1 John 3:1-“Behold what manner of love that Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.”
It is the destiny of our relationship with God. It is the glory of God’s love. The manner of love that God lavished upon us – to call us His children. What an amazing opportunity to pause and comprehend – children of the Almighty King! It far surpasses the biggest promotion on earth, the largest order, the best spouse one can marry, the best job on earth or anything humungous and magnificent in nature that we can ever think of! God bestowed this on us which means it is a one-sided giving, not something earned. God has openly declared before Heaven and Earth that we are His children; that He is not ashamed of us (though we maybe poor, sick, unknown, obscure, without any talent, failed in exams, ruined a marriage, caused an accident, etc.) Actually, God glories in the fact that He has adopted us.
Who calls us the children of God? God the Father said you shall be my sons and daughters (2 Corinthians 6:18). God the Son is not ashamed to call us brethren (Hebrews 2:11). God the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:16).
Why are we slow to believe in this love of God? Pride urges us to prove ourselves worthy of God’s love. Unbelief never allows us to trust the God’s love by showing us life’s hurts and pains. Time delay occurs to fully understand the greatness of God’s love. God saw the lost humanity. He could have merely set the Salvation plan to deliver man from Hell, but went further– to call us His children. He demonstrated His true and deep love for us through Redemption, which was much more than being restored of what was lost in Adam; Adam was not adopted as a son of God.
Who then are children of God? God sent Jesus for the sins of all of humanity. However, only those who have received Jesus in a life of fellowship and faith are called children of God. (John 1:12)
We are made in God’s image and are being fine-tuned to inherit God’s nature too. The world is unaware of this relationship that we have with our Heavenly Father unless they are tuned into the same channel with God. Unfortunately, sometimes we toil to show the world just how much like them we can be. The world didn’t know Jesus and thus rejected Him; we should expect the same treatment. We have been born again, have become part of God’s own family. But the world does not understand that we are God’s children. We do not belong in this world. We are like strangers whose home is elsewhere.
