To Make Known

Romans 9:22-26 (ESV Strong's)

22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says in Hosea,

“Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’

and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’”

26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’

there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”

God gave His light to mankind to reveal the riches of His glory and mercy He has prepared for us. This was His intent from the beginning. We all can come to the Lord as His “beloved”. He invites us beyond salvation and into an intimate, everlasting relationship based on love. 

Counted As Offspring

Romans 9:6-8 (ESV Strong's)

6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.

Not all of the children of Abraham are counted as his offspring who are the children of the promise. Adam was the first son of God, and his descendants will inherit the promised land. Jesus is the second Son of God, and His offspring will inherit the kingdom of heaven. 

Isaac was the son of promise. Jesus was the promised one who is the Son, the seed of Abraham. We are the harvest from that seed. 

More Than Conquerors

Romans 8:35-39 (ESV Strong's)

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

All things work for the good of those who love the Lord, for all things are part of the life He has given us. The Spirit works within us regardless of what we encounter, good or bad. It is through this life that serves as our wilderness journey that we are able to learn of God and to choose to be with Him. 

When we respond to His love, we are more than conquerors because we become the sons of God. 

According To His Purpose

Romans 8:28-30 (ESV Strong's)

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 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. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Our spirits come from God and are placed in these earthly bodies according to His purpose. He foreknew us all before we entered creation. He did so that we might be made in the image of His Son. This is accomplished by His Son laying down His life for us so that we would lay down our life for Him. He calls all of us to join Him in an everlasting life of love and light. 

Some do and some don’t. He chose us that we might choose Him. He does so for His glory and ours. 

In Our Weakness

Romans 8:26-27 (ESV Strong's)

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

As children of God, there is much to learn about Him and ourselves. We begin our lives in the Spirit helpless as newborns from our rebirth into His life. The Spirit intercedes and nurtures us as we grow in spirit into the maturity of Christ. He is the Spirit of God who is with us and leads us on our journey home. 

As We Wait

Romans 8:20-23 (ESV Strong's)

20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Creation will be finished with the redemption of the bodies of those who have received the firstfruits of the Spirit. The glory of the children of God will be revealed as the sons of God. The harvest will be reaped and what began with the planting of the Spirit will yield the full measure of the work of Christ. We in the body of Christ will be made in His image. 

Children of God

Romans 8:14-17 (ESV Strong's)

14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

If we follow in the footsteps of Christ as led by the Spirit, we will be heirs with Christ and glorified with Him. I’m not sure what exactly happens if we don’t follow in His footsteps, but I don’t want to find out. 

If we are led by the Spirit, we will can be assured we are children of God. The kingdom of heaven belongs to those who become as innocent as a child. The grace of Christ can make that happen.