Children of God

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! - 1 John 3 v1

John is flowing along in his letter then he puts a marker down “see”. In the King James Version it says, "Behold"

See - Behold – sit up – take notice - a really really big signpost that says take note - what I am about to say is really really important.

What great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

Now I appreciate that there is a sense in which all humankind are children of God in that He is our creator, our maker. But, and it’s a big but….

Christians are Children of God in a special, more profound, more fuller sense unlike and distinct from all other people!

John put it this way in chapter 1 of his gospel:

"to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God."

And Jesus said that we have to be born again. “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”

This is something we must never ever ever ever forget!

Paul puts it this way in Ephesians chapter 2.

Because of his great love for us, God who is rich in mercy made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions it is by grace you have been saved.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

Why not pause for a moment and see it - behold it….thank him for it – praise and worship him because of it.

Heavenly Father we thank you for the love that you have lavished upon us. The love that you freely give to those you call and yet it was so costly to you.

Amen