DEVOTION, December 3, Receiving Christ

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: ¹³  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13, NKJV).

Are you a Child of God? You are if you have received Jesus. And how do I receive Jesus? You receive Jesus when you believe in His name. You trust Him, believing that He is your Savior who died as an atonement for your sins. To those who trust Him Jesus gives the right to become children of God. Faith leads to a new birth. Those who trust in Jesus are born of God. Rebirth is not a human act. It is an act of God in response to faith.

I hope you see yourself as a child of God. That is the right (Greek, exousia, privilege, power, authority) of all who have true faith in the Son of God. We have rights as citizens of the United States. We have rights as members of the Warsaw Christian Church. These are important rights but they pale in significance to the right we have to be called children of God.

One of the rights we possess as members of God’s family is the right to bear witness to our Savior, that others may come to believe in Him. There are lost and dying people all around us. It is our right, our privilege, to introduce them to Jesus. We can share with others how wonderful it is to know that redemption can be had simply by trusting in Jesus. Are you exercising your rights as a child of God?

Father God, how wonderful it is to know that we are your children. Thank You so much for giving us that right. Help me to faithfully bear witness to others, knowing that as Your child I can act on Your behalf. In Your blessed name, I pray, Amen.