God's children now

To know the love of our parents is at the heart of the deepest security for any human being. God designed that all human beings should grow up in this way.

Even in Jesus’ life God twice affirmed these truths;

"This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased" – at his baptism (Matthew 3:17).

"This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" - at the transfiguration as he planned to go to Jerusalem where he would be crucified (Matthew 17:5).

And when writing in the wake of the schism to assure the believers of their position in Christ, John writes;

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" (1 John 3:1).

"Dear friends, now we are children of God …" (1 John 3:2).

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).

When the Holy Spirit comes into a person’s life his very first work is to testify (affirm and confirm), that the believer is a child of God.

This is sometimes referred to as the assurance of salvation.

"And because you are sons God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts crying ‘Abba, Father'" (Galatians 4:6).

"And by him we cry ‘Abba, Father’ the Spirit testifies with our Spirit that we are children of God" (Romans 8:15).