Look at verse number 1 of 1 John chapter 3, it says,
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us,
that we should be called the sons of God.
Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.
I want you to focus on that phrase right there,
that we should be called the sons of God.
He says, man, you gotta understand the type of love
that God hath bestowed upon us,
that He's willing to call us His children, right?
His sons, His daughters.
This is a great love that He has for us,
that He's willing to claim us as His own.
Now, if you remember reading through the Gospel of John,
the Bible says specifically in John chapter 1 verse 12,
But as many as received Him, to them give you power
to become the sons of God,
even unto them that believe on His name.
And automatically that debunks this whole teaching that,
well, all of mankind are children of God, right?
Don't you hear that a lot?
Sometimes if you go soul winning,
and people have a general understanding of God or something,
or you run into Catholics, they'll often say,
well, we're all children of God, we're all sons of God.
And they automatically think that because we're God's creation,
that automatically puts us in the category
of being His children.
But this is false.
You see, the only people who are God's people,
or the only people who are God's children,
are those who have believed on His son.
And it tells us that,
that as many as received Him, to them gave you power
to become the sons of God.
The stipulation there is that we have to be saved.
The stipulation is that we have to be believers upon Christ
in order to be sons of God.
It goes on to say,
go with me if you would to Galatians chapter number four.
Galatians chapter four, hold your place here
in 1 John chapter three.
I'm gonna read to you from Romans chapter eight verse 15.
It says, for you have not received
the spirit of bondage again to fear,
but you have received the spirit of adoption,
whereby we cry, Abba Father.
Look what it says in Galatians chapter number four,
verse number four.
It says, but when the fullness of the time was come,
God sent forth His son, made of a woman,
made under the law,
to redeem them that were under the law,
that we might receive the adoption of sons.
And because He our sons, God had sent forth
the spirit of His son into your hearts,
crying, Abba Father, wherefore,
thou are no more a servant but a son,
and of a son and an heir of God through Christ.
Now what is this telling us?
Well it's specifically saying that
because we believed on Christ we become sons,
but it also gives us the privilege
to be able to say, Abba Father.
What does that mean?
We can pray and God will hear us.
Because you know, a lot of people out there think,
well, if I just pray to God,
even though I'm not a Christian,
even though I'm not a believer,
God's gonna hear what I say.
Not necessarily.
You know, the Bible says that
His face is against them that do evil,
but His ears open unto the righteous.
You see, and righteous is synonymous
with being a child of God,
not because we're righteous in and of ourselves,
not because we are great people,
we do great works.
You know, our righteousness comes from Jesus Christ.