Son’s of God

What is a Christian?

1.      The idea that all are children of God is not found in the Bible anywhere.

2.      The gift of sonship to God becomes ours not thought being born, but through being born again.

3.      The OT. stressed God’s holiness.

A New Relationship

New Testament Believers Deal with God as Their Father.

1.      Believes approach God with confidence & boldness from the knowledge of Christ’s saving work.

2.      God intends the lives of believers to be a reflection & reproduction of Jesus’ own fellowship with God.

God’s Fatherly Relationship to Jesus implied Four things.

1.      Fatherhood implied authority

2.      Fatherhood implied affection

3.      Fatherhood implied fellowship

4.      Fatherhood implied honor

Adoption

The Highest Privilege.

1.      Justification is:

a)          A forensic idea

b)        Conceived in terms of law

c)         Viewing God as judge

2.      Adoption is:

a)         A family idea

b)        Conceived in terms of love

c)         Viewing God as father

3.      From condemnation to acceptance, out of bondage to the family of God (Galatians 4:1-7)

The Basis for Our Life

1.      The entire Christian life has to be understood in terms of it.

The Sermon on the Mount

Christian Conduct

1.      Imitating the Father

2.      Glorifying the Father

3.      Pleasing the Father

Christian Prayer

1.      As Jesus always prayed to His God as Father, so must His followers do (Matt.6:9)

2.      Prayer must not be thought of in impersonal or mechanical terms (Matt.6:7-8)

3.      Prayer may be free and bold (Matt.7:7-11)

The Life of Faith

1.      Trusting God for one’s material needs as one seeks His kingdom (Matt.6:25-33)

What Our Adoption Shows Us

The Greatness of God’s Love

1.      The Cross (Rom.5:8; 1Jn.4:8-10)

2.      The Gift of Sonship (1Jn3:1)

The Glory of the Christians Hope

1.      Promised inheritance.

2.      A share in the glory of Christ.

3.      This likeness will extend to our physical being as well as our mind and character.

4.      The experience of heaven will be a family gathering.

The Ministry of the Holy Spirit

1.      The “Spirit of adoption”

2.      He makes & keeps us conscience that we are God’s children by free grace through Jesus Christ.

3.      He moves us to look to God as a father

4.      He impels us to act up to our position as royal children.

The “Gospel Holiness”

1.      The child of God is to be true to his Father & Savior, the matter of being a good child of God wanting to please you Father.

2.      Being adopted by God’s grace motivates us to “holy living”

3.      God disciplines [trains us].

The Problem of Christian Assurance

1.      The family relationship must be an abiding one.

2.      God will go out of His way to make His children feel His love for them & know their privilege and security as members of his family.

3.      Being prone to self-deception we would do well to test our assurance.