March 26 – LD 13, Day 1: Only Begotten and Adopted Sons
by Rev Allen Brummel
John 1:12 “But as many as
received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them
that believe on His name.”
Sometimes we are confused
by the fact that the Son of God is called the Only Begotten Son while we are
also children of God.
We are taught in this
Lord’s Day an important and beautiful distinction that is lost in many of the
modern versions of the Bible which simply identify Jesus as the Son of
God. Not only is that a bad translation, but that teaches bad
theology.
There are two kinds of
children in the family of God. Jesus is the natural Son while we are
adopted children. The point of this Lord’s Day is to set forth the
similarity, but also the distance that there is between Christ and
believers. The difference is as great as that between the creature and
the Creator. There is a huge chasm! But, at the same time we are
made brothers of Jesus Christ by being taken into His family by adoption.
Adoption is a wonderful
thing. A child, who had nothing, was not wanted by parents, who had an
uncertain future, is given a home, security, and legal rights. The one
who is adopted should be eternally grateful to God for the parents who took them
into their homes and gave them their love. We, who are adopted into God’s
family, likewise have reason for constant joy and thankfulness. God took
us, fallen children in Adam who deserved to be destroyed with the devil and his
family, and brought us into His household. Our adoption was based in no
way on what we were or what we would be. But He adopted us so that we
would be His children. Think on that wonder today. Your value is
not found in what you have been able to accomplish or what others think of you.
Your value is found in the fact that the Living God of heaven and earth, the
Creator of the universe has taken you into His family. You are a child of
God, and no one can take that wonder from you!