ICS Daily Devotions
Being His Children
Ephesians 1:5 Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the
good pleasure of His will.
Adoption as sons literally means “to place one as a son”. The Greek word huiothesia thus speaks of adoption or being placed in a position and rights as one’s own child. It means to formally and legally declare that someone who is not one’s own child is henceforth to be treated and cared for as one’s own child, including complete rights of inheritance.
John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.
We approach God as His children whom He has chosen in His good pleasure in accordance to His will. He declared us as His children and we have the legal right to come before Him. We are in a new family, God’s family!
We need to have the right picture of the Father. He is someone who protects, provides, rescues and looks after us at all cost. There is no fear in this unconditional love and it helps us to have complete faith and trust in the Father.
The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of the inheritance. We are bought by Jesus’ blood and sealed with the Holy Spirit in our hearts. It is the Spirit who assures believers of their relationship with God and causes them to cry “Abba, Father”. And not only this, the Spirit assures believers of their freedom from the bondage of the law and frees them from fear. God has already planned to restore us to Himself.
Ephesians 2:6 And raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
We are able to feast at the Father’s table in the presence of our enemies. This is the revelational truth that we are seated together with Christ in the heavenly places, far above principalities, powers, and dominions! This is the position that has graciously been given to us. We reign with Christ and the evil one cannot touch us. He is below us. This truth helps us to fully comprehend the length, depth, breadth and the height of God’s love because this is something that is not attainable based on our own strength! We have a new position! This truth when it is reminded by the Holy Spirit strengthens our inner man. This is who we are in Christ. Therefore, we can boldly come into the presence of God.
Ephesians 1:6 To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
Grace is not merely favor and position, but it also reveals God’s divine character. He made us accepted in the Beloved. This truth will completely uproot the root of rejection in mankind. It is a terrible feeling when one is rejected. And the greatest rejection is spiritual when Adam and Eve were chased out of the garden of Eden. Praise be to God that this verse tells us that we are accepted in the Beloved! It speaks of love as based on God’s evaluation and choice, a matter of will and action. The Beloved is Christ, the One the Father loves. In the Beloved, by grace through faith and because of our
position, we are now acceptable to God because we are in Christ! We are His children!
Sermon series: Inner man
