“If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.” I John 2:29.
“Behold what manner of love the 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.” I John 3:1.
It is true that many of you have been adopted, and it is true that the experience differs from adoptee to adoptee.
Some have lived with parents who told everyone this is our adopted child; while others were told that they were adopted and never treated as anything less than their own child.
Both of these families can still have loving parents; it is not my intent to infer anything less, the illustration is merely to show that folks who have been adopted can view the verse above differently.
The fact is that nearly everyone is wrong in their interpretation of this verse. The confusion may come from the following verses.
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’” Romans 8:14-15.
“But 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. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’ Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” Galatians 4:4-7.
“…having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will…” Ephesians 1:5.
Adopt according to the dictionary; is to become the legal parent or parents of another person’s child, which is essentially the meaning of adoption in the above passages; however with God there is a difference.
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.” Romans 8:18-19.
“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:26-29.
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name…” John 1:12.
While the word adoption is a legal term of sorts and a description of the mechanics of the things that transpire upon salvation, it poorly conveys the magnitude of what has happened to the Christian, who was utterly lost and estranged from God, and has now become the very sons and daughters of God, as though literally born of Him.
Because of our heredity in God we will be hated, and this is the proof we are His children.
“Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” 1 John 3:1b.
“He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” John 1:10-11.
Jesus’ brothers did not believe in Him at first either.
“For even His brothers did not believe in Him.” John 7:5.
As they were goading Him to go to Judea where the Jews had sought to kill Him, He said this.
“The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.” John 7:7.
In His High Priestly prayer, the Lord said this of the disciples and of all who would believe.
“I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” John 17:14.
“Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.” I John 3:13.
This anti-God bigotry, if you will, is not something that you can compromise on to gain acceptance, the world will accept nothing less than complete capitulation on the part of the Christian.
This intolerance against the children of God by the children of the world grows ever more each day as governments continue to erode the rights of Christians to speak the name of Jesus in public.
And in the case of North Korea, China, Viet Nam, Muslim and other countries, the right to worship has been curtailed, if not taken away altogether, many more have been enslaved, raped, tortured and murdered.
The fact that the world hates Christianity answers another strange question, why do countries persecute Christians, who are known to be peaceful and are told to pray for their government?
Seemingly these would make the best citizens; yet the Christians are harassed and the godless, which usually make the most trouble for governments, are left alone.
If world leaders were not deceived by Satan and consumed by hatred, they could make their regimes much easier to rule over.
It might be added that Satan, who is the prince of this world and the governor of governments is not concerned for a country’s prosperity or good will.
He is concerned only with creating chaos and misery, and deluding men into blaming God for the things man has done in partnership with Satan.
A report on NASA’s Kepler space telescope which has found what they term alien planets; planets which might have life on them, brought out some interesting comments which may indicate the depth of Satan’s delusion on mankind.
For some reason a person whom I assume was a Christian, started quoting from Genesis chapter one to show that God created all things.
As always, reading from the Bible created a firestorm of derisive comments from God hating atheists, whereupon the Christian escalated by again quoting from Genesis.
“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:5.
Shortly after this God sent a flood upon the earth and only Noah and seven others, along with the animals, all who were in the ark were spared.
The mocking reply to this passage went something like this, “Well isn’t that wonderful, God created us with a free will and then killed everyone who did not follow Him.”
At first glance, that seems logical enough; that is if you believe the half-truth of the devil’s lie. Part of this statement is true, God did create us with a free will to reject Him or to follow Him and those who rejected Him did die in the flood.
However, I do not believe that the reason for the flood was for rejecting God.
The major reason for the flood is that men took the free will that God gave them and rejected Him; they then went about taking away that same free will from everyone else by subjecting them to tyranny and sinking mankind into the grossest of sin. How does this work?
Jesus gave us the answer to that question while prophesying of His return.
“And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.” Luke 17:26-27.
Sounds like today does it not? Look again at what God said about the flood generation.
“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:5.
The marginal in my Bible for the word continually is “all the day”, evil thoughts all day long.
Is there tyranny today when men take away the knowledge of what is right and substitute situation ethics and the politically correct agenda for God’s truth, even to the point of not allowing moral principles to be taught to children?
Is there tyranny today when schools teach explicit sex techniques with videos to sixth grade students, or that the pedophiles are openly pushing their perversion in public?
Is there tyranny today when news media gives only slanted views, churches do not preach Christ, movies extol violence and promiscuity, music foments rebellion, books and universities teach hopelessness and duplicity, evolution is proof that there is no God, the state religion is Humanism and government is god?
Is it tyranny when a person is never presented with a fair minded chance to examine both sides and make their own decision?
Do we live in a godless society much like the flood generation? You must decide for yourself.
This is the grotesqueness of the Christian children of God trying to live as part of the world and enjoy its rotten fruits.
It is impossible to balance godliness and worldliness, one will always fall into the world’s ways and their growth in Christ will stagnate.
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” I John 2:15.
In the Lord’s parable of the sower and the seed (see Mark 4:1-25) four different personalities are mentioned and most expositors feel that only one out of the four is actually saved.
It is my belief that the opposite is true, only one out of the four does not receive Christ as their savior. Consider Jesus’ explanation of the parable of the sower carefully.
Those by the wayside are the unsaved because Satan immediately takes the word that was sown.
“And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. And when they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.” Mark 4:15.
Two others are worldly, the first having little strength of character and the second unable to resist the lusts of this world.
“These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.” Mark 4:16-17.
“Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” Mark 4:18-19.
The fourth personality type is the one who accepts Christ as their savior, hits the ground running fully focused on Jesus; these are the ones who bear fruit.
“But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.” Mark 4:20.
Jesus then began to encourage both His disciples and those of the three groups just spoken of.
“…Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand?” Mark 4:21.
The Scriptures are for our learning and edification and God will reveal their meaning to those who honestly want to understand.
“For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.” Mark 4:22.
He then called out.
“If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” Mark 4:23.
Let him hear, really listen with the heart; you will learn nothing with a half-hearted effort, or divided attention.
The Lord then encouraged the serious student that if they drink in knowledge from the Scriptures and cry out for more, drink that in and cry for yet more, they will be given more.
“…Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.” Mark 4:24.
As you learn these things, share them with others, to save their souls or to encourage brothers and sisters in Christ.
Finally Jesus gives a fearful warning to those who are of the stony ground and those among the thorns.
“For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.” Mark 4:25.
Those in stony ground and among thorns do not have to remain there; even a little daily devotional time with some serious reading of even a few verses will help you to bear fruit to Christ.
But if you neglect these things entirely you will never grow in Christ and you neglect your reasonable service.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present you bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1-2.
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” Titus 2:11-14.
“As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” Colossians 2:6-10.
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.” Philippians 4:8.
God Our Father, 1 John 3:1 taken from godisrevealed.com posted on 12-8-11, updated on 6-5-18.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version, copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission, all rights reserved.