Understanding the Relationship Between Believers and God's Children

The New Testament presents believers and God's children as overlapping identities, not separate categories. First John 5:1 establishes this directly: "Everyone who has faith that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God" ^[1]. The verse continues with a relational principle: "everyone who has love for the Father has love for his child" ^[1]. This construction treats belief in Jesus as the Christ as the defining criterion for being born of God, making "believer" and "child of God" functionally synonymous terms in Johannine theology.

The Biblical Foundation

Scripture uses multiple designations for those in covenant relationship with God. Torrey's compilation lists "Believers" and "Children of God" among dozens of titles applied to saints, including "Children of the Living God," "Children of the Father," and "Children of the Highest" ^[3]. These are not hierarchical distinctions but varied expressions of the same reality. The apostle John reinforces this unity when he writes that "whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God" ^[2], using birth language to describe the ontological change that accompanies faith.

The relationship extends beyond mere legal status. John 5:10 emphasizes internalization: "The one believing in the Son of God has the witness in himself" ^[4]. This internal testimony distinguishes genuine belief from intellectual assent. As one commentary notes, believers have "the testimony of this in the heart from the Holy Spirit himself," which is "the privilege of every true believer in Christ" ^[11]. The witness is not external validation but an experiential reality accompanying faith.

Adoption and Sonship

The concept of adoption clarifies how believers become God's children. Easton's Dictionary explains that "sons of God" in the New Testament "frequently denotes the relation into which we are brought to God by adoption," citing Romans 8:14, 19; 2 Corinthians 6:18; Galatians 4:5-6; and Philippians 2:15 ^[7]. This adoption is not based on creation—God is creator of all—but on "special adopting grace" ^[10]. One Reformed commentary describes this as a "high and honourable privilege, greater than to be the sons and daughters of the greatest potentate on earth" ^[9].

The adoption metaphor appears in God's dealings with Israel as a preview of fuller New Testament revelation. Reflecting on Jeremiah 3:19, one interpreter notes God's internal resolution: "how shall I put thee among the children? among the children of God, who are so by special adopting grace" ^[9]. The question anticipates the mechanism by which covenant relationship would be extended through Christ.

Faith as the Distinguishing Mark

Belief in Jesus as the Christ functions as the hinge between alienation and sonship. John 3:36 presents the stark alternative: "One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won't see life, but the wrath of God remains on him" ^[5]. The contrast is not between believers and children but between those who believe (and thus are children) and those who reject the Son.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown frame this precisely: "All our doing of righteousness is a mere sign that God, of His matchless love, has adopted us as children; it does not save us, but is a proof that we are saved of His grace" ^[13]. The commentary distinguishes between the ground of adoption (God's grace through faith) and its evidence (righteous living). Believers are children because of faith, not because of subsequent moral achievement.

Relational Implications

The parent-child relationship carries obligations in both directions. Parents receive their children from God and bear responsibility to "bring them to Christ," "train them up for God," and "instruct them in God's word" ^[6]. Similarly, the relationship between God and His children involves formation and instruction. One commentary on Ephesians 6:1-4 notes that "the relationship between parents and children is to be a reflection of their devotion to the Lord" ^[12], suggesting that human family structures image the divine-human relationship.

The promises of God attach to this filial relationship. God's promises were "made to Christ" and extend to "all who are called of God" ^[8]. The covenantal structure links Christ as the seed of Abraham to all who are in Him, making believers heirs of the same promises given to the patriarchs.

Sources

I John “I John 5:1 (BBE) — Everyone who has faith that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God: and everyone who has love for the Father has love for his child.”
1 John “1 John 5:1 (NASB) — Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Titles and Names of Saints — Believers -- Ac 5:14; 1Ti 4:12. Beloved of God -- Ro 1:7. Beloved brethren -- 1Co 15:58; Jas 2:5. Blessed of the Lord -- Ge 24:31; 26:29. Blessed of the Father -- Mt 25:34. Brethren -- Mt 23:8; Ac 12:17. Brethren of Christ -- Lu 8:21; Joh 20:17. Called of Jesus Christ -- Ro 1:6. Children of the Lord -- De 14:1. Children of God -- Joh 11:52; 1Jo 3:10. Children of the Living God -- Ro 9:26. Children of the Father -- Mt 5:45. Children of the Highest -- Lu 6:35. Children of Abraham -- Ga 3:7. Children of Jacob -- Ps 105:6. Children of promise”
I John “I John 5:10 (LITV) — The one believing in the Son of God has the witness in himself. The one not believing God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the witness which God has witnessed concerning His Son.”
John “One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” -- John 3:36”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Parents — Receive their children from God -- Ge 33:5; 1Sa 1:27; Ps 127:3. Their duty to their children is To love them. -- Tit 2:4. To bring them to Christ. -- Mt 19:13,14. To train them up for God. -- Pr 22:6; Eph 6:4. To instruct them in God's word. -- De 4:9; 11:19; Isa 38:19. To tell them of God's judgments. -- Joe 1:3. To tell them of the miraculous works of God. -- Ex 10:2; Ps 78:4. To command them to obey God. -- De 32:46; 1Ch 28:9. To bless them. -- Ge 48:15; Heb 11:20. To pity them. -- Ps 103:13. To provide for them. -- Job 42:15; 2Co 12:14; 1Ti 5:8. To rule”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Son of God — The plural, "sons of God," is used (Gen. 6:2, 4) to denote the pious descendants of Seth. In Job 1:6; 38:7 this name is applied to the angels. Hosea uses the phrase (1:10) to designate the gracious relation in which men stand to God. In the New Testament this phrase frequently denotes the relation into which we are brought to God by adoption (Rom. 8:14, 19; 2 Cor. 6:18; Gal. 4:5, 6; Phil. 2:15; 1 John 3:1, 2). It occurs thirty-seven times in the New Testament as the distinctive title of our Saviour. He does not bear this title in consequence of his mirac”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Promises of God, The — Contained in the Scriptures -- Ro 1:2. Made in Christ -- Eph 3:6; 2Ti 1:1. Made to Christ. -- Ga 3:16,19. Abraham. -- Ge 12:3,7; Ga 3:16. Isaac. -- Ge 26:3,4. Jacob. -- Ge 28:14. David. -- 2Sa 7:12; Ps 89:3,4,35,36. The Israelites. -- Ro 9:4. The Fathers. -- Ac 13:32; 26:6,7. All who are called of God. -- Ac 2:39. Those who love him. -- Jas 1:12; 2:5. Confirmed by an oath -- Ps 89:3,4; Heb 8:6. Covenant established upon -- Heb 8:6. God is faithful to -- Tit 1:2; Heb 10:23. God remembers -- Ps 105:42; Lu 1:54,55. Are Good. -- 1Ki 8:56. Holy. -- ”
Jeremiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Jeremiah 3:19: But I said,.... Within himself, in the thoughts of his heart, when he took up a resolution concerning their conversion, open adoption, and return to their own land, as a symbol of the eternal inheritance: how shall I put thee among the children? among the children of God, who are so by special adopting grace, which is a high and honourable privilege, greater than to be the sons and daughters of the greatest potentate on earth; who as they are high birth, being born of God, so they are brought up, and fed, and clothed as the children of the King of kings; they have”
Isaiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Isaiah 63:16: Doubtless thou art our father,.... Therefore why shouldst thou restrain thy mercies and bowels of compassion from us? or therefore look down upon us, and behold us; the church pleads her relation to God, and in a strong manner; faith of interest continued with her, though he hid his face from her. This relation of father and children, which subsists between God and his people, is not upon the foot of creation, so he is a father to all men; nor on account of national adoption, so he was to the whole body of the Jewish people; but through special adopting grace, which ”
1 John (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 John 5:10: He that believeth on the Son of God - This is God's witness to a truth, the most important and interesting to mankind. God has witnessed that whosoever believeth on his Son shall be saved, and have everlasting life; and shall have the witness of it in himself, the Spirit bearing witness with his spirit that he is a child of God. To know, to feel his sin forgiven, to have the testimony of this in the heart from the Holy Spirit himself, is the privilege of every true believer in Christ.”
Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 6:1: 6:1-4 The relationship between parents and children is to be a reflection of their devotion to the Lord. Christian children are to obey their parents, and Christian parents are to discipline their children gently (see Col 3:20-21).”
1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 3 (introduction): DISTINGUISHING MARKS OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD AND THE CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL. BROTHERLY LOVE THE ESSENCE OF TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS. (1Jo. 3:1-24) Behold--calling attention, as to some wonderful exhibition, little as the world sees to admire. This verse is connected with the previous Jo1 2:29, thus: All our doing of righteousness is a mere sign that God, of His matchless love, has adopted us as children; it does not save us, but is a proof that we are saved of His grace. what manner of--of what surpassing excellence, how gracious on His part, ho”

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