It is popular to say, "We are all God's children", in reference to humanity in general. While that may provoke warm, fuzzy feelings, it is not a true statement. We are all created in the image of God, but simultaneously born with the taint of sin deeply imbedded into our natures. The sin nature, resulting from the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, prevents us from becoming God's children by our birth. Therefore, it could be said that we are God's creation, His "offspring" even, but not His children, in our unregenerate state.
God has only one "begotten Son", and that is the God-man, Jesus Christ (John 3:16). Why, then, does Paul elaborate on the truth of Christ-followers, Believers, being "heirs," "sons"? He makes the distinction in Galatians 4, that we are God's sons by adoption.
Now, the Jews believed themselves to be God's children by birth, by virtue of the fact that they were descended from Abraham in the physical sense. While the Jews are His chosen people, a fact established millennia ago and not negated in the Church era, this does not confer on anyone, Jewish or not, spiritual "sonship". It is plain in Paul's inspired writings that sonship is conferred in the spiritual by God's grace, specifically and exclusively through faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Unbelievers know nothing of this grand adoption.
It is important to note that the entire Trinity is present in our becoming sons/daughters of God.
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Galatians 4:4-7 KJV
Do you see Them? The Father began the process of adoption, reclaiming those whom He foreknew before time began would choose Jesus. The Son, Jesus, obediently put on flesh and came to earth to fulfill the Father's redemption plan. The Spirit is sent by God into the hearts of all who accept Jesus, the Son. The third Person of the Trinity completes the circle of love. It is He who bears witness that we belong to God, to Christ, by His intimate cry of "Abba", the most personal name for the Incomparable, Incomprehensible One. (See Romans 8:15 for comparison.)
"The Bible uses adoption as a picture of what God has done for us. We were dirty, diseased, impoverished street urchins, with no one to care for us. We were not there as helpless victims, but rather because of our deliberate rebellion against God. But one day He showed up at the cardboard shack that we were sleeping in and in love chose us to be in His family. He cleaned us up, removed our rags, clothed us in the righteousness of Christ, fed us with the nourishing truth of His Word, and guided us in His paths of righteousness and wisdom. He brought us into His family, where we have brothers and sisters to share our burdens and our joys. And He made us His heirs, so that throughout eternity we will enjoy the unfathomable riches of Christ."2
Steven J. Cole
God the Father chose to adopt us, as fathers and mothers may choose to adopt a child who is not biologically theirs. It was not something He had to do. He could have chosen to make us "foster children", perhaps. But no! Our adoption is something ONLY He could do, something His very nature compelled Him to do, that aspect of His infinite, unfathomable love.
Now, what is our inheritance in Christ? What are our riches as adopted sons/daughters?
Here are a few. I am sure there are many of which we have no knowledge, as yet. The inimitable Charles Spurgeon said, "No man living has ever realised to the full what this means." In general, I am listing them from my memory as a daughter, without scriptural references. I may come back and add scriptural proofs later.
1. Justification
Being made right eternally with God, as He confers Jesus Christ's righteousness upon us
2. Freedom
Being set free from the bondage of working to earn salvation (which cannot be earned)
Being set free to worship, adore, revere and serve the Boundless, Limitless Lord from a heart overflowing with love ("For the love of Christ compels us...." 1 Cor. 5:14)
3. Access
Having unlimited and unrestricted access to the heart of God through prayer, as a result of our Father/Child relationship. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our hearts facilitates this.
4. Sanctification
Being molded more and more into the image of Jesus Christ
5. Blessings, Promises Covenants of God
Receiving all of them, revealed in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation
6. Citizenship in Heaven
Anticipating our "forever home", with Him
"Abba, Father" ... Spurgeon points out that the Hebrew word is "a babe's lisping", as it even sounds like the first sounds a baby makes, and that it represents how we are allowed to be natural and informal with our Father God. It is a warm, affectionate, loving word which some have said is more like "Daddy" than "Father". The same cry of the Savior to His Father in the agony of the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:36) is the cry the Spirit of the Son makes from the heart of the Believer, of the child of God.
No longer servants, but Sons, Daughters, Heirs, Children of the Highest! From servitude to sonship! Praise His name forever!
Sources:
1 http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/1435.htm
2 https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-48-adopted-heirs-god-romans-817
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