God has adopted us as His children. “When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Gal 4:4-5). God has “predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will” (Eph 1:5).
Only a few accept the right to become children of God.
John 1:10-13
The World Israel Us
Jesus “was in the world.” “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14). “The world was made through Him.” “By Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth” (Col 1:16). “He came to His own.” “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt 15:24).
Only a few accept the right to become children of God.
If you are not a child of God, you need to be born of God. “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (Jn 3:3). “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (Jn 3:5).
“But John doesn’t connect being born of God with baptism!” With the this morning’s narrow text, that is true. But Jesus does--He speaks about being born of “water and the Spirit.” “According to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). There’s another text we’ll mention later.
Being born of God means that I am part of a family. God is my Father. I can pray to Him. “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name” (Matt 6:9). He will bless me with what is best (according to His will). Matt 7:7-11. Jesus is my brother. “Both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Heb 2:11). We are brethren. That speaks of our love for one another: 1 Pet 1:22-23.
Being born of God means that I need to live differently. Rom 6:1-4. Let us live the life that comes from above!