August 1, 2021
“I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.” John 3:11 (NIV)
“Here’s how you tell the difference between God’s children and the Devil’s children: The one who won’t practice righteous ways isn’t from God, nor is the one who won’t love brother or sister. A simple test. For this is the original message we heard: We should love each other.”
1 John 3:10-11. (MSG)
What Does It Mean To Belong To God?
I was talking with friend Imari, after dinner today and we were discussing aspects of what the Word of God says and what it really means. She made a statement that came to mind as I sat down the write this devotional. She said, “we should look like our heavenly Father!” She went on to say, “for example, all of you all look like your father!” She has met Michael and his family, and I believe Dennis some years ago. However, she has seen pictures of all of us. This reminds me of the saying, “if it is in the Root It is in the Fruit.”
The Word of God means what it is meant to say.
When I was in Seminary in Professor Mayhew’s hermeneutics class, he consistently made the statement, “CONTEXT is KING!” He went on to say, “Scripture can NEVER, mean what it never meant!” So, what does it mean to belong to God? Do we look, act, and speak like we are children of God? The best reference to answer this question is in the Bible, God’s Manual for Life! Scripture is replete with answers to this question.
The New Testament uses the phrase child of God or children of God several times. 1 John 3:10 explains what it means to be a child of God! John is not referring here to legalists who rigidly work to earn God’s favor, as noted in Titus 3:5. He is describing the life of someone who has truly received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Yes, we are all God’s creation; however, we become His Children by trusting HIM as our heavenly Father!
The life representative of a child of God will be radically different from the life of an unbeliever. 2 Corinthians 5:17 describes what happens when we are born again into the family of God through faith in Jesus: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Jesus taught that becoming children of God means we must experience the new birth in John chapter 3:3.
To be a child of God means our old sin nature is replaced with a nature that wants to please the Lord. Although we mess up at times, the Holy Spirit convicts our hearts, we have “an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous ONE who pleads our case to the Father to restore our fellowship with the Father. Praise God!
RX: A CHANGED 
HEART Philippians 2:12-13. “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but now much more in my absence-continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (NIV)
A child of God is no longer a child of the devil and no longer plays in the devil’s backyard. God sets about transforming His children through the power of the Holy Spirit, and they begin to take on a family resemblance.
FATHER GOD: Thank You for Your Saving Grace! HELP us Father to always represent YOU well as Your children, in the Precious, Powerful and Preeminent Name of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord, Amen.