Have you ever heard of a father giving his biological son or daughter the authority to be his child? It seems odd, but legitimate sonship has a legal basis. How this happens in the case of legal adoption is easily grasped. Legal adoption depends on a court ruling that gives the adopted child all the rights and privileges that a natural born child has. When a child is naturally born, he or she automatically becomes the legal child of both parents, if they are married. If there is no legal marriage, the child’s legal status may be in question, giving rise to the old term “bastard,” meaning born outside of wedlock. Bastard children may have no legal status as heirs of the biological father.
The Bible speaks of people who are illegitimate children of God. Perhaps ironically our status with God is revealed by the presence or absence of discipline.
As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Hebrews 12:7–8 (NLT) —
All people are created by God and bear his image to some degree, but only those who are born again by the Spirit are true children.
but as many as did receive him to them he gave authority [Greek: exousia] to become sons of God--to those believing in his name, 13 who--not of blood nor of a will of flesh, nor of a will of man but--of God were begotten. John 1:12-13 (YLT)
I used Young’s Literal Translation here because it properly translates the Greek word “exousia” as “authority.” Other translations often use the word “right” instead, which connotes authority, but not in the same way.
The gospel message authorizes us to become God’s children through the new birth. By believing in Jesus, we become legal and spiritually “biological” children of God.
Sometimes a natural conception and birth are planned and desired. At other times, children may be unplanned and even unwanted. It is a terrible thing when a child is not wanted by his or her parents. Biological parents sometimes handle such unwanted children by murdering them through abortion, giving them up for adoption, or grudgingly keeping them. If they are kept, hopefully the parents will grow to love and fully accept the child; otherwise, he or she will grow up with a deep sense of rejection.
However, when it comes to legal adoption and the new birth, there is nothing ever accidental about it.
Anyone who is born into God’s family by the Spirit was loved and pre-planned from before the creation of the world and arrives with the full blessing and intention of our heavenly Father.
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. Ephesians 1:4-5 (NLT)
God the Father fully authorizes every spiritual rebirth, making us heirs and giving that us full legal rights and privileges in his family.
Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. Galatians 4:6–7 (NASB95) —
Even though God takes the initiative in bringing his New Covenant children into his family, we have a role to play, too.
Our responsibility in becoming a legitimate child of God is to respond to the gospel by repenting and placing our faith and allegiance in Christ.
Some pretend to be legitimate children without coming through the “gate” of repentance and faith in Christ.
Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. John 10:9 (NLT)
Illegitimate “children” who are not born again populate our churches. Jesus called them “tares” or weeds. Our Lord was probably referring to darnel, a weedy rye grass that produces poisonous seeds and looks like wheat in the initial stages of growth. God lets illegitimate children grow alongside his true children. The separation will occur at the Last Judgment.
Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’” Matthew 13:30 (NLT)
Only true children have the Holy Spirit and produce his fruit in their lives. Legitimate children will be known by their fruit.
A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. Matthew 7:17-20 (NLT)
Legitimacy is supremely important in the kingdom of God. The Bible makes it clear that ultimately the choice is God’s, not ours, even though we have the responsibility to respond to the gospel and believe in Christ. As it says in our opening verse, God’s children “were born, not… of the will of man, but of God.”
God sovereignly chooses those who will be his children. The proof of this selection is when we respond to his call.
This brings us to the doctrine of election, so eloquently described by the apostle Paul.
But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; 7 nor are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants, but: "THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED." 8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants. 9 For this is the word of promise: "AT THIS TIME I WILL COME, AND SARAH SHALL HAVE A SON." 10 And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; 11 for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God's purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, 12 it was said to her, "THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER." 13 Just as it is written, "JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED." 14 What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! 15 For He says to Moses, "I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION." 16 So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH." 18 So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. Romans 9:6-18 (NASB)
Jesus clearly understood that only those given to him by the Father would come to him.
But Jesus replied, “Stop complaining about what I said. 44 For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. John 6:43-44 (NLT)
Our Lord looked for those who were being drawn by the Father. Those were the ones he discipled. When he asked his band of followers what his identity was, Peter responded.
…“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Matthew 16:16-17 (NLT)
Earlier in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus rejoiced that people can only come to him when the Father draws them.
At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. 26 Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way! 27 “My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” 28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:25-30 (NLT)
After acknowledging God’s role in the process, Jesus then issued an invitation to us: “Come to me.”
God’s choice must be coupled to our response in faith for the new birth to take place.
When we stand before the judgment seat of Christ one day to account for our lives here on earth, being a legitimate or “authorized” child of God will make all the difference. We are the ones who have been given Christ’s righteousness and bear his likeness.
Legitimate children also carry a seal of authenticity.
In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:13-14 (NASB)
God not only legitimizes his reborn children, he also shares his authority with us. We carry this authority because we are sons and representatives of the Father. This authority is referenced in the parable of the prodigal son. When the wayward son returned, the father immediately gave him a ring, the symbol of family authority.
Children of God represent the Father and carry His authority with them.
Jesus is the ultimate legitimate Son. Christians have authority through being one with him. Indeed, Jesus’ authority is our authority. This authority privileges us to rule and reign with Him.
For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:17 (NASB)
The authority we receive at the new birth also gives us access to the throne of God.
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 (NASB)
Queen Esther did not enjoy this kind of authority and privilege. When she ventured uninvited into the king’s presence, she did so with fear and trembling, understanding that he might reject her and put her to death. We, on the other hand, can come unannounced at any time into the presence of the King of Kings without fear, knowing that we will be welcomed! What a privilege and honor! What wonderful authority has been conferred on us as children of God!
Click here to see the other articles in this series.
Questions for Further Study and Discussion
- Isaac tried to go around God’s authority when he attempted to give Esau the blessing that God clearly revealed to Rebecca should belong to Jacob. How bad of a transgression do you think this was?
- Why do you think Isaac preferred Esau?
- God used Rebecca to thwart Isaac’s attempt to bless Esau. Do you think God blessed Rebecca for doing this?
- Can you think of a better way Rebecca could have handled this?
