Week 7: Privileged Children

13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 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!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 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. —Romans 8:13–17

Today’s Big Idea: There is no hope in dismembered “Christianity”. The most avoided diagnosis of why people’s prayers are not answered by their heavenly Father is that they are not actually children of God

9 “Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’ 14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” —Matthew 6:9–15

If someone self-identifies as a “child of God” by their own authority, does God SUBMIT to their assertion that He is their Father?

39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires.” —John 8:39–44a

If educated or sincere or powerful or popular or persuasive Bible teachers tell me I’m a child of God, will God submit to that person’s declaration?

15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.” —Matthew 23:15

Has God given me solid black-and-white criteria for knowing I am in the family of God?

11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. —John 1:11–13

“For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” —Matthew 12:50

What if I self-identify as a follower of Christ who is in His family, but I refuse to “do the Father’s will”?

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” —Matthew 7:21–23

How do I know that I’m “known by God”?

3 But if anyone loves [agapaō] God, he is known by God. —1 Corinthians 8:3

Does God use the word “love” in a different way than our culture?

15 “If you love [agapaō] me, you will keep my commandments.” —John 14:15

What if I only care about being saved from Hell when I die?

9 And being made perfect, [Jesus] became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey himHebrews 5:9

6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. —Romans 2:6–8

It is simply a lie to say “I follow Jesus” while I refuse to follow Jesus

27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. —Luke 14:27