Christians are ... Sons

Text: Romans 8:13-17

Theme: What are Christians? According to the Bible we are, Saints, Sons, Sheep, Servants, and Sufferers.

What are Christians? Last week I told you that we are saints. Tonight I want you to understand that we are sons (and daughters).

Since the days of the Apostles clergy, when teaching about our relationship to the Heavenly Father have, almost without exception, referred to Christians as the Children of God or as Sons and Daughters of God. It defines our fundamental relationship with God.

Tonight I want to walk you through four points in regard to our sonship ...

The Making of Sons

The Delight in Sons

The Privileges of Sons

The consummation of Sons

I. THE MAKING OF SONS

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, KJV)

“for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.” (Galatians 3:26, ESV)

1. there are two ways to become a son

a. you can be begotten, meaning that you’ve been born by the natural process of ‘love-making’ between a man and a woman

b. you can be adopted, meaning that a legal transaction has taken place whereby a couple brings into their family a male heir

A. THE CHRIST IS THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16–17, KJV)

1. I don’t want to belabor this point too long, but it is something we need to deal with

a. the Christ is described as God’s only begotten son which, by our normal understanding, means he was born without siblings

1) but the bible also says that He is the firstborn Son of God among many brothers

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29, KJV)

2) we are the brothers Romans 8:29 is referring to ... but more on this later ...

b. the Christ is also describes as God’s eternally begotten son meaning he does not have a beginning nor end

““The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. 23 Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. 24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth,” (Proverbs 8:22–25, ESV)

1) so, IF he is eternal, how can he be begotten?

2. the phrase “only begotten” has been ammunition for false teachers since at least the fourth century at the Council of Nicea

a. Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, and other cults, have taken this to mean that Jesus was literally begotten

b. if Jesus was begotten, then he is a created being, and if he is a created being he cannot be God, and if he is not God, he cannot be the Savior, and if he is not the Savior, we are all doomed

1) the question, of course, is what does the original author mean by “only begotten?”

c. the original author (in this case the Apostle John) didn’t write in English; he wrote in Greek

1) the single Greek word translated “only begotten” is monogenes (mono-ya-nace)

2) the word refers to a specific and special relationship of one person to another and not the physical begetting itself

d. the word is better understood as implying a “one-of-a-kind” or “unique” relationship

ILLUS. For example, consider when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac as an offering. God says to Abraham, “Take your son, your only [monogenes] son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you” (Gen. 22:2). The author of the Book of Hebrews picks up on this expression. We know that Isaac wasn’t literally Abraham’s only begotten son. Isaac was the second son. Ishmael was Abraham’s first-born son. If you understand monogenes as a literal begetting, then God clearly got His facts wrong. However, if you understand monogenes as a unique, one-of-a-kind relationship, then God can accurately describe Isaac his “only” or “only begotten” son. Isaac was the only son of the covenant.

3. likewise, Jesus is God’s unique, one-of-a-kind Son

a. you can call him the “only begotten” Son—it’s a perfectly proper translation—but remember, this word isn’t about procreation

b. it’s about a unique relationship between God the Father and God the Son, and is the bible’s way of helping us understand the un-understandable ... the triune nature of the Godhead

4. the bottom line is that terms such as "Father" and "Son," are descriptive of God and Jesus, that help us understand the relationship between the different Persons of the Trinity

a. if you can understand the relationship between a human father and a human son, then you can understand, in part, the relationship between the First and Second Persons of the Trinity

B. THE CHRISTIAN IS THE ADOPTED OF THE FATHER

“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)

1. coming to Christ gives you a new father—a holy heavenly Father

a. upon our new birth, we become sons of God, and we are adopted into God's eternal family

b. Paul is telling us that the Most High God, the Creator of the universe, the self-revealing Lord of all loves us like a Father loves his child

ILLUS. In the parable of The Lost Son in Luke, chapter 15, we see a wonderful illustration of what God's love for us is like. The prodigal has returned home; he is ragged, and repugnant. When he is still a long way off his father sees him. His heart is filled with compassion and he runs to meet his son. He throws his arms around the boy, hugging him and kissing him. The father calls for his own finest robe to be wrapped about his son's shoulders. He puts a ring on his son's finger, and calls for a celebration to be planned. His son, who was lost, has been found.

c. when Jesus told this parable he astounded his listeners with this radical view of God as a loving, adoring, forgiving father

2. in Galatians 4:5 Paul writes that when we become the children of God we now have the full rights of sons

II. THE DELIGHT IN SONS

“He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.” (Matthew 17:5–8, ESV)

1. most you know, I think, that these verses are part of the story of Christ’s Transfiguration

a. it was that moment on earth, when Christ’s divine glory veiled by his flesh came shining through and bedazzled the disciple to the point of abject terror

b. they believed that he was the Christ, the Son of God—just a few days before Peter had confessed ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’ and all the other apostles assented ‘Amen and amen’—but to suddenly see that manifested ...

1) they knew their bible well ... no one looks at the face of God and lives!

2) these three men assume they are about to die!

2. then they heard the voice ... This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased

a. do you understand that this is exactly what God says about you?

“He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. 17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. 18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support. 19 He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.” (Psalm 18:16–19, NIV84)

b. God delights in you! He takes great pleasure in calling you His child

1) He desires fellowship with you

2) He loves hanging out…just having a conversation about life…about the things that are on your heart

ILLUS. Dad’s retirement party at Anheuser Busch. I always knew my father loved me. I always knew he enjoyed bing around me. But at his retirement party was where I discovered that he delighted in me!

c. God delights in you!

1) that’s why He reaches down and takes hold of you to pull you from the deep waters

2) that’s why He rescues you from the enemy determined to take you down

d. God delights in you!

1) when disaster comes—illness, divorce, death, brokenness, failure—He is there to give you the help and support you need

2) when you feel confined by your circumstances, He will take you out into a spacious field and let you run free and breath the fresh air of His presence

3. bottom line, God delights in us most, when we are delighting in Him

III. THE PRIVILEGES OF SONS

“because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (Romans 8:14–17, NIV84)

1. in these three verses we find six breathtaking privileges of being a child of God

A. SECURITY

1. we are not to fear, but enjoy our sonship

a. the test of our sonship is found in our response to the Spirit of God

b. if you’re being led by the Spirit, if you seek the Spirit’s guidance in life, if your prayer is lead on Holy Spirit, then that gives us security that we are, indeed, sons of God

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35–39, ESV)

B. AUTHORITY

1. our authority over the world, the flesh, and the devil is granted because we are sons of the most high God

a. in a household, slaves have no authority ... they can only do what they are told to do

b. but in the same household, even children have authority over slaves

2. according to the Book of Revelation, a time is coming when believers will have authority over the nations when Christ establishes his millennial kingdom

C. INTIMACY

1. because of the Spirit in us, we can cry out ‘Abba, Father’

a. it’s a term in intimacy and endearment

b. even in our day, children rarely address their father formally, but with loving endearments like ‘dad’ or ‘papa’ or ‘daddy’

2. this is how Christians can approach the all-powerful Creator of the universe

ILLUS. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says of this quote, “Let us notice the word ‘cry’ ... we cry ‘Abbe, Father.’ It is a very strong word, and clearly the apostle has used it quite deliberately. It means ‘a loud cry’ ... it expresses deep emotion ... it is the spontaneity of the child who sees the father ... and confidently goes to him.” I think in our own time the site of a child who sees their soldier-father who’s been away at war for eighteen months and runs into their arms is a picture of ‘Abba, Father’.

D. ASSURANCE

1. the Apostle writes in vs. 16, The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children

a. our assurance of sonship does not come from our personal behavior, but from the Holy Spirit’s testimony

b. one of the works of the Holy Spirit in every believer’s life is to provide assurance that we, are indeed, a son of God

1) when we cry ‘Abba, Father’ the Spirit comes along side our spirit, nudging us, assuring us that we can have confidence in our sonship

ILLUS. Some children look so like their fathers, that their mere physical appearance provides all the assurance they need. There is a distinct similarity between my brother at age six and his son Adam at the same age. I look at Jackson, and think “There is zero doubt that this is Mitch McCleary’s son.

2. here is the reason that the Holy Spirit is at work conforming us into the image of Christ ... so that the world my look at us as say, “Yep, that’s a brother of Jesus. They look identical in character.”

E. INHERITANCE

1. look at vs. 17 ... Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ

a. this means that Christians have an incredible future

ILLUS. In the culture of that day, and still in many cultures around the world, the first son was the primary heir. There may have been many children, and all were loved, but the oldest son got the largest share of the estate, and carried on the family name and legacy.

b. now, in a breathtaking turn, Paul calls Christians “heirs of God”

1) Paul is reminding us that what is in store for us is so grand and glorious that we cannot begin to imagine all that is ours

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, ... .” (1 Peter 1:3–6, NIV84)

F. FAMILY LIKENESS

1. Paul concludes by writing, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory

a. Christians will suffer, not simply in the pains of this world that all people face, but specifically because they are brothers and sisters of Christ

b. Christ faces rejection because of who he was

1) likewise, his family will suffer in the same ways as we seek to live for him and speak of him

2. when it comes to the Christian faith, the ‘cancel culture’ is nothing new

a. the world has been attempting to cancel our faith and witness since the day the Holy Spirit filled those 120 disciples in the upper room on the day of Pentecost

b. but if we suffer like Jesus suffered, the promise is that we will also be glorified as Jesus was glorified

IV. THE CONSUMMATION OF SONS

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:1–2, NIV84). I

LLUS. In The Silver Chair (one of C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia books), he tells the story off a dreadfully thirsty little girl named Jill who finds herself desperate to drink from a stream of water. Unfortunately, it is guarded by a fearsome-looking Lion name Aslan. Now, if you know the books, you know that Aslan is the Christ figure in the series. He’s a good Lion, but he is not a tame Lion. Lewis writes, “Overcome by thirst, she almost felt she would not mind being eaten by the lion if only she could be sure of getting a mouthful of water first. Jill asks and receives permission from him to come and drink. The lion’s voice frightened her so much, however, that she hesitates taking another step toward the stream. She asks, “Will you promise not to do anything to me if I come?” “I make no promise,” says the Lion. “Do you eat little girls?” asks Jill. “I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms,” said the Lion. “I dare not come and drink, then,” replied Jill. “Then you will die of thirst,” said Aslan, “There is no other stream.” It was the most frightening thing she had ever done, but Jill went forward.

1. with this story, Lewis illustrates the tension all Christians feel about their relationship with Christ

a. on the one hand, around Christ flows a river of living water—blessing filled with the riches of his kingdom

1) it is sufficient to quench our deepest thirst

2) we are invited to drink with abandon

b. on the other hand, we know this: that Christ will also consume us with himself in the process

“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:28–29, ESV)

1) this is the ultimate transaction of the gospel—God calls us both the consume Christ, and be consumed with him and by him

2. consummation is the technical term theologians use to define the decisive nature of a Christian’s destiny in Christ

a. a time is coming, at the end of history, when God will make all things new ... including us

“And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.” (Ephesians 1:9–10, NIV84)

3. the consummation of the sons of God is a thought that ought to fill us with hope and longing

a. dread has no place in a Christian’s outlook of the end of days

b. the Scriptures tell us that at the consummation we will be possessed by his every word, devoured with delight in his majesty, and passionately enthralled with his magnificence

ILLUS. Martin Luther was right when he wrote that there are really only two days on a Christian’s calendar: “Today” and “that Day.”

John also wrote in his Gospel, in John 1:12, “But to all who did receive him [that is, Jesus], who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” We have the authority to take this title. It’s more than, “Oh, I just exist. I’m a human being. God made me. So therefore, I’m a child of God,” which is how the lost world sees it.

No, this is something different. This is being brought back into the family to accomplish the original mandate and to work with Jesus side by side, as it were, to be His spiritual sibling, and His co-laborer sibling.