Who Is A Child of God?

I’ve been reading the book of 1 John this week. This letter has much to say about who is a Christian and who is not.

Or, as John puts it, “who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil” (1 John 3:10).

Do you want to know whether your faith is genuine? I recommend spending time in 1 John.

In 1 John 4:7-21, John presents one sign or evidence of being a child of God. He answers these questions: “Who has been born of God? (v. 7) “Who knows God?” (v. 8) “Who abides in God?” (v. 13, 15, 16).

The Answer: The person who loves other believers. Or, the person who obeys the command to “love one another” (v. 7, 11, 12).

This is not rocket science or brain surgery. This is the simple and clear teaching of God about what it means to be a true believer in Christ: A real Christian is involved in a local church, and he loves his brothers and sisters in that church.

He or she has relationships with other believers that are characterized by mutual edification. This involves giving and receiving, caring and supporting, trusting and being trusted, encouraging and being encouraged, praying and crying, loving and being loved.

So, if you’re a Christian, you have these kinds of people in your life – God’s people. And you spend quality time with them, regularly and often – which brings you much joy.

Jesus did. And so should we.

“Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister (Mary) and Lazarus.” (John 11:5)

“Jesus loved his own who were in the world, and he loved them to the end” (John 13:1)

I pray that you are plugged into a local body of believers, a group of God-loving, Christ-exalting people with pastors and teachers, elders and deacons, people who know and love Jesus and spend time together in His Word, who worship the Lord on the Lord’s day and baptize new believers and remember the Lord’s death until He comes again.

There is no better place to be on earth than to be with the people of God.