I am a Child of God

I am a Child of God, are you?

What does being a Child of God mean? What does it not mean?

First, I do not believe that we are all children of God. In the New Testament, being a child of God is a choice: a daily choice, a lifelong choice from the moment we know God and accept Christ as our savior.

John seems to discuss this more than anyone in scripture.

I John 5:1

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too.

Essentially, a child of God believes in Christ, but also we must share Christ’s love with others.

If we look further back in John’s letter, he states that loving others is essential to Christianity and being a child of God.

I John 4:19

We love each other because he loved us first.

I John 3:16

We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.

John's text dives deep into what it means to be a child of God.

·       Love the Father

·       Love as Christ loved

·       Respect each other

·       In all choices we make daily, they should show love.

When I think of those qualities of a child of God, true and genuine feelings of love for one another (family, friends, co-workers, and strangers) are a necessity.

But then, what does it mean to not be a child of God? Of course, anything not of love:

·       Being the mean girl

·       Gossiping

·       Losing patience

·       Not stepping out in understanding

·       Not seeking to understand.

We are all so different, and Praise God for these differences so that we are unique and interesting.  Let’s seek to love each other, share God’s love, seek to celebrate our differences as well as our similarities. Let’s choose to be children of God.