Children of God: Secure in Christ
To be called a child of God is not only a comfort, but also an identity, a promise, and a position secured through Christ. Scripture reminds us that our place in Him is not fragile, temporary, or dependent on how well we perform. It rests on what Jesus has already finished.
We are children of God.
As His children, we are joint heirs with Jesus in His Kingdom, according to Romans 8:17. Paul then reminds us in Romans 8:18, “I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us.” In other words, our present trials do not diminish the eternal position and promise we have in Christ.
Jesus told us, “In this world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). His suffering, death, resurrection, and return to the Father were not in vain. His work on the cross is finished and through Him we are redeemed. He has not only given us salvation; He has given us a secure position in His Kingdom. In a sense, we have been entrusted with Kingdom authority, like a spiritual power of attorney. Consider this: Almighty God has not only saved us but has also given us a place in His Kingdom, even higher than His angels.
Because we belong to Him, we do not need to live in fear when tribulation comes. He has given us access to His Kingdom, and He also gives us protection. He is our Advocate. 1 John 2:1-2 tells us, “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”
Why, then, do so many believers continue to live under guilt and shame?
Why do we keep seeking forgiveness as though Christ’s work was unfinished, feeling unworthy, or trying to earn a better place in His Kingdom? Scripture tells us, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Nothing we do can ever be enough to earn salvation. It comes solely through Christ’s grace and the finished work of the cross. And now, He stands as our Advocate.
When the accuser brings charges against us, our Father does not see us through the lens of our failures. Through Christ, our sins have been cleansed, and we are made white as snow by His precious blood. When God looks at us, He sees His Son, our Savior. Hebrews tells us, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful Word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. So, He became as far superior to the angels as the Name He has inherited is excellent beyond theirs” (Hebrews 1:3-4).
And He tells the enemy, “No. That has already been justified through Christ.”
This does not give us permission to continue in sin.
Rather, it calls us to repent, receive His grace, stand confidently in Christ, and remember who we are in Him. Because of His love, we can grow in the fullness of God and “know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that we may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19).