Some
of the critical choices we as human beings are required to make are as follows:
1. Choose God as Father instead of
Satan
Contrary
to the common belief that all human beings are children of God the crux of the
matter is we are not all children of God. Man originally and initially is the
child of the devil, the nature we received at birth is the nature of Satan due
to Adam’s disobedience by partaking of the fruit of the knowledge of good and
evil. And hence the call to be baptized and be born again is so vitally
important to comply with because, it is as many as received Him (Jesus Christ),
to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in
His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the
will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13).
Here
we see clearly that, as a natural flesh and blood human being we are not
children of God, we become children of God only when we repent and receive
Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and be born again through water baptism
just as Jesus Christ did and received the Holy Spirit that we then receive the
right to become a child of God.
Before
this point we are children of the devil. The sad reality is that, the majority
of people are duplicating the error of the Jews who thought that God was their
father when they said to Jesus; “We were not born of fornication; we have one
Father --- God." Then, Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father,
you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of
Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are
not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the
desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning,
and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he
speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father
of it” (John
8:41-44).
The
crux of the matter is, until one is born of the Spirit he/she is not a child of
God as alluded to by Jesus Christ who said; “Most assuredly, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit
is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again” (John
3:5-7).
And
there are clear distinctions between the child of God and the child of the
devil as clearly illustrated by the apostle John who wrote; “In this the
children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not
practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother: For
this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one
another” (1John
3:10-11).
And
so, a child of God is one who has been converted from being carnal and becoming
spiritual through the new birth in the spirit and is adhering to the principles
of the great commandment which according to Jesus Christ is, "'You shall
love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all
your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it:
'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all
the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 22:37-40).
And
the way one fulfills the first and great commandment is by keeping the
commandments of God.
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To be continued
With brotherly love
Lucius Joseph
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