What It Means to Be a Child of God

Brian Jakowski

Part One — What it Means to Believe in and Receive Jesus

Aug 09, 2024

The opening verses of John’s Gospel encapsulate Jesus’s divinity, establishing Him as the engine of creation, existing outside of time. Then and now, He is the life and light of all humanity — never to be overcome by darkness.

God breathed His spirit into humankind and gave them free will. Exercising their free will, many failed to recognize their Creator. However,

…to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. John 1:12–13

So, what does it mean to become children of God or to be God’s child? As I’ve studied and meditated on this passage, the Father has shown me the following qualities that children of God share:

Children of God — Have believed in and received Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Children of God — Have “Sonship” through adoption into God’s family.
Children of God — Are forgiven and redeemed.
Children of God — Are not Mistakes.
Children of God — Have here-and-now benefits in being God’s child.
Children of God — Are co-heirs with Jesus to the throne of God.
Children of God — Have the Father’s divine protection.

In this first installment of What It Means to Be a Child of God, we will discuss the meaning of Believing in and Receiving Jesus. The following articles will examine other qualities.

Let’s begin by reviewing the meaning of keywords in this passage: Whose Invited, Receives, and Believe. (Click here for an in-depth study of these words.)

Who Is Invited

So, who does the invitation to receive Jesus go out to? The Greek word for who in John 1:12 is Hosoi, meaning Jews and Gentiles are included. In other words, every person on Earth, regardless of their past or present, is invited to receive Jesus. This inclusivity is a testament to our Father’s boundless love and grace.

Please note that the question of who the invitation goes out to is in the present tense, meaning it is still open to anyone who believes and receives it.

2 Peter 3:9 reinforces invitation including all people: The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish.

Finally, Ezekiel 18:32 makes it clear that the Father doesn’t want anyone to die without Him, For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live! By repenting, though we die in this world, we will live with the Father forever in eternity.

Clearly, the Father’s deepest desire is for every person to come to Him. He sent Jesus to die on the cross to make that possible. This profound love is a testament to our worth in His eyes. Tragically, while exercising the Father’s gift of free will, some do not choose God or Redemption.

A Few Thoughts On Believing

Pisteuousin, from Pistis, is the Greek word for belief in John 1:12. It conveys a profound trust or confidence in something and is the same verb used for believing in John 3:16.

Paul’s words in Romans 10:9–11 clarify this concept,

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.

Believe, as used in John 1:12, John 3:16, or Romans 10:9–11, is a belief that goes beyond accepting a theological idea. It is a belief that effects a change in one’s life, heart, and soul, opening the door to receiving Jesus, repentance, and a new life.

What It Means To Receive Jesus

Next up is “Receive” in John 1:12. The Greek word used for “Receive” is Elabon, from the root of Lambano. This is a unique Greek Aorist verb form. It connotes a one-time, individual, personal choice resulting in a new lifestyle.

Receiving Requires A Decision

I’ll begin by saying that being a child of God is the most inclusive yet exclusive club ever. Let’s look at Jesus’ words for clarification,

“Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.” Matthew 12:30 NLT

Membership in God’s family is required, but as John said, anyone can join by simply believing in and receiving Jesus as Lord — To all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12

When you genuinely believe in and receive Jesus, you’re changed from the inside out. First, you turn from your old life; that’s called repentance. You’re a new creation; the old junk is gone, and the new has come (2 Cor. 5:17).

The Holy Spirit comes into your life and guides you, helping you live a changed life and leave your old ways behind. Let me paraphrase a favorite verse: He who has begun a good work in you will not stop until Jesus returns for you. (Phil. 1:6)

The struggle with sin remains. The Apostle Paul wrote about his battle with sin in
Romans 7. The good news is that when you sin again, it doesn’t jeopardize your salvation because it was already forgiven at the cross.

With that said, it’s still a good practice to make amends to anyone you’ve wronged and to ask God to help you do better.

So, being a Child of God means embracing a belief in Jesus that penetrates your heart, soul, and mind. You have received Him as Lord and Savior of your life and been moved to repentance — turned from your old way of life and became a new creation under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who guides and empowers you to overcome sin and become more like Jesus.

Because it is the Father’s deepest desire that all come to Him, Jesus Came and died to open the path back to the Father. All who draw breath are invited to make this choice.

If you don’t see yourself in this description, all that remains is for you to say, “Come, Lord Jesus, I am Yours.” He is waiting! (Rev. 3:20)

Next time, we will examine what ‘Sonship’ and ‘Adoption’ have to do with being a child of God. These concepts are crucial in understanding our relationship with God and how we are accepted into His family.