How can I become a child of God?

If you are not God’s child, and wish to be, hear the way: “As many as received Him, (Christ) to them gave He power (or right) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. “Believe on His name tonight, poor child of wrath, and you will become one of the holy, happy children of God. Amen.

How does any one become a child of God? Is it by any ritual which man can encompass? We defy the ritualist to find a single text of Scripture in the New Testament in support of such an idea. What does Scripture say? And, after all, Scripture and not the opinions of men is our only sure guide. We read: “Ye are all the children [or sons, N.T.] of God BY FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS” (Gal. 3:26).

This Scripture is plain enough. Not by a few drops of water sprinkled on the face of an infant of no understanding, not even by the complete immersion of a very intelligent adult by a priest or anyone else, but simply and only “BY FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS” can anyone become a child or son of God.

Now here we have the truth balanced. Belief in the name of the Son of God is the condition on which we become children of God. That is our part, and the whole of our part (without baptism or any outward form whatever) in the wondrous work of introduction into the divine family—simple faith in Christ—a faith that is no merit, but which is in itself the negation of all merit. This is our total ground of blessing—receiving Christ by faith in His blessed name. The full relationship of God’s children is there, then, and for ever our inalienable portion.

"Then God says that is how you receive Him: and receiving Jesus, you become a child of God; for, again, it is written, 'Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus' (Gal. 3:26). The moment you believe in Him really, you receive Him, and become a child of God."

Now Christ came into a world in which He already had interests. Perhaps we do not sufficiently realize what it must have been to the Lord Jesus to come to His own circle of interests and to be completely refused by His own people! (John 1:11). but at that moment there came into view a new generation, "As many as received Him, to them gave He (the) right to be children of God," (New Trans.). And from that moment we see the attention of Christ focused on that new company. They are called His "own." Entrance into this new sphere was not by intelligence, nor was it by any ecclesiastical ceremony; it was as the result of receiving Christ, having faith in that blessed Person, believing on His Name. Faith, given of God, operating thus towards Christ, gives to each one of us the right to take account of ourselves in the dignity that attaches to this wonderful company that Christ calls "His own."

So further we read, "As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name" (John 1:12).

A narrow gate, and a narrow way, lead to life. The reception of one Person leads to the blest relationship of sons unto God. Who would have thought that such hopeless conditions as men presented in this world could have been met by so simple a solution? Who would have supposed that such a solution to men's needs should be attended by so stupendous an issue? A blind man does not per-ceive, but he can re-ceive. We don't all have the chance of receiving money, and garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants and maidservants (see 2 Kings 5:26). But to each hearer of the good news of the Saviour, Son of God, comes the opportunity of receiving Christ. The world knew Him not in His lowliness, His own people of Israel received Him not; but some submitted to Him, opened their hearts to Him, welcomed Him within by placing their faith in His name; and so proved themselves to be born of God.

"As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the children (lit.) of God, even to them that believe on His name." (John 1:12.) The people who received Him, whether of the wide world or of the Jewish nation, became marked off from the rest of mankind — became, by the privilege of the Lord's grace, of God's family. And so it is to this very hour the child of God is he who in his heart has received the Son of God. How the Lord answers our questions, "Am I a child of God?" "He that hath the Son hath life." The whole revealed will of God is expressed in the eternal Word; having Him, all is ours.

The One who made the world came into it as a Man, but the world did not know Him. He was the rightful King of Israel, but His own nation did not receive Him. There were those who did, however, and there are those today who believe on His Name of divine and royal worth. He Himself gives to such the right, without question, to take the place of God’s children, for their faith shows they are born of God. The Spirit of God guided John to write thus concerning Jesus, the Christ, the True Light,—“He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power (right) to become the children of God, even to them that believe on His Name” (John 1:9-12).

A Christian is a child of God by new birth and faith in Christ. "Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:26). He thus knows God as his father, so the apostle John wrote: "I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father" (1 John 2:13). Wonderful privilege indeed!

But stop, dear reader, this blessed pathway is only for the child of God, and we become children of God only "by faith in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:26). If you are not born again, you are yet in your sins. "He that believeth not, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:26). Jesus is God's provision to meet your need.