Knowing the rules is essential for anyone who wants to succeed in a game or activity. Following the rulebook sets the course toward achieving the goal. There is no randomness in anything meant to lead to success. God’s children are a unique people, living in a way that sets them apart from the rest of the world. This often means they do not participate in the same pleasures others enjoy. Jesus, God’s only Son, revealed what it truly means to live as God’s children—a life that does not align with the values of the world’s elite.
One day, the sons of God will be revealed. While many call themselves Christians, there remains great confusion about what Christianity really is. Paul said this revelation lies in the future, and even though influential voices speak within the Christian community, no one has the authority to decide who God’s children will be. The large number of people identifying as Christians does not necessarily reflect God’s true children, who are to be revealed in time.
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.” (Romans 8:18-19 NIV)
Paul’s words suggest that true Christians are often those whose lives on earth are not easy. Still, those who face persecution are promised future glory, mirroring the reality of Jesus’ glory at His second coming. Not all persecution means someone is truly on the Lord’s side, so discernment is needed before deciding who counts as God’s children. Many who are commonly called Christians today will not be among those Christ calls His brothers.
A unique aspect of Christianity is the presence of God’s Spirit in those He recognizes as His own. The question is how to receive the seal of the Spirit and what it truly means before being sure you have it. This cannot happen without understanding the rules. Once someone receives God’s Spirit, they become content and steady in following His will. Jesus revealed this symbolically in His conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well.
Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?” Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:10-14 NIV)
Once someone has received the Holy Spirit, they cannot be led astray by falsehoods dressed as Christianity. A person filled with the Spirit is free from worldly traditions and stands as a child of God, like Jesus. At conversion, many focus too intently on those who guided them, missing the deeper meaning of baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is often mistaken for the Trinity, but it actually reflects the pathway through which truth is revealed.
Everything comes from the Father and is reached through His only Son, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is received when the believer truly grasps the weight of Jesus’s teachings. Anyone trying to sway or control the believer is simply a fraud. At judgment, the shortcomings among Christians will stem from not understanding the true meaning of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, much like those Paul and Barnabas opposed.
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.” (Acts 14:11-15 NIV)
The people were so amazed by the apostles’ works—having never seen such miracles—that they immediately wanted to worship them. They did not understand the idea of conversion through the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Paul and Barnabas were simply vessels through whom Jesus worked, and with the Holy Spirit guiding them, they could not speak against His teachings.
Preachers can point us toward Christ, but it is vital to compare their words with His teachings rather than focusing on them as individuals. Everything should align with the truth and flow of the message. Once someone truly understands the roles of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, they are unlikely to be misled or pulled away from God’s truth—the truth that comes through Jesus and is revealed by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus made it clear that no other messenger is needed. This is not about believing in three separate gods—the Son and the Holy Spirit are how believers become God’s children and are led to the Father. Jesus taught that those who follow Him will receive the Holy Spirit, and once someone becomes God’s child, their only guide is Jesus Himself.
Like Jesus before His crucifixion, such a person receives instruction directly from the Father. In fact, the Father lives within them, removing the need for anyone else to control their actions. Sadly, one of the most damaging aspects of Christianity occurs when authoritarian figures ignore Jesus’ instructions, claim authority for themselves, and still call themselves “Christians.”
“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:8-12 NIV)
Scripture highlights the importance of baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Someone baptized in that name should not expect a bishop to loudly give orders as if speaking for Jesus Christ. A new believer may seek counsel on their own terms, receiving guidance from those strong in the faith while keeping their focus on who is truly in charge.
In authoritarian settings, people often cannot imagine taking direction straight from God. They cling to idolatry, like those who made gods of Paul and Barnabas, finding comfort in worshiping God through another person. Yet deception always comes from humans, not from God. This is how the first commandment is broken: “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).
There are reasons Christianity is not widely embraced. God never meant for truth to be common or popular, and those who pursue it will not be either. Many reject Jesus’ teachings because they require full belief and application, not selective obedience. People often follow only the parts of Scripture their denominational leaders approve, calling themselves Christians but not fitting the definition given by Jesus (Matthew 7:21-23).
“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)
There is no hint of favoritism here, where some are saved and the rest of humanity is condemned. What is striking is how some reject the offer of salvation because they think they are better or superior to others. Many do not realize the foolishness of listening to charlatans while avoiding those who might actually be closer to God than themselves. This is the age-old lie, fueled only by worldliness.
There is no need to despair over such people. They are simply counting the cost, leading to their own disqualification, which spares them from the danger of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit. Those who find comfort in worldly things are fully known by God. They were just as common in the time of Jesus, who did not seem troubled by them. Jesus was never fixated on bringing the masses to salvation. To the Pharisees, He said something that served as a chilling call to take discipleship seriously:
Jesus said, “For judgment, I have come into this world so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.” (John 9:39-41 NIV)
Jesus often spoke in parables to hide certain truths rather than openly reveal the secrets of the Kingdom. I used to struggle with this when thinking about close friends and family, until I realized that sometimes darkness can actually protect—helping people avoid accepting Christ without first counting the cost, as Luke 14:31 points out. These days, truth is more available than ever, yet many still treat it as though it does not matter.
When it comes to human nature, pride often seems to be what keeps people from embracing the truth. Some might see that as judgmental, but it is fair to say that some choose to guard their ego at the expense of eternity. It is sad, but many still seem to want to look like they belong in God’s Kingdom while holding onto their worldly standing.
This stubbornness appears rooted in worldly habits that do not change overnight. How can someone with a PhD easily set aside their pride and give up the status that comes with such an achievement, especially when it earns them respect from those with less education? Being honored by others holds great value, and for many academics, the pursuit of knowledge is often fueled by that desire. The problem is that many are led astray by such people.
I probably would not have acted much differently if God had not taken the lead in my life. Hopefully, those theologians will drop their stubbornness if given another chance in the next life. Many people, even when sincerely wanting to follow Christ, see His teachings as unrealistic. Christianity often feels out of reach for ordinary folks still caught up in trying to please others instead of God.
To truly follow Him, you would have to give up everything this world offers. The real trouble begins when we ignore Scriptures like Luke 14:25-33, which highlight the weight of Jesus’s words. Once you grasp these truths, there is no room for naïveté or vanity. Credit does not belong to those who share the truth—it belongs to God alone, no matter the messenger. And there is no need to fret over scoffers, for then what John wrote would not hold true.
“They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us, but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.” (1 John 4:5-6 NIV)
No one should claim credit for helping others grasp God’s mysteries. Those who receive such understanding can choose how to use it without feeling obligated to credit the source. Just as we cannot fully attribute the four Gospels to their human authors, it is the Holy Spirit—sent through Jesus—who is truly at work in everything within Christianity. When someone is converted, they become God’s child, and He knows exactly what to do with them without anyone else’s input.
It is the Spirit of discernment that enables people to evaluate what they hear in light of Jesus’ teachings. The real struggle comes when ideas are judged by personalities rather than by Christ’s words. Being willing to let God use you to reveal these mysteries does not make anyone special in the world’s eyes. For those wondering what to do after being stirred by God’s Spirit, Scripture answers right after Peter’s sermon:
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:37-38 NIV)
God’s children are those who remain unshaken by anything in this world. They see their own existence as the greatest reality rather than being captivated by others. This is what sets them apart from those who, instead of recognizing God’s power, tried to praise Paul and Barnabas. Life in this world is not truly enjoyable unless one understands that the physical body exists to serve others.
Without this understanding, nothing in this world truly excites. Receiving the Holy Spirit means God dwells within that person, just as the Spirit was in Jesus and His disciples. Nothing is too difficult for them, except simply allowing Jesus to carry out God’s work according to His will. There is no need for Christians to seek credit from each other.
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.” (Romans 8:18-19 NIV)
It is important to remember that those called to share the gospel are not tasked with determining who God’s true children are. As Paul explains, that revelation will come in due time. Jesus illustrated this mystery in the parable of the weeds, where weeds and wheat grow side by side, creating what might seem like confusion, yet the Spirit remains in control (Matthew 13:24:30). The real distinction lies in the ability to discern truth from falsehood.