Assurance of Our Identity as God's Children

 

Summary

In the Gospel of John, chapter 1, verses 12 and 13, we find a profound truth: those who receive Christ are given the power to become children of God. This transformation is not merely about forgiveness of sins, though that is a vital beginning. It is about becoming part of God's family, a truth that should fill us with assurance and joy. Assurance of our status as God's children is crucial for our spiritual well-being and effectiveness in spreading the Gospel. Without this assurance, our joy is incomplete, and our witness is weakened.

To test our assurance, we can examine our relationships, both vertical with God and horizontal with others. Our relationship with the Holy Spirit should manifest in the fruit of the Spirit, and our relationship with fellow believers should reflect love and unity. The New Testament emphasizes the importance of loving one another as a testament to our faith. This love is a sign of our new birth and adoption into God's family.

We are saved individually, yet we are brought into a collective family of believers. This unity transcends natural relationships, creating a new spiritual family. The Apostle Paul speaks of this adoption, where we cry out "Abba, Father," signifying our intimate relationship with God and each other. This spiritual family is marked by love for the brethren, a love that is both a test and a confirmation of our faith.

This love is not just theoretical; it is practical and involves recognizing fellow believers, feeling a sense of belonging, and sharing common interests and hopes. It also means being willing to endure the sword of division that may come as we prioritize our relationship with Christ over natural ties. This division is not a call to abandon our earthly families but to recognize that our ultimate allegiance is to Christ and His family.

Key Takeaways:

- Assurance of being God's children is essential for spiritual joy and effectiveness in ministry. Without it, our Christian witness is weakened, and our joy is incomplete. [02:54]

- Our relationship with the Holy Spirit should manifest in the fruit of the Spirit, which includes love, joy, peace, and more. This is a test of our spiritual health and assurance. [04:39]

- Love for fellow believers is a sign of our new birth and adoption into God's family. This love is both a test and a confirmation of our faith. [13:41]

- Our spiritual family transcends natural relationships, creating a new unity in Christ. This may lead to division with those who do not share our faith, but it confirms our allegiance to Christ. [27:03]

- We share common interests and hopes with fellow believers, such as the kingdom of God and the hope of glory. This unity strengthens our faith and witness in the world. [37:38]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:13] - Introduction to John 1:12-13
[00:55] - The Ultimate Object of Salvation
[02:05] - Importance of Assurance
[03:28] - Testing Our Assurance
[04:20] - Manifestation of the Spirit
[05:13] - Relationship with the Family of God
[06:28] - Love as a Test of Faith
[08:24] - The Necessity of New Birth
[10:42] - Adoption into God's Family
[13:24] - Love for the Brethren
[17:44] - Recognizing Fellow Believers
[21:43] - Sense of Belonging
[24:19] - Separation and New Relationships
[30:24] - The Sword of Division
[37:38] - Common Interests and Hope
[45:32] - Language of the Family
[51:40] - Final Tests and Assurance

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- John 1:12-13
- Romans 8:14-16
- 1 John 3:14

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Observation Questions:

1. According to John 1:12-13, what is the significance of receiving Christ in terms of our identity and relationship with God? How does this passage describe the process of becoming children of God?

2. In Romans 8:14-16, what does Paul say about the role of the Holy Spirit in affirming our identity as children of God? How does this passage describe our relationship with God as "Abba, Father"?

3. How does 1 John 3:14 use the love for fellow believers as a test of our spiritual life? What does this imply about the nature of our relationships within the spiritual family?

4. The sermon mentions the importance of assurance in our spiritual life. How does the speaker suggest we test our assurance of being God's children? [03:28]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. What does it mean to have the "power to become children of God" as mentioned in John 1:12-13? How does this power manifest in a believer's life?

2. How does the concept of adoption into God's family, as described in Romans 8:14-16, change the way believers should view their relationship with God and with each other? [11:18]

3. In what ways does the love for fellow believers serve as both a test and confirmation of our faith, according to 1 John 3:14 and the sermon? [13:41]

4. The sermon discusses the "sword of division" that may come as a result of prioritizing our relationship with Christ. How should believers navigate this division while maintaining love and respect for their natural families? [27:03]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own assurance of being a child of God. What steps can you take to strengthen this assurance and how might it impact your spiritual joy and effectiveness in ministry? [02:54]

2. Consider your relationship with the Holy Spirit. Which aspect of the fruit of the Spirit do you feel is most evident in your life, and which one do you want to cultivate more intentionally? [04:39]

3. Think about your relationships with fellow believers. How can you actively demonstrate love and unity within your spiritual family this week? [13:41]

4. Have you experienced any division in your natural relationships due to your faith? How can you balance your allegiance to Christ with maintaining healthy relationships with non-believing family members? [27:03]

5. Identify a fellow believer who might be struggling or feeling isolated. What practical steps can you take to support and encourage them, reinforcing the sense of belonging within the spiritual family? [21:43]

6. Reflect on the common interests and hopes you share with other believers, such as the kingdom of God and the hope of glory. How can these shared values strengthen your faith and witness in the world? [37:38]

7. How can you cultivate a deeper sense of belonging and unity within your church community, especially with those who might be different from you in background or personality? [21:43]

Devotional

Day 1: Assurance as a Foundation for Joy and Ministry
The assurance of being God's children is not just a comforting thought but a foundational truth that fuels our spiritual joy and effectiveness in ministry. Without this assurance, our Christian witness is weakened, and our joy is incomplete. Knowing that we are part of God's family gives us the confidence to share the Gospel with others, as it is rooted in the certainty of our identity in Christ. This assurance is crucial for our spiritual well-being, as it allows us to live out our faith with boldness and joy. [02:54]

"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!'" (Romans 8:15, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you remind yourself daily of your identity as a child of God, and how might this assurance impact your interactions with others today?


Day 2: Manifesting the Fruit of the Spirit
Our relationship with the Holy Spirit should be evident through the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit, which includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This is a test of our spiritual health and assurance. As we grow in our relationship with God, these attributes should become more apparent in our lives, serving as a testament to our faith and a witness to others. The presence of the Spirit's fruit in our lives is a sign of our ongoing transformation and sanctification. [04:39]

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV)

Reflection: Which fruit of the Spirit do you find most challenging to exhibit, and how can you intentionally cultivate it in your life this week?


Day 3: Love as a Sign of New Birth
Love for fellow believers is a sign of our new birth and adoption into God's family. This love is both a test and a confirmation of our faith. The New Testament emphasizes the importance of loving one another as a testament to our faith. This love is not just theoretical; it is practical and involves recognizing fellow believers, feeling a sense of belonging, and sharing common interests and hopes. It is a love that transcends natural relationships and is rooted in our shared identity in Christ. [13:41]

"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a fellow believer you find difficult to love. How can you take a practical step towards showing them Christ-like love today?


Day 4: Unity in Christ Over Natural Ties
Our spiritual family transcends natural relationships, creating a new unity in Christ. This may lead to division with those who do not share our faith, but it confirms our allegiance to Christ. While we are called to love our earthly families, our ultimate allegiance is to Christ and His family. This unity in Christ is marked by love for the brethren and a shared commitment to the kingdom of God. It is a unity that strengthens our faith and witness in the world. [27:03]

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword." (Matthew 10:34, ESV)

Reflection: Are there relationships in your life where your faith in Christ has caused tension? How can you navigate these relationships while maintaining your allegiance to Christ?


Day 5: Shared Hope and Common Interests
We share common interests and hopes with fellow believers, such as the kingdom of God and the hope of glory. This unity strengthens our faith and witness in the world. As members of God's family, we are united by a shared vision and purpose, which transcends our individual differences. This shared hope is a source of encouragement and strength, as we support one another in our journey of faith and work together to advance God's kingdom. [37:38]

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." (1 Thessalonians 5:11, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively participate in your spiritual community to foster a sense of shared hope and common purpose this week?

Quotes


It is ever necessary to repeat that, that our Salvation does not consist only in being forgiven. Thank God for forgiveness of sins, but that's merely the beginning of our Salvation. To be reconciled to God is a thing which we can never overestimate, but we are actually offered something even greater than that, and that is that we become the children of God. [00:01:16]

Assurance is necessary, of course, for our own personal spiritual wellbeing. We are meant to rejoice in the Lord always, and you can't rejoice in him unless you're certain of your relationship to him. So from the standpoint of our own happiness, peace, joy, it is essential that we should be clear about this. [00:02:01]

If the spirit of God dwells in us, well then we proceed to manifest and to show something of the fruit of the spirit. And so we apply to ourselves the nine differentiating aspects of the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, temperance, faith. [00:04:26]

Our Lord himself pointed this out, that this was the way in which the world might know that we are his disciples, if we love one another. It's in his high Priestly prayer, one of the last things that he said, one of the last things he prayed for was that his people might be one and might be kept as one. [00:06:44]

Though we are saved individually, though we are saved one by one, and that is a fundamental doctrine of the New Testament, we are all nevertheless saved in the same way. I don't mean by that that all the details are going to be identical in every case, but I do mean that there is only one way whereby one can become a Christian, and that is through being born again. [00:07:35]

We are all adopted into the family of God. Now the Apostle Paul, of course, preeminently teaches this particular doctrine. He points out in the eighth chapter of the epistle to the Romans that so many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the children of God. [00:10:52]

We know that we have passed from Death to life because we love the Brethren. Nothing can be plainer. We know that we have passed from Death to life because we love the Brethren. That's the thing we want to know. How can I know that I'm a Child of God? Here's the test: I love the Brethren. [00:13:37]

We know that we are the children of God and that we are in this relationship to the members of the family in the double sense that we are aware of the fact that we've been separated from others and in addition with we have been joined to these. You see, here is a new family. [00:23:41]

The gospel and the Holy Spirit applying the gospel becomes a sword, and we are divided from old attachments, old relationships, things which we regarded as sacred, things which we regarded as the highest and the greatest and the most wonderful of all. If those to whom we were thus attached are not also Christian, it means of necessity that we are separated from them. [00:28:04]

We have the same interest in the kingdom of God and in its success, so we are naturally at one with these people. They're interested, we are interested. We see now that the most important thing in the world is the kingdom of God and that one should belong to it and that it should be spread. [00:37:40]

We speak the same language, and this is a very interesting thing again. We speak the same language, I say. Now language is a very interesting thing. There is such a thing as having the same idiom. People say today we're on the same wavelength. They say quite right. You see, in general, they're speaking the same language. [00:40:14]

We know that we have passed from Death to life because we love the Brethren. Yes, and we love them above everybody else. We prefer them to everybody else. It's a very delicate test, this. We enjoy their company more than that of anybody else. [00:45:39]

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Transcript
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