“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children
of God.” Matthew 5:9
Israelites prided themselves in being the children of the true and living
God. They were the chosen nation. Moses told Pharaoh, “Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: And I say unto you, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if you refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay your son, even your firstborn”. God said in Deuteronomy, “You are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead”. In other words, God’s children were to be different that the world around them. Israel took great pride in that truth.
Scripture tells there are only two spiritual families on this earth. There is the family of Satan (John 8:44). It is a large unruly family that resembles its father’s characteristics. This family is known by its deeds (listed in 2 Timothy 3). The second family is God’s. His children are adopted. They were once slaves to Satan. They were condemned to death because of their sin and they lived in Satan’s slave market – unable to free themselves. God’s Son paid the full debt they owed and adopted them from their slavery into His family. When they were adopted into God’s family, they did not initially look like their adopted Father. Over time, however, God began to transform them into His image. This was not an outward manifestation (their outward physical characteristics were not the focus) but rather an inward transformation of the heart. As they abided in God’s word the Holy Spirit produced the fruit of the Spirit in their hearts . Paul tells us “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit”. (2 Corinthians 3:18) This is God’s plan for us. “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”
What can we learn? The Lord gives His audience and us a test to see if we really belong to God. He tells them not to rely on their physical birth into Israel to be one of God’s children. God looks at the heart for that is what He transforms into His image. Paul tells us what happens when our hearts are filled with the spirit. “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”. The Lord said it slightly differently. ”By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Those who belong to God see their hearts transformed by Him. It is not wearing certain garments or tithing certain herbs or praying in t public places to be seen of men. Poof that we are the children of God comes when we see the Holy Spirit filling one’s heart with the characteristics of God. This is one reason why sin in the believer’s life is so devastating. It masks Christ’s indwelling in us. At some point, continued, unconfessed sin will create doubts in a person’s heart as to whether they have ever been saved. This is why believers are told to “grow in grace” and “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance”. Peace with God means there is no unforgiven sin as a barrier and peace with others is an indication that one is a part of the family of God. The principle is the child should reflect the characteristics of their parent.