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"Aren't we all God's children?"

We are all God's creation.

In the beginning, God created human beings just like He created the rest of creation. However, humans were made in His image and likeness. 

Genesis 1:26-27 'Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.'

In Genesis 2:7, we read that God breathed his own breath into humans. This isn't true of any other part of his creation. In fact, to form us, he used more than just his words, he actually used his hands and his breath. This shows us how important human beings are to God, but this doesn't tell us that we are automatically his children. 

We have all sinned. 

Every human being, starting with Adam, has made the selfish choice of disobedience to do things our own way instead of God's way. He is the Creator who designed us for good, but we despised His plan for our lives and turned to our own will. As sinners, there is NOTHING we can do to earn the title of children of God. 

Romans 3:23 (ESV) 'for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, '

1 John 1:8 'If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. '

Every human being has sinned - that's either intentionally doing the opposite of what God, our Creator has designed us to do, or NOT doing what God has asked us to do. Another word for "sin" could be "foul" or "miss" - we have all missed the mark of perfection.

Romans 6:23 'For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.'

Wages are what we earn from work. The works of sin we have done earn us death (spiritual separation from God). Notice the second half of the verse doesn't mention wages but mentions a free gift from God of eternal life. We can't earn a free gift.

God Loves Us All.

God's love is not just for His children. He loves all of His creation. This is such good news because it means that you are loved JUST AS YOU ARE! You don't have to "get right" or "clean yourself up" to be loved by God! However, His love doesn't automatically make you His child.

Romans 5:8 (CEB) 'But God shows his love for us, because while we were still sinners Christ died for us. '

John 15:13 'Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. '

We Can Be Children of God.

Jesus Christ is God's only begotten Son. Although we were not created as God's children, we CAN become God's children.

John 1:12 'But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, '

When you receive the free gift of Jesus Christ and believe in who He is and what He's done, then you can be called a child of God.

John 17:3 'And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. '

"Eternal life" is the knowledge and belief in God who sent His Son, Jesus Christ to take the punishment for your sin (what you've earned, which is spiritual separation from God).

1 John 1:9 'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. '

Romans 10:9 'because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. '

You can trust that you are saved from what you've earned (eternal separation) from your sin (misses of perfection) if you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart who Jesus is and what He's done for you. Then God will clean you up as you continue to grow in relationship with Him.