Sons of God
J.I. Packer
Knowing God Chapter 19
1 John 3:1
Behold what manner of love the
Father has given unto us,
That we should be called the
sons of God
Sons of God
Outline
I.
What is a Christian?
II. New God / Man Relationship
III. Adoption (five key dimensions)
IV. The Great Secret
I. What is a Christian?
A. Someone who has God as his Father
B. How can God be your Father?
1. Jesus said “No one comes to the Father
but through Me” – John 14:6
2. “You are all sons of God through faith in
Christ Jesus” – Gal. 3:26
3. “But as many as received Him, to them
He gave the right to become children of
God, even to those who believe on His
name” - John 1:12
I. What is a Christian? (cont.)
C. Fatherhood - Old Testament vs New
1.
Old Testament – God is Father of Israel
Exodus 4:22-23
2.
New Testament – God is Father of
repentant sinners who put their trust in
Christ as their sin bearer and master.
•
Packer says New Testament is revelation of the
Fatherhood of the holy Creator (p. 201b)
“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ
Jesus. ... And if you belong to Christ, then you
are Abraham’s offspring” – Gal. 3:26 - 29
I. What is a Christian? (cont.)
D. Sonship to God
1. Gift that comes not through being born,
but through being born again
a. John 1:12-13 - He gave right to become sons
b. John 3:3 – must be born of Spirit
2. Not natural but adoptive (p. 201M)
a. Galatians 4:4-6 – Full adoptive rights
b. Ephesians 1:5 – He planned our adoption
1 John 3:1-3
“See how great a love the Father has
bestowed upon us, that we should be
called the sons (children) of God; and
such we are. ….. Beloved, now we are
children of God, and it has not appeared
as yet that we shall be. We know that, if
He should appear, we shall be like Him,
because we shall see Him just as He is.”
II. New God/Man Relationship
A. We no longer fear coming to Him
Hebrews 10:19-22
B. God established “Father” standard in
Ephesians 3:14
C. Fatherhood implies four things (205T)
1. Authority – John 6:38 ; 17:4
2. Affection – 5:20; 15:9-10
3. Fellowship – 16:32; 8:29
4. Honor – 17:1; 5:22-23
III. Adoption – 3 Key Dimensions
A. Highest Privilege
B. Basis For Our Lives
C. What It Shows Us
III. Adoption
A. Highest Privilege?
1. Our status as sons of God is the highest
privilege the gospel offers
2. Justification is the primary and
fundamental blessing that God provided
for us on the cross, but it does not imply
any deep or intimate relationship with Him
3. See example on 207B & 208T
III. Adoption
B. Basis for our lives
1. Christian Conduct
2. Christian Prayer
3. Life of Faith
III. Adoption
C. What it shows us
1. Greatness of God’s Love – Yard Sticks?
a.
Cross – Rom 5:8; 1 John 4:8-10
b.
Sonship – 1 John 3:1 (p 214B)
God went to the cross for us and then adopted us
because He chose to do so, not because He
had to
2. Glory of Christian Hope
a.
The best is yet to come! John 17:24; Matt 5:8
b.
Our Father has guaranteed it - John 14:2
C. What adoption shows us (cont.)
3. Understanding the Holy Spirit’s Ministry
Rom. 8:15 – You have not received a spirit of
slavery leading to fear again, but you have
received a spirit of adoption as sons by which
we cry out “Abba! Father!” and Galatians 4:6
• He makes and keeps us conscious
• He moves us to look to God as our Father
• He impels us to act like the King’s kids (re:
authority, affection, fellowship and honor)
C. What adoption shows us (cont.)
4. Meaning and Motives of Gospel Holiness
• Connect Heb 12:6-7,11 with Romans 8:28
• Example - Page 222M2
While it is true that justification frees one
forever from need to keep the Law of God or
try to as the means of earning eternal life,
it is equally true that adoption lays on
believers the abiding obligation to keep the
law as the means of pleasing your new
father.
God said “Be holy as I am holy.” Lev 11:44
C. What adoption shows us (cont.)
5. How to Assess Assurance
Packer reviews Reformed, Roman Catholics,
Puritan, Wesleyan, and general Evangelicals
views on assurance (p.223 & 224)
His position - If God in His love made us His
children, and if He is the perfect Father, then two
things follow:
•
The family relationship must be an abiding one
lasting forever. The Prodigal story.
•
God holds nothing back to make His children
know He loves them, and to understand their
privilege and security as family members
Romans 8:16-17 “The Spirit Himself bears
witness with our spirit that we are children of
God, and if children, heirs of God and fellow
heirs of Christ , ….”
8:35f – “Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or distress,
or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or
peril, or sword?”
8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death,
nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things
present, nor things to come nor powers, nor
height, nor depth, nor any other created thing
shall be able to separate us from the love of
God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
IV. The Great Secret – I am adopted
• I am a child of God
• God is my Father
• Heaven is my home
• Every day that passes is one
closer to my going home
• My Savior is my Lord, but I am
His adopted brother
• Every Christian is also my brother