Child of God

“So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.”
Galatians 3:24-26

Most Christians have heard that they are children of God. As a church, we enjoy claiming this gift because it brings us into closer relationship with God, giving us a starting point from which to define our relationship.

Now, imagine a world where all Christians actually lived like that. Our value and identity would come from God alone instead of from our work, looks, successes, hobbies, and even our earthly family. This tends to preclude nasty things like arrogance, greed, and competition. Yes, we would need enough to survive, but past that we wouldn’t need any more stuff.

Yes, this was a simple and short post, but I want to be thinking every day about what being a child of God really means. I want to put my value in him instead of in the world. It’s a powerful idea that the church has not explored to its fullest extent. In fact, it is the place that all Christians need to consider as they walk with God. The moment a person accepts Christ, God adopts them as a child. He is their guardian – not the law and not the church. Identity comes straight from him, as if each Christian bears his name instead of individual surnames.