There is a statement making its rounds in Adventism and is being used as a defense and for acceptance of people living in open sin to be given membership into the SDA church.
This statement has been used while I have been in conversation with other fellow Seventh Day Adventists and Sunday keeping Protestants. The statement is this: “We are all children of God.”
By making this statement the person(s) is alluding to the event of God creating us “all” in His image. But does the fact that we are all created in God’s image automatically make us all children of God? Are we all children of God by creation, or is it something else that qualifies us as children of God? And since God takes His children home to be with Him, it does us well to know and understand what makes a person a child of God.
Wheat & Tares
In the parable of the wheat and tares found in Matthew 13, Jesus speaks of 2 different “children” groups. Though one resembles the other for a time, only one produces fruit in the end.
In the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram with the 250 princes of renown, and famous, they too claimed that they were all the same: just like the chosen leaders of Israel. They claimed that all of the congregation was holy, every one of them, and that the Lord was among them. But what was God’s answer to them?
On the next day God would show everyone who were His, who were holy and therefore could come near unto Him—even him whom God choose (Numbers 16). People may claim, just like Korah and his companions, to be one thing or another but this does not make it so. Matthew 7:21-23 attests to this:
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”
So how do we ascertain who are children of God, if indeed we can? There are many references in the Bible on this topic. I share some here:
A child of God is identifiable by what they do, for by their fruits you shall know them.
In Matthew 5, children of God are the peacemakers.
They also love their enemies. They bless those who curse them.
They do good to those who hate them and they pray for those who despitefully use and persecute them.
Luke 6 goes further by stating that the children of God lend with no hope of being paid back and they show kindness to the unthankful and to the evil.
Jesus calls them “good seed” in Matthew 13.
They keep God’s Commandments and love Him (1 John 5:2, 21).
They walk in love and are children of light according to Ephesians 5.
In 3 John 4 you will find that they walk in truth as well.
Matthew 6 records the Lord’s Prayer which shows what they will be doing as well. This sample of Scripture texts informs us as to what it means to be children of God.
When people are children of God, this makes it possible for them to be gathered together in one: in unity. This unity is only possible by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who is the one who unites us (John 11:13; Ephesians 4:1-13). As children of God we are edified and unified by the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:1-13).
The children of God have the same foundation of belief. They all believe in the Light (John 12:36). They believe in Jesus and obey Him (John 21:5-6). They have faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:7, 26). They believe that God is their Father and Redeemer (Matthew 23:9; Isaiah 63:16; 64:5, 8). They believe in God’s Kingdom (Matthew 6:33).
Children of the Devil
The saying, “We are all children of God,” is disproved by Christ Himself in the parable of the wheat and tares of Matthew 13 for He said that the tares represented the children of the wicked one. He here makes the distinction of 2 different groups.
Another reference is found in John 8:44 where Christ says to some of the Jews that they are of their father the Devil. In Romans 9:7-8, Paul tells his listeners and us that even heredity does not make a person a child of God.
Someday God’s wrath will be poured out upon the children of disobedience (Ephesians 5:1-6; Colossians 3:5-6). In Ephesians 2:1-3, we are informed that there are children of disobedience and children of wrath. Therefore, it cannot be said that “We are all children of God.” Some are confused by this statement and how it is applied, and some are deceived.
What is true is that man was made in God’s image. And not everyone will be declared to be a child of God or God’s children, as testified to by the Scriptures referred to above.
Different groups and individuals in Adventism and in the Protestant churches of the world may claim that “We are all children of God” but God says otherwise.
He would have us to study the Scriptures, which are profitable for doctrine and instruction in righteousness that we may know the truth regarding God’s children.
We want true unity which is built upon the sure foundation of God’s word. Our desire is that we all hear those blessed words, “Well done thou good and faithful servant…” May we be children of God and be found faithful to Him in all things.
Rose Durant
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