¿Who are children of God?

A very common concept among people is that all human beings are children of God, since we were all created by Him and that He loves us as children.

It is true that we were created by God and that He loves his creation, but the Bible teaches us that not all are children of God. In fact, it is very clearly specified in the Bible who God refers to as children, and whose children are those who are not his children.

The apostle Paul tells us in the book of Romans 8.14 one of the fundamental characteristics of the true children of God: "For all who are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God." Those who have a life guided by His Spirit are children of God. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would teach us all things concerning Him in His Word, which is the Bible ( Jn 14.26). Therefore, a person who is not guided by the Bible in his lifestyle, spirituality, faith and morals, cannot give a sign that he is a true child of God. The Holy Spirit places in us the desire to obey his Word and that Word cleanses us. Jesus said: "You are already clean through the word that I have given you" ( Jn15.3). How can we say to be children of God if the Bible is clear that true children are guided by his Word and we do not do it, nor do we read it, nor know it?

The Lord goes further by declaring that those who live according to the criteria of the world are their enemies. In the book of James 4.4 it says: "O adulterous souls ! Do you not know that the friendship of the world is enmity against God? Anyone, then, who wants to be a friend of the world, becomes the enemy of God."

In what terms does the Bible refer to those who do not govern their lives according to his Word and live outside of God's commands? The Bible tells us: "... in which you walked in another time, following the current of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now operates in the children of disobedience, in which all of us also live at one time in the desires of the flesh, doing the will of the flesh, and of the thoughts, and we were by nature children of wrath, the same as the others "(Ephesians 2.2-3). Here God refers to those who are not his children, those who do not live according to his Word, the corrupt and immoral and even those who are "good people" according to human criteria, but live far from God as "children of disobedience" and "children of wrath". Thus, the Bible divides humanity only into two groups: the "children of God" and the "children of disobedience."

The apostle John, at the beginning of his gospel, clearly points out how we can become children of God: "But to all who received him, to those who believe in his name, he gave power to become children of God" ( John 1.12). It clearly says who the children of God are and how this is achieved: "Believe in Him and receive Him." That implies a renunciation of a life of sin and a sincere, humble and genuine approach, without conditioning, to live a life according to his Word. It is not about religion, it is not about what one believes, it is not about good works, it is about what God says. There is no other way.

"That if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is the Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10.9).