Being God’s child is life-changing. It is not merely a comforting label but a complete reshaping of identity, security, purpose, and destiny. Rooted in God’s promises, it is a deliberate act of God’s grace that moves a person from separation into belonging in His family. This identity affects every part of life—from self-perception to relationships and hope for the future.
At its heart, being God’s child means having an identity rooted in the Father’s love rather than in personal achievements or performance. It is a present reality that offers freedom from shame and insecurity and brings deep healing by replacing feelings of inferiority with God’s verdict of acceptance. Self-worth is anchored in His declaration, not in fluctuating emotions or human approval. Adoption into God’s family is both joyful and purposeful.
God purposefully chose believers for adoption through Jesus Christ, making them full members of His family with all its rights and responsibilities. This brings security and motivation to daily life, freeing believers from fear and orphan-like anxiety. They receive the “Spirit of adoption,” calling out to God with intimacy as “Abba, Father.” Prayer becomes a confident, open conversation with God, where every need and praise is welcomed, and holiness grows naturally as a reflection of love for the Father.
Although it seems unbelievable to ordinary humanity, it is impossible to separate God’s children from God the Father. This is not merely a theological statement but an undeniable fact—just as a child of a lion is a lion and a child of a leopard is a leopard. Yet asserting this reality is as dangerous as it was when it led to Jesus’ crucifixion. Even so, the hostile reaction confirms the most important message ever advanced to humanity.
“My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:29–33 NIV).
Jesus was crucified for claiming to be the Son of God, yet through His sacrifice He gave us the chance to gain freedom and become God’s children. The disciples, who shared this status, were taught to value the importance of being God’s children, aligning themselves with Jesus’ standing by living according to His teachings. Many claim to love Jesus but show hostility toward His brothers, revealing themselves as pretenders who follow Christianity for personal gain.
The Bible makes it clear that, when grounded in truth, such pretenders can be recognized by their intense hatred for God’s children. Without identifying counterfeit Christianity, it is impossible to become a true Christian. Satan’s organizations often appear more Christian than genuine Christian groups sustained by Jesus’ teachings. Anything that blends good and evil cannot come from God. One cannot be a true Christian and still be liked by those of this world.
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me” (John 15:18–21 NIV).
A deceiver often makes promises beyond what can actually be delivered. Ordinary people are vulnerable to such deceptions, which are characterized by unattainable promises. Many aspiring children of God become consumed by the world’s approval rather than God’s approval. Yet it is the world’s disapproval that affirms believers as God’s children. Cowardice generally prevents most people from embracing this path, as stepping away from the crowd holds little appeal for the timid.
Jesus was disliked despite being the only begotten Son of God. It was only after His ascension that thousands began proclaiming Him as Lord. Even today, countless people across the world worship Jesus, though many are influenced by an imagined caricature of Him. Jesus emphasized that He was no different from His brothers, who are often overlooked.
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me’” (Matthew 25:41–45 NIV).
Anyone who has seen Jesus has seen God the Father. By extension, those who have seen His brothers have seen not only Jesus but also God the Father. It is no surprise that if Jesus was hated and rejected, His brothers would face the same treatment. Indeed, God’s children cannot be as sinless as Jesus was, but that does not diminish their identity.
The real challenge lies in understanding what sustains a person’s existence, regardless of background. Humans are distinct from other species—not because of their physical nature, but because God’s Spirit potentially qualifies them as His children. Being invalidated or despised does not diminish the possibility of that truth. They simply need courage and perseverance to withstand extreme opposition and rejection from their peers.
“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them, and they are in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
“God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the Day of Judgment: In this world, we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
“We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister” (1 John 4:12–21 NIV).
God’s children are united with Jesus and God the Father, unlike the Trinitarian theory that implies a separation of God and Jesus from the rest of His children. Such ideas often come from nonbelievers, even those engaged in theological studies. In His humanity, Jesus made the path to salvation simple, embodying godliness through character and principle.
Paul’s letter to Philemon offers remarkable clarity, as he urges Philemon to accept Onesimus, who had shared a prison cell with Paul before being released, leaving Paul behind. Philemon was a devoted believer, and Onesimus, his slave, had debts that may have led to his imprisonment, where he met Paul before accepting Christ. The way Paul appeals to Philemon is truly profound.
What kind of significant help could a former prisoner like Onesimus have given Paul to earn such esteem? It is reminiscent of when Jesus promised paradise to one of the criminals crucified beside Him. Paul urges Philemon to welcome his former slave Onesimus, who owed him debts, and to treat him as he would treat Paul himself, who promises to settle everything Onesimus owes. This is striking, given the long-standing tradition of hierarchical structures now associated with Christianity.
Paul also taught that in God’s kingdom there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile, slave and free, or male and female (Galatians 3:25–29). Unfortunately, modern Christianity often prioritizes the ordination of overseers and deacons over the radical equality highlighted in Philemon, which challenges rank and hierarchy. We are not even told Philemon’s position, yet Paul saw him as an equal, despite no record of him being an apostle—let alone Onesimus, for whom he pleads for equal treatment.
Becoming God’s child removes the importance of the rank structures that preoccupy the people of this world. There is no regard for a person’s accumulated experience or the good profile Paul advised in 1 Timothy 3, which fails to align with Christ’s teachings. The only reason Paul’s guidance to Timothy and Titus is emphasized is that it fits human traditions, despite Jesus having rejected it (Matthew 23:8–12). Among influential theologians, none are willing to honestly address what Jesus said about studying the Bible.
“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. I do not accept glory from human beings, but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?” (John 5:39–44 NIV).
Jesus’ teachings are straightforward, but humanity’s hardheartedness makes them difficult to accept. People struggle to imagine life beyond the physical realm, making God’s intervention essential for understanding His message. Jewish behavior mirrors that of the rest of humanity, regardless of background. Becoming a child of God requires transformation, with Jesus recognized as the living Word of God. As Isaiah 64:8 illustrates, clay cannot dictate how it is shaped—the potter decides. Becoming God’s child is a profound experience entirely beyond our control.
The Jews clung to Mosaic laws, unknowingly placing them above God. Paul notes that they were zealous for God but lacked true knowledge (Romans 10:1–3). Some may think the Jews were more stubborn than the Gentiles taking comfort in Christianity, even today, but Paul’s letters reveal that Gentiles were equally stiff-necked. The Gentiles, steeped in idolatry, often idolized the apostles instead of applying God’s truth. Paul compared them to infants, content with milk rather than solid food, too hardhearted to realize their errors.
When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them.
“In the past, he let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them (Acts 14:11–18 NIV).
Humanity’s hardheartedness makes embracing Jesus seem impossible, when the opposite is true. Jesus said that God must draw a person before they can accept His teachings: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:44). God’s calling may feel unattainable, but this is often due to egotism. He does not force anyone to become His child if they are uninterested. Being humble and teachable is key to responding to God’s call—and prayer plays an important role in this.
Many do not realize that we are born into a sinful world, making us naturally God’s enemies unless we accept Jesus as our personal Savior. Only then can we be led to understand God’s will. We cling stubbornly to what seems right in our own eyes, defying God, who says His ways are not ours (Isaiah 55:8–9). Salvation is impossible without surrendering everything, allowing God to shape us according to His will.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16–17 NIV).
The act of salvation is not random—Jesus had to die on the cross. God is not selective but works with the humble before fulfilling His promise. Everyone has the chance to accept or reject it, with humility as the only condition. “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:10 NIV). The key question is the meaning of humility. To humble oneself before the Lord simply means having a modest or low opinion of oneself. Pride is its opposite, and while handling pride may seem easy, it is actually a complex challenge for humanity.
My understanding comes from living in poverty and having a diminished social standing. I can hardly imagine those from upper-class backgrounds embracing humility easily. The honored in this world may struggle to accept it. Yet God might call the proud by first humbling them, perhaps through catastrophe or reducing them to poverty. This is speculation, but only God knows the hearts of people. Still, my view finds support in Scripture that seems to affirm this perspective.
“Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:6–10 NIV).
Paul had nothing to boast about when called by God, showing humility and a readiness to accept His truth, even when the world disapproves. Becoming a child of God often distances a person from worldly connections, as true acceptance of Christ creates a sense of estrangement. No matter how much knowledge one gains, only God is worthy of honor. Finding joy in ridicule or persecution is a sign of God’s presence in one’s life, which is why Jesus taught that persecution can be something to embrace.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10–12 NIV).
Being God’s child is not about arrogance or boasting but about humility rather than the consideration of past achievements. The real challenge lies in helping others understand that accepting Christ personally is the most profound experience beyond anything in this world. Living as God’s child often brings more trials than comfort, and true peace comes from letting Jesus take control instead of oneself. When life seems too comfortable or perfectly aligned, the one who assumes to be God’s child might actually have good reason to be concerned.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilisation, which lays out standards for lifting Zimbabwe out of its current economic depression and into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, offering relief to those who have witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book to be a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
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