the only way to the father is through the son. The only way to Love is through Truth. (I never thought about it this way until just now
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If you are wondering if you are a child of God, ask yourself. Am I getting any new revelations? If not, am I seeking new revelations? How do I approach prayer? How do I view God? How do I view my neighbors? Am I growing in any possible way towards the God?
Everyone's relationship with God is different. (that has one anyway) Everyone's path is different. It is definitely not in my place to judge a person and decide whether one is saved or not. Although it is said one can discern spirits and tell by lifestyles whether one is saved or not, but that is another can of worms so to speak. But we don't need to wait until we get to heaven to experience some of God's richness.
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