Sonship

During our time here in Panama we as a team have been working on some Campus for Christ staff training called Min Prep 101. Part of the training is to read books about various topics like prayer, theology, evangelism, apologetics etc.

I had been given a book that I brought down to read that happens to be part of the reading list.

This past week I finished the book and was quite impressed. It's called Knowing God by J.I. Packer. It's a pretty meaty book with regards to it's teaching and Packer makes some very strong (and dare I say truly biblical) claims about the nature of God and our relationship with him.

I was struck the most about his thoughts on our adoption into God's royal family. So many times we've heard that we become children of God when we invite Christ into our lives. It's never hit me so vividly what that actually means until recently.

In the old testament God revealed himself to his people, Israel, as YHWH. The holy, righteous, jealous, wise, perfect, immutable, patient, wrathful, loving, merciful GOD of the universe. That's pretty cool already. God gave Moses the Law with which to govern Israel. The set of rules and guidelines that the people of God were to follow to the letter.

In the new testament, all of Gods qualities and characteristics still stand, except there is another that is revealed. God, the GOD of the universe, is also our Father. Sometimes I need to just let that sink in for a bit.

I mean the creator "...who laid the foundations of the earth... who determined it's dimensions...what supports it's foundations and laid it's conerstone as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy." The same "I AM" who revealed himself to Moses in the burning bush. YHWH, The LORD. He who brought the universe into being by His Word, is also the one who we can cry "Abba, Father" to. He is ourFather, who knows what we need before we ask, who gives every good and perfect gift, who has plans to establish us and give us a hope and a future.

It blows my mind reading in Philipians about Christ...
"Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."

Whoa...

God decided before the foundations of the earth, that He would love us in such a way that He would give is only begotten son over to humility and death so that He may gain our love, and that we may share in Christ's risen glory.

He CHOSE THAT!

To take this wicked man that I am call me his heir and his child. To refine me, to clothe me in white and conform me into the likeness of Christ. What a blessing. Packer claims and I agree; That the blessing of adoption is the highest blessing God gives those who are in Christ Jesus. It's amazing to think that God justifies and sanctifies us, but to think that God ADOPTS us truly leaves me speechless.

No longer is it those whom obey the written law that will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but those who are called heirs in Christ! No longer are we slaves to sin and death and the law, but slaves to righteousness! It's not about following "God's written law to his rebelous people", but living by the "family code" with our heart that Christ preached about in his sermon on the mount.

It's pretty cool to think that we will be and are Co-Heirs with Christ in inheriting God's kingdom. And that is just one more reason why I desire to labour all the harder for it.