7115 children of God

Israel and the church are the chief objects of God’s fatherly love. People become God’s children through faith and are then encouraged by Scripture to imitate their heavenly Father in their daily living.

Human beings as God’s children

Ge 1:27; Ge 6:2,4; Ps 82:6; Mal 2:10; Lk 3:38; Eph 3:14

Israel as God’s children

Hos 11:1 See also Ex 4:22-23; Ps 73:15; Ps 80:15; Isa 43:6; Isa 63:16; Jer 31:20; Ro 9:4

Israel as God’s rebellious children Isa 1:2 See also Dt 32:5,20; Isa 30:1,9; Jer 3:4-5; Jer 4:22; Eze 20:21

God’s son

Promises of God’s son 2Sa 7:12-14 pp 1Ch 17:11-13 These words referred originally to David’s son, Solomon, but in the NT they are applied to Jesus Christ. See also 1Ch 22:10; 1Ch 28:6; Ps 2:7; Ps 89:26-27

Jesus Christ as God’s son Heb 1:5 See also Mt 3:17 pp Mk 1:11 pp Lk 3:22; Lk 1:32; Ac 13:33; Ro 1:4

Jesus Christ’s followers as God’s children

Mt 9:2 pp Mk 2:5; Mt 9:22 pp Mk 5:34 pp Lk 8:48

Becoming God’s children through faith in Jesus Christ

Becoming God’s children by new birth Jn 1:12-13 See also Jn 12:36; Ro 9:8; Gal 3:26; 1Jn 5:1

Becoming God’s children by adoption Eph 1:5 See also Ro 8:23 This adoption will be fully realised in the future; Gal 4:4-5

Becoming God’s children by the Spirit Ro 8:15 See also Gal 4:6

God’s dealings with his children

God loves his children 1Jn 3:1 See also Dt 1:31; Ps 103:13; Eph 5:1

God disciplines his children Dt 8:5 See also Pr 3:11-12; Heb 12:5-10

God does not abandon his children Hos 1:10 God had previously (Hos 1:9) announced his judgment that Israel would be his people no longer. See also Dt 31:6,8; Jos 1:5; Heb 13:5; Jer 31:9; Mal 3:17; Lk 15:24; Ro 9:26

Behaviour expected of God’s children

God’s children imitate their heavenly Father Eph 5:1 See also Mt 5:48; Lk 6:36

God’s children live by the Father’s standards Php 2:15 See also Lev 11:44-45; Dt 14:1-2; Mt 5:9,44-45 pp Lk 6:35-36; Ro 8:14; 2Co 6:17-18; 1Pe 1:14-16; 1Jn 3:10

The privileges and blessings of being God’s children

God’s children are eternally secure Jn 8:35 See also Ro 8:16,21; 1Jn 5:19

The needs of God’s children are always supplied Mt 7:9-11 pp Lk 11:11-13 See also Mt 6:25-32 pp Lk 12:22-30 needs for the present life; Lk 20:36; Ro 8:23 promises for the life to come

God’s children have a sure inheritance Rev 21:7 See also Jer 3:19; Ro 8:17-19; Gal 4:7; 1Jn 3:2

See also