"All those led by God's Spirit are God's sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, " Abba, Father!" The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God's children, and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—seeing that we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him."
~Romans 8:14-17 HCSB
Being called a child of God is a powerful part of being a Christian. Once we accept Christ, we are adopted by God to be his child forever. The term adoption is the creation of the parent-child relationship between individuals who are not naturally related. The adopted child is to have the same rights, privileges as a natural born child and becomes an heir. There is nothing that can be done to earn this title, and nothing can ever strip this title from us. When we read this, it is easy to overlook some huge benefits that we have as a child of God. Let’s take a close look at some of these benefits.
First of all, we are taken out of the slavery to sin. We are no longer in bondage, because Jesus has purchased our freedom. In that freedom, we have a hope that we have never had before. We have traded our status as a slave to sin to an heir of God. Imagine the implications of that one thing. We are permanently released from the bondage of sin. Once Jesus sets us free, we can walk away from a life of sin to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Second, we are forgiven of all sin--this means past, present, and future sins have been atoned for. We are in a constant state of grace. When God looks at us, he sees his child, not a mistake or our failures. He sees his child that He dearly loves.
Third, we are called to abandon our fears. Fear comes from insecurity. If you are a child of God, there is no need for fear and insecurity because that is the most secure position that you can possibly be, in the arms of God the Father--whom you have the right to call Daddy.
We also have the Spirit testifying that we are the children of God. Whenever you feel guilty or ashamed, just remember that the Holy Spirit testifies to the fact that you are a Child of God. That is one witness that no one can dispute. When we feel guilty of past failures and confessed sin, it is Satan trying to work in our lives to create fear and insecurity. Satan wants to discredit the work that God has done in you and to take your eyes off of God. He wants to steal, kill and destroy what God is doing in you, and he wants to steal your joy. Just stand firm in the knowledge of your place as God’s child, and know that you are secure as a child of God--because God chose you.
Finally we are co-heirs with Jesus. That means that we are recognized as Jesus’ brothers and sisters and we share in the joys and sufferings just as a natural born child would share in a families joys and sorrows. We know that in the end, God the Father will get the praise and glory for our lives lived out in accordance to his plan.
When I think about the privileges that come along with this title I am amazed at the mercy and grace that God gives to us. When we were sinners, and his enemy, God made a plan to bring us into his family forever. Once you are a child of God, you can never be taken out of that family or forfeit any of the privileges given to you as God’s child. We need to remember who we are as a child of God, and live a life according to the position that we have been given in His family.
