Are We All Children of God?

The phrase “we are all children of God” has been echoed in and outside of christian circles. Is there truth in this statement? If so, what are the implications. Let’s find out below.

Who Created us?

In the bible, the Lord God, Yahweh, created the heavens, the earth, and everything in between. John 1 says that Jesus is God, and is at the center of it all.

John 1:2–3
[Jesus] was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (ESV)

Psalm 139:13–14
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. (ESV)

Jesus created you and me; he formed us in the womb of our mothers, and for his children, he makes a plan for us(Jeremiah 1:5). But that’s the key part, isn't it?

What does it mean to be a child of God?

In the beginning, Adam and Eve were made as God’s children. He walked in the cool of the Garden, teaching them his wisdom and knowledge; but at the moment of sin, they died in a sense, and every person that has been born since the fall of man has been born as a child of this world, not of God.

Romans 5:12
Death in Adam, Life in Christ
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— (ESV)

Ephesians 2:3
among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Psalm 51:5-6
For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there.

And the god or ruler of this world (1 John 5:19) is the satan, a hebrew word that means adversary. This is the title given to the enemy of our souls. Because of sin, we aren’t children of God. That’s what separates us from our benevolent creator. Sin.

Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (ESV)

The word sin in hebrew is khata. It means literally to fail or miss the mark. You can find out more about the word "sin" in the beautifully animated video below:

Salvation = Adoption

This would be truly awful news if it weren’t for what Jesus had done for us. Jesus came to earth as a second Adam. Adam was supposed to live a perfect life, and dwell with God in harmoniously, but he didn't. Jesus, did however. He lived the perfect life, free from sin, fulfilling the law of God; which is to live in perfect harmony with him. As our substitute, he was able to to reconcile, or restore our connection with the Father.

Romans 8:1–4
Life in the Spirit
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (ESV)

Jesus died in our place. We all deserve eternal death, separation from God (Romans 6:23). Every single one. From the nicest of people to the most vile, myself included. No one is less deserving of death. Our sin is what separates us. Yet, God made a way for us to become children of God.

Romans 8:15–17
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!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 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. (ESV)

What does it take to be a child of God?

But what does it take? Do I have to be really good? Obey every single commandment, living a perfect life? Is God waiting for me to slip up and then punish me?

No.

1 Timothy 2:4
God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (ESV)

God wants all his creation to turn to him. To be saved, we must acknowledge who Jesus is; That he is God, and came as a man to die in place of us. He died for you to know him intimately. Not to condemn you, but to save you.

John 3:16–17
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (ESV)

No sin is too great to keep you from his love (Romans 8:31-39). And the second step is to repent (Acts 3:19)

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Conclusion

I think the implication of the statement “we are all children of God” is that we all go to heaven, which is dangerous theology. God says that we have all fallen short of the Glory of God, but through Jesus, anyone who believes in him will not perish, but have everlasting life; in communion forever with our loving Father. By Jesus' wounds we are healed. It’s Jesus’ death on the cross that brought us peace and into relationship with the one and only God (Isaiah 53).

Ephesians 3:6
And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.


PS.
I would recommend reading the whole book of Romans, written by the Apostle Paul. It’s incredible and talks all about this topic. It’s very dense, so take your time and read it piece by piece.

Thanks for reading! God bless!