We Are God's…Sons?
In Isaiah 43:6-7, God called out, “Bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the ends of the earth, everyone who is called by My name, whom I created for My glory, whom I formed and made.”
In 2 Corinthians 6:18, God said, “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty.”
Even in a time when women weren’t valued as equals in society, God valued girls equally as His precious creation...and He valued those that truly knew Him as Savior as His beloved daughters.
Sometimes, the Bible simply classifies those that love Christ as “children” of God - not making mention of gender at all. However, more often than not, believers are referred to as the “sons” of God.
I have often heard speakers at girls’ and women’s events change the wording of certain verses about the “sons” of God to add “and daughters” after it. In this way, they felt they were making the passage more applicable to the all-female audience. I have even done this myself in order to point out to young women that God’s Word applies to us girls as well as the guys...even if the verse in question reads “sons.”
- BUT -
I was recently reading a book that brought the idea of being “sons” of God into a new and fascinating light for me.
The author of the book was discussing Galatians 3:26, a verse in which Paul stated, “for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.” Now normally, I would be mentally inserting the words “and daughters” during the reading of this passage; however, the author pointed out that the larger context of the text was about God’s adoption of us all - even the girls! - as “sons” in order that we could be “heirs according to promise” (v. 29).
You see, back in the day (read: Bible times), sons were the only ones who received an inheritance from their fathers. Thus, sons were the only ones considered to be true “heirs” in a family.
Ladies, when we come to Christ and receive His free gift of salvation, God makes us His sons. This doesn’t mean we undergo a divine gender-change. Rather, we are considered equal heirs. We are given the full inheritance of abundant life...both here on earth and in heaven to come!
Isn’t this a precious nugget of truth from the Word? We, as women, are considered sons. In our day and age, this may not seem so revolutionary. But believe you me, if we were living in Old or New Testament times, we’d be ecstatic about this fact.
A few Sundays back, we sang the hymn “Be Thou My Vision” in church. As I vocalized the words, “Thou my great Father, I thy true son,” I almost wept. Because from now on, whenever I read a verse, hear a message, or sing a song about the “sons of God,” I will no longer be mouthing the words and daughters to follow. I will be rejoicing in the fact that Christ has made me an equal heir to the glorious Kingdom of my Father. I am a true son.
Let us all rejoice in the message of Galatians 3:26-29:
For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
0 comments