“CHILDREN OF GOD”

PURPOSE: To preach to the hearers about the benefits of every Christian as a Children of God.

INTRODUCTION:

Many people said that all of us are children of God, because all of us were created in His Image. It is true that all of us were created in the image of God, but it is not true that everybody is the Children of God. God intends that all of us must be His children, yet there is a specific way to become His Children.

From the Book of John 1:12, Apostle John said that, “to those who believe and receive Christ has a right to become a children of God.” From the letter of Apostle Paul to Galatians, Paul said that, “If we are in Christ we are children of God.” Therefore, the children of God are the true Christians who put in faith to Christ, those who receive Christ as their Lord and Savior. Yes! If you are a Christian you are children of God. Now, let us study the benefits of being children of God.

TEXT: Galatians 3:23-29

“²³Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. ²⁴So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under the guardian. ²⁶So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, ²⁷for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BEING CHILDREN OF GOD?

·         WE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW (V23-26)

·         WE ARE ALL ONE IN CHRIST (V26-28)

·         WE ARE HEIRS OF GOD (V29)

WE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW (V23-26)

Galatians 3:23-26 –“²³Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. ²⁴So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under the guardian. ²⁶So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,”

Apostle Paul made a point and made it cleared that children of God are not under the law. 

So, what are the purposes of the law?

The law was given to expose the transgressions (V19)

Galatians 3:19 – “Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law given through angels, and entrusted to a mediator. ”

The law was given to expose the transgressions until the “seed” (Christ) come to whom the promise referred. Therefore, the law was given by God not to make man holy but to expose the sinful nature of man, for there is no man can fulfill all the laws, except Lord Jesus, although He is God, He become man in order to save the humanity from slavery of sin.

               

The law was given to become our guardian (tutor) (V24)

Galatians 3:24 – “²⁴So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith.”

The law was given to become our guardian (tutor) until Christ came (V24). Many religions taught that to find salvation and acceptance from God must submit to the law, because they believed that fulfilling the law is obedience to God, since God gave the law to Moses (first five books of OT and ten commandments ) to be followed by the Nation of Israel. From the time of Lord Jesus, Pharisees and teachers of the law were very strict to the religious rituals to obey the different laws. But the problem of obeying the law is nobody can obey the whole law, because of this; nobody can find righteousness by fulfilling the law, because failure to obey at least one commandment is failure to obey the whole commandments. (James 2:10).

Paul’s conclusion is the children of God are not under the law anymore.

               

WE ARE ALL ONE IN CHRIST (V26-28)

Galatians 3:26-28 – “. ²⁶So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, ²⁷for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

As we put our faith to Lord Jesus Christ, we become the children of God. (John 1:12-13, V26).

We clothed ourselves with Christ when we baptized into Christ. Clothes symbolizes where we belong, like school uniform, it identifies us where we studied. At the time of Apostle Paul, roman soldiers wear their uniform to signify their rank and group they belong, from ancient to the present age, clothes become an indicator of what social status we belong. Uniform indicates also our affiliation to a certain institution, or it shows where we employed.

We must be cautious on how we conduct ourselves in front of unbeliever and while we are living in this world, because we are not representing ourselves anymore, we are representing Christ now! We are wearing Christ now!

As a children of God we must be united, there is neither Jew, nor Gentile, neither  slave nor free, and there is no male nor female, we are all one in Christ.

At the time of Apostle Paul there were many division and discrimination between;

o   Jews and Gentiles

o   Men and Women

o   Slaves and Free

But when Christ came, division and discrimination has been abolished, and every Christians has equal opportunities to receive salvation and Spiritual Gifts based from their desire and calling from God, regardless of their social status, race, nationality, educational attainment and gender. Because in the eyes of God, every Christian is a son/daughter of God, and all Christians are identified in Christ not only in their organization, or denomination they belong.

WE ARE HEIRS OF GOD (V29, Gen 12:2-3)

Galatians 3:29 – “ If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise”.

Every Christian is Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to promise. Sometimes Christian has a doubt about his position and worth to God, we thought that we are not worthy to God because of our sins, problems, and trials we face, and sometimes, we thought that we are more worthy to God as we follow his commandments and calling for us, but both are not true, because we are not better than others, in the eyes of God all Christian are his children and heirs. The Holy Scripture said that Christians are the children of God and heirs according to the promise. This promise is not a promise of a religion, or a promise of an organization, or a promise of a prophet, or a promise of matured Christian, but a promise of God!

Genesis 12:2-3 – “²I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. ³I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

Many people said, “I will…”, because they want to do their will, their self-will! But, God said, “I will…”, because it is the will of God to bless Abraham and his descendants. All Christians are true spiritual descendants of Abraham; therefore they are Children of God and Heirs of God, destined to be blessed and to be a vessel of blessing to others according to the promise of God!

How can we become a Children of God?

·         By Lord’s Redemptive Work

·         By receiving God’s Adoption

Galatians 4:4-7 – “⁴But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵to redeem those under the law,  that we might receive adoption to sonship. ⁶Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” ⁷So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child, and since you are his child, God made you also an heir. ”

By Lord’s Redemptive Work

In God’s perfect time, He sent his Son, so that every person who believe and receive Christ will find redemption through Him. (Romans 3:23-24). God is righteous and sins must be punished, every sinner must face punishment, but by the grace of God, Lord Jesus died in the cross to be punished instead of us. Because of Christ’s redemptive work in the cross everyone who has faith in Christ are justified.

By receiving God’s Adoption

Lord’s redemptive work in the cross enables us to receive adoption to sonship (V5). By believing and receiving Christ, every Christian receive the right to become children of God (John 1:12). Also, the Holy Spirit we received brought us adoption to sonship. (Romans 8:15).

The Spirit of Christ is in the heart of every Christian, and it will allow us to call (Abba, Father) [Daddy!]. This is a great a privilege for all true Christians, because we have intimate relationship to Our Father in Heaven, because we can call Him, “Daddy” (Abba, Father), and we can approach Him freely.

CONCLUSION:

Galatians 4:7 - .” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child, and since you are his child, God made you also an heir. ”

Did you receive Christ as your Lord and Savior? If yes, you are a True Christian.

If you are a True Christian, you are not a slave; you are a son of God. If you are a son of God you are also an Heir according to God’s promise.

What does it mean to be a born again Christian? (Part 3)

PURPOSE:

To answer the following questions:

• What does it mean to be a Born Again Christian?
• What are the benefits of being Born Again?
• How we will become Born Again?

"You must be born again." The religious leader who heard these words first spoken 2,000 years ago seemed stunned by them. This, Nicodemus, a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews, had already acknowledged his belief that Jesus Christ had come from God, "for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." Chapter three of the Gospel of John records this intriguing conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, giving us a vital key to the kingdom of God.

Both believers and unbelievers still use Jesus' words "born again," and many, like Nicodemus, are still confused by them.

Nicodemus asked Jesus, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born again, can he?"

Nicodemus was thinking in terms of the flesh. Jesus had to explain to him, "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.'" Jesus also explained that unless a person is born again, he cannot see or enter the kingdom of God. Obviously, this born-again experience, whatever it is, is absolutely necessary and of the utmost importance. We cannot take it lightly, for Jesus spoke imperatively, "You must" - a command from God.

You can imagine the incredulous look on the face of Nicodemus. He couldn't believe such a thing. All his life he had been taught that good works were the key to heaven-that if a person observed all the laws and requirements of God, he would have entrance into heaven. He said to Jesus, "How can these things be?"

You see, Jesus was talking about things of the spirit. He compared the spirit with the wind. You cannot see it; you don't know where it's coming from or where it's going. But it is real, and you see its effects. You see what it does to the trees. You see the leaves that are caught up in the wind. You see the little swirls of dust. You feel the wind on your face. Jesus said, "So is every one who is born of the Spirit."

The Flesh Versus The Spirit

The problem was that Nicodemus, like all human beings, was of the flesh. He was from the earth. Flesh is mortal. It is subject to death, decay, and corruption. It is filled with self-pity, self-pride, self-love.

An awesome fact exists about the flesh: everything we see, everything visible, even our own bodies, are perishing. Many people try everything imaginable to ignore or forget this, but the fact always remains. The Bible says that things which are visible are temporary but things which are invisible are eternal (see 2 Corinthians 4:18).

The truth is that we dwell in a mortal body which will soon return to dust.

The Answer

Our old state, our old nature, and even all our good deeds are insufficient. God is totally and absolutely holy and righteous. He is perfect. We cannot fellowship with Him now or in the next life in the imperfection of our present nature. Perfection and imperfection are incompatible.

"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). By our very self-seeking nature we are sinful and imperfect. And sin results in death, and eternal separation from God. This is the result of our earthly nature. It is obvious that we need a new nature, a nature that God can look upon with acceptance. A nature that stands justified before Him. We need a new birth. You must be born again.

There are four important things about this new nature, the new birth, that you must know.

A Free Gift

First, the new birth is free, a gift from God! We cannot earn it. We cannot work for it or else we could boast, and no one shall boast before God. An imperfect creature cannot earn or deserve such merit from a holy God. "For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). This free gift comes to us by grace, or unmerited favor (see Ephesians 2:8,9).

Only God's supreme love makes such a free and wonderful gift possible. God did not automatically excuse our sinful condition. He paid the greatest price. You see, sin must be punished. God in His holy and righteous nature must judge sin. Not to do so would deny His very nature. He Himself has decreed that "The wages of sin is death."

No Greater Love Than This

The most magnificent and incomparable act of love in all of history is that God took our sins and death upon Himself. Jesus, the Son of God, took the punishment in our place. He became our substitute.

"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus Christ, "although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:6-8).

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

That is why Christ chose to die-to make the supreme love gift of taking all our punishment upon Himself, to reconcile the world unto God. He totally identified with our sinful nature when He hung on the cross, and became sin for us though sinless Himself, so that we might have the free gift of forgiveness and life.

The Mystery Revealed

The second important fact about this new nature is that it is actually the nature of the only perfect Person who ever lived, Jesus Christ. Only Jesus is good enough. Only He is perfect. Only His life is acceptable to God. It is only as we partake of His life that we become acceptable to God. Being "born again" is nothing less than receiving the actual life of the living Christ - His Spirit actually entering us and bringing our spirit to life. Our spirit is joined with Him" (1 Corinthians 6:17). We then become one with the perfect One. "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me: (Galations 2:20). The mystery is now revealed, "that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generationswhich is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:26,27).

Jesus' identification with us is complete. In His death, He bore our sins and suffered our death. In His resurrection, He became our life, so much so that in His Spirit we are even joined with Him. Now when the Father looks upon us He sees only the righteousness of Jesus. We are accepted. We have been born again!

"If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The Abundant Life

The third important fact is that when we are born again, we become a new creature, now. The heavenly promise is for the future and will be wonderful beyond understanding. However, at the new birth we immediately begin to experience the life of God as He guides us, walks with us, and indwells us. We experience the fruit of His Spirit such as love, joy, and peace. As we are filled with His Spirit, we experience His supernatural power manifested in life situations. Life takes on new meaning. Everything is in a new perspective. Jesus said that He came, not just to get us to heaven, but that we "might have life, and might have it abundantly" (John 10"10).

How To Receive Him

The fourth important fact to know is how to receive this gift. Doesn't every act of giving require a giver and a receiver? God, the Giver, holds out the gift to everyone. It is not His will that any should perish (see 2 Peter 3:9). But to receive a gift requires that we agree to a need. We must agree as the spirit of God shows us that we are, indeed, sinful creatures in need of God's forgiveness and grace. "Unless you repent, you will likewise perish" (Luke 13:3).

Repentance means to change our mind, to turn. We must change our mind about our condition and our direction away from God. And turn to Him.

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12).

We receive Christ by an ingenious method that only God could devise. It is not by works, because our abilities would vary and everyone would not have an equal chance. It is an opportunity that is equal regardless of intelligence, sex, age, race, social status, or wealth. It is by faith.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith: and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God: Not as a result of works, that no one should boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9).

To receive Christ, we must acknowledge our need and who He is. Then we simply turn to Him by faith and put our trust and reliance in Him. We receive Him by invitation. Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me" (Revelation 3:20).

Do you want to be born again, right now? Do you want a new nature? Do you want to receive the most wonderful gift in the whole universe, the life of Christ Himself? Then simply but sincerely pray:

"Dear Lord Jesus, I believe that You are the Son of God. I believe that You died for my sins and rose from the grave. I invite You into my heart and receive You right now. Thank You for forgiveness. Thank You for a new life. Help me to be what You want me to be and live Your life through me. Amen."

Now What?

If you sincerely prayed that prayer, God says that you have new life and that you are a member of His eternal kingdom. He desires close fellowship with you during this life and desires for you even now to live victoriously as a child of the King! Also, since He died for you, He wants you to live for Him.

"And He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf" (2 Corinthians 5:15).

As we are born again, God immediately implants a new nature within us. Some outward change may be dramatic and instant; some may come gradually. As with any newborn, our new nature needs nurture and growth.

Talk to Him frequently. And listen to his voice within you. That's what prayer is. Read and meditate upon His Word, the Bible - another way He speaks to you. Finally, He wants you to fellowship with other believers and be a functioning part of His corporate Body -- so find a Bible-believing church and attend regularly.

http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/cbnteachingsheets/born_again_how_to_be_saved.aspx

What does it mean to be a born again Christian? (Part 1)

PURPOSE:

To answer the following questions:

• What does it mean to be a Born Again Christian?

• What are the benefits of being Born Again?

• How we will become Born Again?

What does it mean to be a born-again Christian? The classic passage from the Bible that answers this question isJohn 3:1-21. The Lord Jesus Christ is talking to Nicodemus, a prominent Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin (the ruling body of the Jews). Nicodemus had come to Jesus at night with some questions.

As Jesus talked with Nicodemus, He said, “‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’ ‘How can a man be born when he is old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, “You must be born again”’” (John 3:3-7).

The phrase "born again" literally means "born from above." Nicodemus had a real need. He needed a change of his heart—a spiritual transformation. New birth, being born again, is an act of God whereby eternal life is imparted to the person who believes (2 Corinthians 5:17;Titus 3:5;1 Peter 1:3;1 John 2:29;3:9;4:7;5:1-4,18).John 1:12,13indicates that being "born again" also carries the idea of "becoming children of God" through trust in the name of Jesus Christ.

The question logically comes, "Why does a person need to be born again?" The apostle Paul inEphesians 2:1says, "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins" (NKJV). To the Romans he wrote, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Sinners are spiritually “dead”; when they receive spiritual life through faith in Christ, the Bible likens it to a rebirth. Only those who are born again have their sins forgiven and have a relationship with God.

How does that come to be?Ephesians 2:8-9states, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." When one is saved, he/she has been born again, spiritually renewed, and is now a child of God by right of new birth. Trusting in Jesus Christ, the One who paid the penalty of sin when He died on the cross, is the means to be "born again." "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

If you have never trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, will you consider the prompting of the Holy Spirit as He speaks to your heart? You need to be born again. Will you pray the prayer of repentance and become a new creation in Christ today? "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God" (John 1:12-13).

If you want to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and be born again, here is a sample prayer. Remember, saying this prayer or any other prayer will not save you. It is only trusting in Christ that can save you from sin. This prayer is simply a way to express to God your faith in Him and thank Him for providing for your salvation. "God, I know that I have sinned against you and am deserving of punishment. But Jesus Christ took the punishment that I deserve so that through faith in Him I could be forgiven. I place my trust in You for salvation. Thank You for Your wonderful grace and forgiveness—the gift of eternal life! Amen!"


From:  http://www.gotquestions.org/born-again.html

What does it mean to be a born again Christian? (Part 2)

Born Again Christian – The Meaning

The term “born again Christian” is an often misunderstood. If we look to its original reference, we see that the meaning is not about a physical birth, but about receiving a spiritual renewal. Since the original sin in the garden by Adam (Genesis 3), all mankind is born in a corrupted state by inheritance. It is by that our soul needs to be reborn—made pure and righteous again—the way God created us to be. He provided the way for this to happen, but because God gave us free will, we have a choice to accept it or not.

The term in the original Greek text is gennaṓ (born) meaning “to regenerate” and ańōthen (again) meaning “from above, anew.” Both meanings are consistent with the redeeming purpose. The label of Christian (Christianos) means “follower of Christ.” The born again Christian has accepted this supernatural transformation from sin to righteousness, evil to good.

Born Again Christian – Who Can Be Born Again

Our first given example of becoming a born again Christian was a man named Nicodemus. It was a radical declaration when “born again” was first spoken by Jesus to this man. His story is in John 3:1-23 where Jesus told Nicodemus, “…no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” In verse 6 Jesus explains “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to the spirit.”

Like with Nicodemus, being born again is not based on your nationality or ethnicity; it is personal. God’s gift of rebirth is not through our human effort or merit, but comes through God’s mercy alone. Titus 3:5 tells us, “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”

The new birth is an illustration of God’s Spirit and is not performed or achieved by religious ceremony or traditional rite. The Bible states that God is not a respecter of persons; being old or young, rich or poor, male or female makes no difference (Acts 10:34). Becoming born again is a personal choice, open for everyone to receive.

The way to become a born again Christian is clearly presented in God’s Word:

We recognize we are sinners (Romans 3:23) and that the penalty for that sin is death (Romans 6:23). Because of our sin, we can’t know and experience God’s love and we are spiritually separated from Him. To remedy our situation, God sent His only Son to die in our place—to take the penalty for our sin (Romans 5:8). After Jesus’ death, He rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3-6). Jesus is our only way to God (John 14:6) and He gives us the gift of salvation. We can receive God’s gift through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) and experience new birth (John 3:1-8). Receiving Jesus means trusting Him to come into our lives to forgive our sins and make us what He desires.

If you want to receive Jesus now, and accept His gift of salvation, you can express this in a prayer to God. This is not a ritual based on specific words, but rather, a prayerful guideline for your sincere step of faith.

“Father, I know I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.”

Born Again Christian – What Can I Expect?
When we become born again Christians we will begin to see changes in our lives that we cannot explain in the natural. We do not forfeit who we are, but we become a better and healthier person.

• We will see an increase in our love and compassion for others.
• We will still experience obstacles and trials in life, but we will handle them better and have the knowledge that God is working in our lives.
• We will have a sincere yearning to be pleasing to God and to live in obedience to Him.
• Some have received immediate release from addictions.
• Marriages and relationships may be restored.
• We may be motivated to do things we have always desired, but thought we were not good enough or unworthy to pursue.
• We will have a desire to serve God and share His love and Gospel with others.
• We will hunger for more of God. This hunger will result in studying God’s Word (the Bible) and seeking His will in our lives. The more we get to intimately know God, the closer we become to Him.

Above all rewards though, is the knowledge that we will enter the Kingdom of God and have eternal life with Him. 

If you decided to become a born again Christian today, welcome to God's family. Now, as a way to grow closer to Him, the Bible tells us to follow up on our commitment.

• Get baptized as commanded by Christ.
• Tell someone else about your new faith in Christ.
• Spend time with God each day. It does not have to be a long period of time. Just develop the daily habit of praying to Him and reading His Word. Ask God to increase your faith and your understanding of the Bible.
• Seek fellowship with other Christians. Develop a group of Christian friends to answer your questions and support you.
• Find a local church where you can worship God.

From: http://www.allaboutreligion.org/born-again-christian.htm

“Heridera Y Heridero, Señorita Y Señorito”

PURPOSE:

Turuan ang mga taga pakinig na ang bawat Kristiano ay anak ng Diyos.

INTRODUCTION:

Kung malalaman mo kaya na ikaw ay isang tagapagmana ng isang ari-arian o kaya’y tagapagmana ng isang kaharian, ano kaya ang magiging reaksiyon mo?

At kung totoong tagapagmana ka, ano ang gagawin mo?  Sino ba sa atin ngayon ang nais yumaman? Nais magkaroon ng maayos na tahanan, o kaya’y gustong makapagbakasyon sa isang napakagandang lugar.

Di nyo ba alam na kayo bilang Kristiano ay tagapagmana ng Kaharian ng Diyos? Tagapagmana ng langit? Sa sulat ni Apostol Pablo sa mga taga – Roma, tingnan po natin at basahin.

TEXT: Roma 8:14-17

“¹⁴Ang lahat ng pinapatnubayan ng Espiritu ng Diyos ay mga anak ng Diyos.

¹⁵Sapagkat hindi espiritu ng pagkaalipin ang inyong tinanggap upang kayo’y mamuhay sa takot. Sa halip, ang inyong tinanggap ay ang Espiritu ng pagkupkop upang kayo’y gawing mga anak ng Diyos, kaya tayo’y tumatawag sa kanya ng “Ama, Ama Ko!”

¹⁶Ang Espiritu ang nagpapatotoo, kasama ng ating espiritu, na tayo’y mga anak ng Diyos.

¹⁷At yamang mga anak, tayo’y mga tagapagmana ng Diyos at kasamang tagapagmana ni Cristo. Sapagkat kung tayo’y kasama niya sa pagtitiis, tayo’y makakasama niya sa kanyang kaluwalhatian. ”

Sino-Sino nga ba ang mga anak ng Diyos?

• Sila ay ang mga pinapatnubayan ng Espiritu Santo (V. 14-16)
• Sila ay tagapagmana at kasamang tagapagmana ni Kristo (V. 16-17)
• Sila ay pinapatnubayan ng TATLONG PERSONA (TRINITY)

Sila ay ang mga pinapatnubayan ng Espiritu Santo (V. 14-16)

Ang mga taong tumanggap at nanampalataya sa Panginoong Jesus ay ang tunay na anak ng Diyos (Sila din ang tunay na Kristiano) (Juan 1:12-13). Ito ay dakilang gawa at kalooban ng Diyos, hindi kagagawan ng tao.

“¹⁴Ang lahat ng pinapatnubayan ng Espiritu ng Diyos ay mga anak ng Diyos.

¹⁵Sapagkat hindi espiritu ng pagkaalipin ang inyong tinagggap upang kayo’y mamuhay sa takot. Sa halip, ang inyong tinanggap ay ang Espiritu ng pagkupkop upang kayo’y gawing mga anak ng Diyos, kaya tayo’y tumatawag sa kanya ng “Ama, Ama Ko!” “

Ang mga anak ng Diyos ay pinapatnubayan ng Espiritu ng Diyos, at ang Espiritu ng pagkukop ay siyang tinanggap ng totoong Kristiano, hindi ang espiritu ng pagkaalipin. Marahil marami ang inaalipin pa rin ng sari-saring espiritu, ngunit dapat na ating matanggap ay ang Espiritu ng pagkupkop, sapagkat ito ang magdadala sa atin sa Ama.

“…ang inyong tinanggap ay ang Espiritu ng pagkupkop upang kayo’y gawing mga anak ng Diyos, kaya tayo’y tumatawag sa kanya ng “Ama, Ama Ko!” “

Sa pamamagitan ng Espiritu tayo ay malayang makakalapit sa Ama, makakalambing sa Ama, “Aba Father”.

Ang espiritu ng pagkaalipin ay salungat sa Espiritu ng pagkupkop, sapagkat sa oras na tanggapin natin ang Espiritu ng pagkupkop tayo ay maykalayaan na rin sa mga espiritung maaring umalipin sa atin. Ang mga espiritung ito ay ang mga sumusunod; bisyo, kahirapan, takot, pagkainggit at iba pang mga espiritu na maaring magimpluwensya sa ating upang mapalayo sa pagiging anak ng Diyos.

Paano nga ba masisiguro ng isang Kristiano na siya ay anak ng Diyos?

^“16Ang Espiritu ang nagpapatotoo, kasama ng ating espiritu, na tayo’y mga anak ng Diyos.”

Ang Espiritu na ating tinaggap ay siyang magpapatotoo na tayo ay anak ng Diyos, at ang ating espiritu ay makakauwa na tayo ay totoong anak ng Diyos. Maaring ang mundo, ang kapaligiran at ang ating emosyon ay magdududa tungkol sa ating pagiging anak, pero ang Espiritu ng Diyos ay siyang magpapaunawa sa atin na tayo’y anak ng Diyos.

Sila ay tagapagmana at kasamang tagapagmana ni Kristo (V. 16-17)

^“16Ang Espiritu ang nagpapatotoo, kasama ng ating espiritu, na tayo’y mga anak ng Diyos.

¹⁷At yamang mga anak, tayo’y mga tagapagmana ng Diyos at kasamang tagapagmana ni Cristo. Sapagkat kung tayo’y kasama niya sa pagtitiis, tayo’y makakasama niya sa kanyang kaluwalhatian. ”

Ito ay isang magandang balita sa mga taong tumanggap at nanampalataya kay Kristo, sapagkat sila ay tagapagmana ng Diyos. Maaring ang iba ay magdududa, pero ang Espiritu ng Diyos ay siyang mangungusap sa ating espiritu na tayo ay mga anak ng Diyos.

Ang bawat anak ng Diyos ay kasamang tagapagmana ni Kristo, ngunit kung si Kristo ay nagtiis ng maraming hirap dito sa mundo, tayo din ay hindi makakaiwas sa mga kahirapan na darating, dapat na ang bawat Kristiano ay maging handa sa mga hirap at pagtitiis na maaring harapin ng bawat Kristiano.

Tayo ay nakalaan na magmana ng langit at kaharian ng Diyos, ngunit habang tayo ay nasa mundong ito, tulad ni Kristo tayo ay haharap sa mga pagtitiis, pag-uusig, pagtatakwil (rejection) at iba pang kahirapan. Nararapat lamang na tayo ay handa sa mga paghihirap na ito, at pagdating ng takdang panahon tayo ay magiging tagapagma ng Langit at Kaharian ng Diyos.

Sila ay pinapatnubayan ng TATLONG PERSONA (TRINITY)

Hayag ang patnubay at gawain ng TATLONG PERSONA (AMA, ANAK, at ESPIRITU SANTO) sa bawat anak ng Diyos. Ang Ama ay siyang kukopkop sa bawat Kristiano (Roma 8:14-15).

Ang Panginoong Jesus ay siyang nagbigay ng pagkakataon sa bawat tao na maging anak ng Diyos, sa pamamagitan ng pagtanggap at pananampalataya sa kanya (Juan 1:12).

Ang Espiritu Santo ay siyang magpapaunawa sa espiritu ng bawat Kristiano na siya ay anak ng Diyos at tagapagmana hindi na alipin (Roma 8:14-17).

CONCLUSION:

Habang tayo ay nasa mundong ito tayo ay hindi exempted sa mga pagtitiis, sapagkat kung ang Panginoon Jesus ay humarap sa sari-saring pagtitiis, tayo ay makakaranas din ng ganun. Ngunit kung tayo ay kasama niya sa kanyang pagtitiis, siya din ay makakasama natin sa kanyang kaluwalhatian.

Ang bawat tumanggap at nanampalataya kay Kristo ay mga anak ng Diyos, ang Espiritu Santo ay siyang laging magpapaunawa sa espiritu ng mananampalataya na siya ay anak ng Diyos. Tayo ay hindi na alipin, tayo ay mga tagapagmana na! may kalayaan tayong tumawag at maglambing sa ating Ama na nasa langit.