“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name." JOHN 1:12, NKJV

He Says I Am... A Child of God

In John 1:12 it says to those who receive Him and believe in His name, He gave the right to become a Child of God. Fist, John said "to those who receive Him." Jesus offers Himself to you, it is up to you to receive Him. He doesn't want you to just know who He is, He wants you to receive all that He is and all that He has promised to be. When you receive Jesus you welcome His salvation, leadership, provision, counsel, protection, and authority in your life. To receive Him isn't to welcome part of Him. To receive Him is to welcome all of Him and allow Him to come and have His way in your life.

Next, in our text it says to those who "believe in His name." To believe in His name is to believe who He says He is. It is to believe in who He is and to believe in the work He has done. It is to believe He defeated sin on the cross and defeated death in a borrowed tomb. It is to believe that He did that for you, and He did that for me, so we would have the right to become children of God. So, we would have access to the Father in Heaven. It is because of Jesus that you have been given the right or "authority" to become a child of God.

Adoption is based on faith in Jesus. When this term "adoption" is used, it is referring to the fact that you have now been brought into the family of God. God chose you. When a family goes to adopt a child the choose that child, they make a place for that child, and the bring them up into their family. They love that child, and care for them. What a love it is to take a child, choose a child that you don't have to love, and take them as your own. I think that's a beautiful picture of the Father's love for His children. God chose you before you ever chose Him (John 15:16), He wanted you before you ever wanted Him. And when you were adopted into the family of God as His child, He was there with open arms ready to receive you, ready to take you into His family forever, and when He did you were given every right that Jesus had. Because you have received Him and believed in His Name, YOU have been given the right to become a child of God. Rest in that, He says, YOU are ENOUGH, YOU are His Child. And because you are His child you never have to worry about where you belong, you always have a place with your Father!

As you reflect on this promise today that you are His child, know that your Father loves you and always has a place for you in His family. Remember, He chose you. He chose you before you were ever born, and already He loved you then. He loved you so much that He sent Jesus to die for you so that you would have a right to become His Child, a right to be adopted into the family of God. There's no love greater than this!

Further Reading: Ephesians 1:5; 1 John 3:1

If you would like to be able to do a complete study of Chapter Five, order a copy of Enough by contacting Empowered Women's Ministry at empoweredwomen@pcg.org or 817.554.5900 ext. 371. Available also at pcg.org/resources or Amazon.