Sonship - Understanding the Believer's Identity in ChristSample

You are a Son

‘‘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.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.’’ - Romans 8:14-16

Every believer has been accepted into the family of God and is called to live as a son of God. Through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have received the spirit of sonship, not bondage or fear.

Jesus, the Son, was given on the cross to reconcile us to God. Through faith in Christ, we become children of God, accepted into the family of God. Unlike servants who try to curry favor through works or good behaviour, sons believe they are already accepted by God's grace. We are righteous in Christ, forgiven, and passionately loved by God.

God brought us into a relationship with Himself because he is already pleased with us. Sons believe that they are already accepted in the beloved while servants try to please and have a scorecard. We do not trigger sonship by religious duty but by believing in Christ. You are good enough for God to die for you, and if God calls you good, you are good.

"But Jesus’ priestly work far surpasses what these other priests do, since he’s working from a far better plan. If the first plan—the old covenant—had worked out, a second wouldn’t have been needed. But we know the first was found wanting because God said, Heads up! The days are coming when I’ll set up a new plan for dealing with Israel and Judah. I’ll throw out the old plan I set up with their ancestors when I led them by the hand out of Egypt. They didn’t keep their part of the bargain, so I looked away and let it go. This new plan I’m making with Israel isn’t going to be written on paper, isn’t going to be chiseled in stone; This time I’m writing out the plan in them, carving it on the lining of their hearts. I’ll be their God; they’ll be my people. They won’t go to school to learn about me or buy a book called God in Five Easy Lessons. They’ll all get to know me firsthand, the little and the big, the small and the great. They’ll get to know me by being kindly forgiven, with the slate of their sins forever wiped clean. By coming up with a new plan, a new covenant between God and his people, God put the old plan on the shelf. And there it stays, gathering dust". - Hebrews 8:6-13 MSG

From this bible passage, we see here that God never sees the believer in the light of his flaws but in the light of what HE has done. So, there is no more an old covenant but a new covenant to which Christ is the mediator. The slate of sins has also been wiped clean ‘forever’ (Acts 8:13). So, it is not about how you see yourself or how others feel about you, what is more important is how God feels about you. You need to understand that you are already accepted by God!

You are his child and he is very proud and well pleased with you!