"If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God's child, and having God as his Father." (J.I. Packer) Our salvation includes being adopted as sons and daughters of God which is a central benefit of redemption. It includes what it means to be brought into a saving relationship with God as our Father. (R.C. Sproul) Jesus taught His disciples to pray, "Our Father . . ." The Apostle Paul noted that every believer has the "Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!'" (Rom. 8:15). Today, there is a widespread notion of the universal fatherhood of God. But the Bible does not teach that. Instead, we were once enemies of God. By nature we are all children of wrath. We are now saved and thus adopted as sons and daughters of God! How do we now live in the light of it? Consider what John Newton said once. You will recall that he was the converted slave-trader turned pastor and hymn-writer. I have updated it: "Suppose a man was going to New York to take possession of a large estate, and his vehicle should break down a mile before he got to the city, which obliged him to walk the rest of the way; what a fool we should think him, if we saw him ringing his hands, and blubbering out all the remaining mile, "My vehicle is broken! My vehicle is broken!" Your vehicle may be broken, but keep going—there's a rich inheritance and eternal glory just ahead in the loving hands and heart of your dear, good, heavenly Father who loves you more than you know!"
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David Bodanza is the pastor of Mission of Grace Church in Massachusetts. He is also a practicing lawyer. He holds an M.Div. degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and a J.D. from New England School of Law. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife, four children and four...
