The
True
Child
of
God
SOME TEACH that infant baptism makes a person a child of God. However, all other
arguments aside, the bottom line is this: If baptism makes a person a child of God, then
they should, by nature, think and behave like one because a supernatural transformation
takes place when a person truly becomes God's child. The Bible says: "Therefore if any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things
are become new." II Cor. 5:17The Father and child relationship that God provides is real, noticeable
and life changing. That's why the BIBLE has much to say about it:1) A TRUE CHILD OF GOD HAS THEIR HEAVENLY FATHER'S SPIRIT DWELLING
INSIDE OF THEM. Man needs to be spiritually born into God's family. That's why Jesus said:
"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3)When this spiritual birth occurs, God's indwelling Spirit compels His child to call Him Father, "And
because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts,
crying, Abba, Father." (Gal. 4:6) Yet many who think that infant baptism made them a child
of God are totally unaware of any spirit present, or that one is even supposed to be there! "Now
if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Rom. 8:92) A TRUE CHILD OF GOD KNOWS GOD IS THEIR FATHER. Since God cannot be seen
(John 4:24), He must provide the proof that someone is His child: "No man hath seen God
at any time...Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us
of his Spirit." (I John 4:12-13) Yet many claiming to have become a child of God at baptism
have no absolute assurance that God is their Father.The best they can do is assume or feel that they are His child. But feelings are deceiving (Jeremiah
17:9). That's why the Father lets His child know for sure: "The Spirit itself beareth
witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:" Rom. 8:16.3) A TRUE CHILD CAN FULLY UNDERSTAND AND APPLY THE REQUIREMENTS OF
THEIR FATHER. "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which
is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of
God." (I Cor. 2:12) Yet many who are told that baptism made them a child of God consider the things
taught in the Bible as foolish and outdated, and can't even understand why they should obey them.Obviously, they don't have the Spirit of God. "But the natural man receiveth not the things
of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know
them, because they are spiritually discerned." I Cor. 2:144) A TRUE CHILD HEARS WHAT THEIR FATHER SAYS. Jesus once told some who were
claiming to be children of God: "...If God were your Father, ye would love me.... Why do ye not
understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. ... He that is of God
heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God."
(John 8:42-43, 47) Yet many, believing they have been born into God's family through baptism, do
not actively seek to hear what God says in His Word.
Instead, their Bibles lay closed on a shelf somewhere and never opened. Some, when exposed to
it, will resist its teachings because it may not agree with what they already believe. But Jesus said: "My
sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:" John 10:27.
5) A TRUE CHILD DOES NOT FIND HIS FATHER'S COMMANDMENTS HARD TO
FOLLOW. "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his
commandments are not grievous [burdensome]." (I John 5:3) Yet many, assuming
they are a child of God, can't find it within themselves to live the Bible's standard; it just doesn't come
naturally to them. They don't have the indwelling Spirit of God empowering them: "Because the
carnal mind [the unsaved person] is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of
God, neither indeed can be. ... But ye [God's child] are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that
the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of
his." Rom. 8:7,96) A TRUE CHILD OF GOD HAS BEEN MADE FREE FROM SIN BY THEIR FATHER.
"For sin shall not have dominion over you [the saved person]..." (Rom. 6:14). Yet
many, assuming baptism made them a child of God, can't get complete victory over sin. They can't
overcome pornography, booze, gambling, etc. They are drawn to dirty jokes like a magnet is drawn to
steel, and can't help but lie when in trouble. The Bible says to God's child: "But now being made
free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and
the end everlasting life." Rom. 6:227) THE TRUE CHILD OF GOD HAS A SPIRIT THAT DESIRES TO BEHAVE LIKE
THEIR FATHER DOES. "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;"
(Eph. 5:1). Yet many so-called children of God don't even try to obey God's will as found in the
Bible. "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he [Jesus
Christ] walked." I John 2:68) THE TRUE CHILD OF GOD DOES NOT LIKE TO DISPLEASE THEIR FATHER BY
WILLFULLY PRACTICING SIN. "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth [practices sin] not:
whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him [God]." (I John 3:6) Yet many who
trust that their baptism has made them a child of God, swear, take God's name in vain, take (steal)
things from work, cheat on income tax, hold grudges against others, have sex outside of marriage, and
much more in plain sight of God without even thinking twice about it. "Whosoever is born
of God doth not commit [practice] sin; for his [God's] seed remaineth in him:.... In this
the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness
is not of God," I John 3:9-10.9) A TRUE CHILD OF GOD ALLOWS THEIR FATHER TO LEAD THEM. "For as many
as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (Rom. 8:14) Yet
many, assuming that God is their Father through baptism, do not let God lead them. They constantly
try to run their lives independent of God and make bad decisions which lead to frustration and
sometimes despair.10) A TRUE CHILD OF GOD CAN GROW SPIRITUALLY BECAUSE OF THEIR
FATHER'S INTERVENTION IN THEIR LIVES. "For whom he [God] did foreknow, he also
did predestinate to be conformed [changed] to the image of his Son [Christ], that
he might be the firstborn among many brethren." (Rom. 8:29) Yet many, believing their baptism has
made them a child, cannot look back a year or two and say: "I have grown to be more Christlike: less
selfish, more patient, more compassionate, etc." In many cases the opposite is true. IF NO GROWTH
HAS OCCURRED, THEN NO SALVATION TOOK PLACE. In fact, the unsaved person is pictured
as a tree not capable of producing good fruit. "...therefore every tree which bringeth not
forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." Matt. 3:10
11) A TRUE CHILD OF GOD HAS A REPENTANT ATTITUDE TOWARD THEIR
FATHER. This is an attitude exemplified by the prodigal son when he said: "I will arise and go to
my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before
thee," (Luke 15:18). Repentance is a change of mind that results in a change from self-will to
following God's will. It is an attitude that says, "whatever you tell me to do, Father, I will do it!" It
is the opposite of a rebellious attitude.
Another parable, found in Matthew 21, illustrates this repentant attitude. Jesus said: "But what
think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my
vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went." (Matt.
21:28-29) Yet many, who assume that baptism has made them a child of God, spend their lives
rebelling against God's will, and not following His Word. They refuse to submit to God's authority
over their lives; they don't even believe the Bible IS God's Word!12) A TRUE CHILD OF GOD IS DISCIPLINED BY THEIR FATHER WHEN THEY SIN.
One of the biggest disservices a parent can do to their child is not teach them right from wrong. God
as Father is definitely not negligent when it comes to this very thing: "...My son, despise not thou
the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the
Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth."
(Heb. 12:5) The three levels of discipline mentioned here are: rebuked - to convict, to expose;
chasteneth - to train, to correct; scourgeth - to discipline involving calamities.The true child of God cannot sin without God dealing with it, be it through simple conviction or a
calamity occurring in their life. And this discipline always comes with the full knowledge that God
is behind it. That's why the Bible says: "If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as
with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?" (Heb.
12:7). Yet many who think baptism made them a child of God can go on sinning without any
immediate conviction or correction from God. The BIBLE says: "But if ye be without
chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons." Heb. 12:8Once again the bottom line is this: If baptism did indeed make a person
a child of God THEIR LIVES WOULD SHOW IT!A true child of God has a real relationship with their heavenly Father. Their thoughts, desires,
decisions and actions revolve around the will of God. Yet millions who have been told that their
baptism (or anything else for that matter) has made them a child of God, are running their lives as if
God doesn't exist. Some might acknowledge His existence one day a week, but even then they do it
more out of duty than genuine desire.
In fact, considering all the millions upon millions who have been baptized, one would expect the
world to be a much less sinful place with all these "children of God" running around doing their
Father's will. But reality shows that this is not the case. If those millions were honest with themselves
they would have to admit that THEIR BAPTISM DID NOT MAKE THEM A CHILD OF GOD.
Instead it only satisfied an inherent aspect of man's fallen state - the desire to be religious!Through baptism many are assuming they know God, but the real question is, does He know them?
In fact, on one occasion Jesus said that many who are assuming to be God's child will hear these awful
words one day from God Himself:"...I never knew you: depart from me, ye that
work iniquity [SIN]." Matthew 7:23
IF you were to die today, are you 100% SURE
you would go to Heaven? The Bible says
YOU CAN BE SURE (1 John 5:13).BUT FIRST, you must realize that what keeps you
from going to Heaven are your sins, because:
"...your iniquities [sins] have separated
between you and your God," Isaiah 59:2.
In fact, in God's eyes YOU ARE A SINNER: "For
all have sinned, and come short
of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23.SECONDLY, you must realize that there is
NOTHING you can do to save yourself and earn
Heaven: "For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God: Not of works, lest any
man should boast." Eph. 2:8-9 Baptism, good
deeds, church membership, self-righteousness are
all examples of good works that cannot save you,
because: "Not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but
according to his mercy he [Christ] saved
us," Titus 3:5.THE ONLY WAY you can get saved is through
Jesus Christ. He said: "I am the way, the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto
the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) THAT'S
WHY: "...while we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us." (Rom. 5:8-9)THEREFORE: You must REPENT (change your
mind); admit that you are a Hell deserving sinner
and can't save yourself. And call upon Christ, and
Him alone, to save you. "if thou shalt confess
with thy mouth the Lord Jesus [REPENT], and
shalt believe in thine heart [TRUST] that God
hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved." Romans 10:9SEND THE LIGHT
P.O. Box 815 Fargo, ND 58107
[ Christian Helps Ministry (USA) ] [ Christian Home Bible Course ]