What Manner of Child of God Are We?

What Manner of Child of God Are We?

by David Brenneman 

"Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.  For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.  ‭‭Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment." Hebrews 5:11-6:2.

‭‭"But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.  For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.  And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises." Hebrews 6:9-12.

How much effort do you put forth into your relationship with Jesus?

Perhaps it's the simplest and yet most complicated question to ask each one of us.

We're either taking our relationship with Jesus seriously or we're not. 

Life is going to only be what we do or do not put into it.  

My life isn't what I do for a living.  I do not live for my employer.  My life is hidden in Christ.  

‭‭"Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory." Colossians 3:1-4.

We read of faith in Romans 10:17 "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.".

What have you heard but have not allowed to impact your life?

Power, prestige, riches, long life, all are meaningless in light of doing life God's way. Consider it well that gold is pavement to be walked on in Heaven.  

There are no positions of authority in Heaven save those established concerning our Lord Jesus Christ and His appointed Angels. 

Here on Earth we read of the Great Commission...but do we erroneously consider that that is for the Pastor, Elders, Deacons and Deaconess's to do?  Do we support our local Church in giving?  Do we pray for those in leadership above us?  Do we pray for those who haven't yet come to Christ for salvation?  

Is what is important to Jesus important to you?  To Jesus, our sanctification is important.  It's the very workmanship that He's doing through the Spirit concerning us.

Our world has been influenced by sin since Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  Our day and age is ripe with the same grand deceptions that existed before the Genesis Flood.  We're quickly approaching that same level of global evil that was present in the days of Noah.  

This evil is NOT more powerful than the Word of God.  Let's make that abundantly clear. 

Go back again and read the opening Scriptures.  Are you among those still after milk or solid food?

You are not living in this here this now by some strange quirk of God's providence. You weren't brought into this world to bemoan your existence and do nothing but complain about life.  

Jesus is quite often waiting on those who've come to Him for salvation to really live for Him. 

Do you value your time in God's Word to the point that even if you must lose sleep you will keep your commitment to being in it after a long day?  Do you value your times in prayer as though you were talking to your absolute best friend and if you didn't you would miss it? 

Does hearing of others coming to Christ excite you?  Do Believer's who take the next step and get Baptized make you happy?  

The questions can go on and on. 

My Dear Reader...you are uniquely in this world right here right now for His purpose and His pleasure. 

Your identity is a Child of God, heir to the Throne of God. Co-heir's with Christ Jesus.  You are the Beloved of God.  Are you going to waste your time, energy and effort on the useless things this world tries in ernest to get you to partake of?

Take your life seriously in Christ Jesus.  Long after the things that grow you in Christ Jesus.  You will not be disappointed.  Set your life around what makes for a life growing in Christ.  Set a time or several times to be in the Word of God and make it stick.  Commit to a person talk time with Jesus and make it stick.  

"but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises"

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.