Commentary on "Living as Children of God"

RICHARD PEIFER

 

Day 7: Friday, August 14, 2009

Overview: The Ellen White quote is to be expected.

 

Problems: To paraphrase the lesson’s intent – See, I told you so. Even EG White says you ought to behave, and if you don’t you can expect God to take away your name. You’ll no longer be his child. You’ll be an abject sinner, lost, without hope.

Based on this week’s focus passage, 1 John 3:1-10, this cannot be true.

Let me offer a slightly expanded view of the passages suggested in the lesson plan. Note that it is the expanded context that makes these passages hopeful instead of damning. I have supplied the emphases below.

Rom. 8:9-17. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh – for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

Phil. 2:1214-16. So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.

 

Summary

1. What an incredible privilege we have. As the direct result of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus we can accept forgiveness and salvation. When we do, we are adopted into God’s family, and that adoption never can be abrogated. We are His forever!
2. Our behavior had nothing to do with getting saved; it has nothing to do with staying saved.
3. Stop obsessing with sin. It exists. Get over it. Instead, fix your eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfector of your faith. He is sufficient, always. We are insufficient, always. He is perfect; we are not, although we are declared to be so in Him.
4. As we talk about quite often where I work, take yourself out of the equation. Every time you put yourself in the equation the answer comes out wrong. Let God be God so that He can do in your life what you could never, ever do for yourself.
5. Rejoice in your forgiveness. Run to the very throne room of heaven whenever you need. The door is always open. Your Daddy waits with open arms.

 

 

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