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But read the first Chapter of the Gospel of John and you will see that we are not all His Children. Does that sound harsh? I hope not...it's biblical.
Paul teaches that we are all God's offspring and in Him we live, move, and have our being. (Acts 17) I believe that God does influence all of us (believers and nonbelievers) to bring us to a knowledge of Himself and I believe that He will eventually be in all, but I also believe that faithful believers have a special relationship with the Father now. They are sons and daughters, being transformed into His image in this age as they walk by the Spirit. They are to be God's holy people. Someone can produce a child, offspring but not have a father/child relationship with him or her.
Ref. Romans 8
5. For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.6. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,7. because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,8. and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.9. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.10. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.11. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.12. So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh--13. for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.14. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.15. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!"16. The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,17. and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. 18. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.19. For the anxious longing of the creation/creature waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.20. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope21. that the creation/creature itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.22. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.23. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.
God bless.
Last edited by ShanaBrown; 06-12-2008 at 05:47 PM..
"I have been thinking about this...and I will pray that if it is God's will, I will begin to study the Bible. Perhaps I will begin with the Gospel of John. But I see my faith in God as simple and pure. I don't need to read the Bible to believe."
I've not read through this entire thread but feel that I must respond to this. Dear, dear Weather, you do not need to ask God whether or not it is His will for you to study the Bible. I can most definately assure you that it is always His will to study His word! The Bible is His revelation to us, everything we need to know about Him is contained within it. I know you know this already but I felt lead to share it with you tonight. May God richly bless you!
I wanted to respond to yours and Weather's posts, but I kept thinking that I needed to keep on thinking before I did. It didn't really come down to "thinking" in the end. I have been spending the past hour trying to reconcile both yours and Weather's posts. But I wanted to highlight the above sentence, first, such that it stands alone.
Because while I may not "get" it, while I may not be a believer, while I may not even possess enough peripheral knowledge about any of this, this much I do know:
Let's say that there is at least one Little Alpha at home. I am willing to bet that you would greatly resist the notion that she is not one of God's children. (At least I'm hoping that you would, otherwise you'd really be breaking my June 7th heart.) Let's say that she is very young, such that she has yet to read the Bible. Let's say that she is so young that she has yet to even read, for that matter. She is also so young that she is cognitively and emotionally unable to make a conscious choice to embrace Jesus Christ as her God and Savior. As such, she has yet to even reach the point whereby she is able to decide upon "inviting" the Holy Spirit into her heart.
--But I bet she has more than invited you into her heart. And I bet more than anything that you have never once resisted that invitation.
I'm reacting (within the sum total of my ignorance and naivete) here to a few things:
That if I believe and accept what you say, then that means that you do not believe that Little Alpha is a child of God. --She may be your child, but at this juncture, she isn't a child of God, yet.
I maybe going way out on a limb here, but even "atheist June" knows this much:
In remembering a Photo In Black and White, I would be the first to say that she is a child of God.
Even though I am not regarded as a christian, by many of my brothers and sisters here..For three of the most argued issues in the Bible, I am at peace with what the Holy Spirit has shown me.. I have been told that I am not a "real Christian"..That doesn't bother me,because I am at complete peace from God with my beliefs because I am mature in my faith.. I am filled with compassion and tears for anyone who tries as hard as June does to understand, yet in the past couple of days I have seen her pushed further and further into nonbelief by the "real christians"..I thank God that I allow the Holy Spirit to guide me in my words when I witness to others, and not what the majority of others believe in...Just for the record June, if God created us then we are his children..whether we pay any attention or listen to him, we are his..Simple as that..No one need send me any bible verses..I know them
Last edited by Miss Blue; 06-12-2008 at 08:27 PM..
June , little children are without sin, therefore they are still children of God. It is after a person reaches the age where they are capable of sinning, and choose to do so, that God may not consider them His children. There are scriptures where God called the sinners children/sons of the devil.
I went to biblegateway to search for something for June's heart...
This is what I went for:
Isaiah 43:1
[ Israel's Only Savior ] But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
Interestingly, this is what I found first. I am sure that there is some great translation that is beyond me. But (and this is a big BUT) there are words that speak loudly to me. It is interesting to me that at this moment, this was the verse of the day.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
3 There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard. [a]
4 Their voice [b] goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is hidden from its heat.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the LORD are sure
and altogether righteous.
10 They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the comb.
11 By them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then will I be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.
14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.[/COLOR]
Hi in thinking more about this, I think about Jesus saying that He will draw all to Himself but He makes a distinction between those who follow Him and those of the world. For example, in John 14 He speaks of sending the Comforter, the Helper to His disciples but He also says that the world cannot receive it because it does not behold Him or know Him. He tells the disciples that they know Him because He (the Helper) abides with them and and will be in them. This peace that Jesus left with them is not peace that He gave to the world although all things do ultimately belong to Jesus. (Colossians 1) There are distinctions being made and for a reason. God bless.
16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.
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