Articles
How Can We Know If We Are Children of God?
How Can We Know If We Are Children of God?
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God…” The words of John the apostle ought to cause us to pause and marvel. How wonderful it is that though we were once sinners, we are now a part of God’s family, adopted children in a loving home.
Paul wrote, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (Rom. 8.14-17, ESV).
Paul taught that we are sons (children) of God when we are led by the Spirit and when the Spirit bears witness with our spirit. This helps us to understand how we can know if we are children of God.
To be led by the spirit (8.14) is to be led by God’s word. It is the law of the Spirit (the gospel) that set us free from sin by our faith and obedience (Rom. 8.2; cf. John 8.32; Rom. 5.1; 6.3-23, note verse 18). When we have been set free from sin, we are to put off minding the things of the flesh and devote our minds to spiritual things (8.5-8) and enjoy the blessings of fellowship with the Father (when His Spirit dwells in us, that is, “Christ in you”) (Rom. 8.9-11).
When Paul spoke about being led by the Spirit in Galatians 5, the same thought is present: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal. 5.16-25, ESV).
Therefore, when we are led by the Spirit (obedient to His word), we are sons and daughters of God. John said it best: “Andbythis we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2.3-6).
Next, we can know that we are children of God if the Spirit bears witness with our spirit. Paul’s point is simple: The Holy Spirit has revealed God’s plan for our salvation. When we obey His revelation, He bears witness that we are in keeping with the “law of the Spirit” (the gospel). Therefore, when the spirit says, “…Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins…” (Acts 2.38) or “Godisspirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4.24) or “…Be faithful unto death…” (Rev. 2.10) and we obey those words, He testifies of our obedience! Contextually, when we are led by the Spirit and when we mind the things of the Spirit instead of the flesh and “suffer with him” (Rom. 8.17, meaning that we endure any suffering that may be accompanied with being a Christian), the Spirit is bearing witness of our faithfulness, and we can know that we are children of God (see 1 John 3.10).
Finally, if one obeys any teachings that are not inspired by the Spirit, He will not have the Spirit testify of him. For example, where is the “sinner’s prayer” in God’s plan of salvation? Since the Spirit did not reveal it, the Spirit cannot be a witness of the one who accepts this method of salvation. This is a crucial point! Any teaching (doctrine) not expressed by the Spirit cannot be verified by the Spirit. The question is, then, what teaching bears witness about you? The teachings of men or of heaven?
This also eliminates the concept where one “feels” he is saved though he has not truly obeyed God’s word. His feelings are subjective and cannot be affirmed by the Spirit. Additionally, can one honestly say that the Spirit bears witness with his spirit when he is not keeping the commandments of God? The question is, then, does the Spirit bear witness about your life? If when one reads God’s word and honestly says to himself, “I have not obeyed this teaching”, then neither has the Spirit borewitnessabout that person. Only when our lives are compared to God’s word and found to be in harmony can we have the confidence of birthright (see 1 John 5.10, 13).
God has unequivocally expressed His desire for children and how one might enter this wonderful relationship with Him. Let the Spirit bearwitnessabout you today by obeying His word. Paul wrote, “…for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3.26-27). Have you, in faith, obeyed the teachings of the Spirit?
Unfortunately, there are many who will never experience the comfort that comes from knowing the Father as one of His children. Let us all pray that they will come to their senses before it is eternally too late and seek after their Creator. BG
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