Becoming a Christian is not simply about having your sins forgiven or receiving a new start in life. The Bible uses another wonderful word to describe what God has done for us: adoption.
When we put our faith in Jesus, God doesn’t simply become a divine being we worship from a distance. He welcomes us into his family. We become his children.
‘See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!’ 1 John 3:1
This is one of the most remarkable things about being a Christian. God is not only your Creator and King. Through Jesus, he becomes your Father.
What the Bible Says
God has adopted you into his family
John says that those who receive Christ are given ‘the right to become children of God’ (John 1:12). Paul goes even further, describing Christians as those who have received ‘the Spirit of adoption’ by whom we cry, ‘Abba, Father’ (Romans 8:15).
‘Abba’ was a word expressing the closeness and trust of a child speaking to their father. It reminds us that prayer is not approaching a distant God reluctantly. Through Jesus, we can come to God with the confidence of children coming to their Father.
And if we are God’s children, we are also his heirs:
‘If we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.’ (Romans 8:17)
Our identity is therefore not based primarily on what we achieve, how successful we are, or what other people think of us. We belong to God. We are his children.
God is a good Father
Jesus taught his disciples to begin their prayers with the words:
‘Our Father in heaven…’ (Matthew 6:9)
He then used the example of ordinary human parents to explain something about God’s character:
‘If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts…’ (Matthew 7:11)
The point is simple. Even imperfect human parents can love their children, care for them and want what is good for them. How much more can we trust the goodness of our heavenly Father?
This does not mean that God gives us everything we want. A loving father does not simply give a child whatever they ask for. Sometimes love says yes, sometimes no, and sometimes wait. But we can trust that God’s purposes towards his children are good.
God is not reluctant to love you. He does not simply tolerate you because you have become a Christian. He has chosen to make you his child.
Knowing the Father’s love changes us
Many people carry deep wounds from their experiences of family, authority or rejection. Our experience of human fathers can sometimes make it difficult to understand God as a loving Father. But the Bible invites us to allow God’s character to transform our understanding of fatherhood, not the other way round.
Understanding how much God loves you can become an important part of growing in freedom, security and wholeness:
- You do not have to earn your Father’s love.
- You do not have to prove that you deserve to belong.
- You do not have to be afraid that God will abandon you when you fail.
Paul puts it like this:
‘God sent his Son… that we might receive adoption to sonship.’ (Galatians 4:4–5)
The Christian life begins with knowing that you are loved, welcomed and wanted by God.
Questions for Reflection and Discussion
- What does it mean to you personally that God has adopted you as his child? How might this change the way you see yourself?
- What do you find easy or difficult about thinking of God as your Father? Are there experiences from your own family background that affect how you picture God?
- If you really believed that your heavenly Father loves you and wants what is good for you, what difference might that make to the way you face life, failure and uncertainty?
Putting It Into Practice
1. Talk to God as your Father. When you pray, don’t think only about speaking to a distant or powerful God. Begin simply: “Father…” Thank him for adopting you and bringing you into his family. Tell him what you are feeling and what you need.
2. Remind yourself of your identity. When you feel inadequate, rejected or afraid, return to what God says about you. You are not defined by your failures, achievements or the opinions of other people. You are a child of God, loved by your Father.
3. Learn to trust his goodness. You will not always understand what God is doing. But you can learn to trust who he is. When life is difficult, try praying: “Father, I don’t understand this, but I choose to trust that you love me and that you are with me.”
More from the Bible
Spend some time slowly reading and reflecting on these passages:
- John 1:10–13 — receiving the right to become children of God
- Matthew 6:5–13 — Jesus teaches his disciples to pray, “Our Father”
- Matthew 7:7–11 — the Father’s generosity
- Romans 8:14–17 — the Spirit of adoption
- Galatians 4:4–7 — adopted as God’s children and made heirs
- 1 John 3:1–3 — the Father’s lavish love
As you read, ask yourself: What does this passage tell me about what God is like as my Father? What does it tell me about who I am as his child?
Memory Verse
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1)
Recommended Resources
Tim Keller, The Prodigal God (John Murray, 2009)
Floyd McClung, The Father Heart of God (Harvest House, 1985/2004)
Jack Frost, Experiencing Father’s Embrace (Destiny Image, 2006)
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