This post was last updated on March 26, 2026

Day 4 (Year 2)

Believers Are Truly Children of God

“That we would be called children of God; and such we are.” (1 John 3:1b NASB)

For many, the idea that humans can truly become children of God is unimaginable. One reason is that they may choose to believe humans evolved from apes. Many have never seen God, and at the same time feel that God is not human — humans and God are worlds apart. Yet this is precisely what makes the truth of Scripture so remarkable and profound, and it is well worth investing a lot of time and energy in understanding and experiencing God. I believe that while humans share many traits with animals, accepting us becoming children of God through faith in Jesus requires a kind of faith that transcends human weaknesses and limitations. Furthermore, many people have never seen the heavenly Father; so believing that one is His child is actually a big challenge the Father has deliberately set before us. But only we who pass the test will one day see the Father and His heaven with our own eyes.

For some, accepting that they are children of the heavenly Father demands a drastic shift in thinking. First and foremost, it requires rejecting atheism and refusing to accept certain claims within evolutionary theory. It also means accepting that there is a God in this world, and thus understanding that we can belong to Him and seek to follow His guidance in all things. Indeed, the central thrust of this passage is to lift the human gaze above the sins and worldly struggles, so that we might understand and experience the salvation that comes through Jesus Christ — a salvation that transforms our destinies and sinful nature. We who accept our identity as children of God are thus called to live out that likeness, and can no longer sin and rebel against Him.

Accepting ourselves as children of God might seem like a strange idea. But Scripture tells us that believers can now regain the lost identity — for Adam himself was a son of God (Luke 3:38). Through the sin of our ancestors, humanity lost its consciousness of being God’s children; but now, through the redemption of the Lord Jesus, we can once again become children of God and enjoy all the blessings that come with it. Yet we will often pass through many trials before we fully experience the precious identity, authority, and joy of being God’s children. Trials and blessings, therefore, coexist in the life of every believer. All of this begins with the saving work of the Lord Jesus, a subject that will be explored further tomorrow.

Reflection questions:

1) If you truly become a child of the most high heavenly Father, what changes do you think would take place in your life?

2) Has your thinking undergone such a significant transformation that you are ready and willing to embrace the identity of a child of God, along with the deeply changed way of life that comes with it?