"But as many as received Him (Jesus Christ), to them He gave the right to become the children of God, even to those who believe on His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

(John 1:12-13)

What does it take to be a "child of God?" This text gives the answer.

We note that not all men and women are children of God. This name only belongs to those who have "received Him." The fact is, by nature, we are children of the devil. Though we were created to live in peace and harmony with God, we, through Adam, rejected God's authority and fell into sin. The sin nature, which separates us from God, has been passed on from generation to generation. Proof of this lies in the fact that all experience the consequences of sin: death (Heb. 9:27; 1 Cor. 15:22).

God has not left us helpless, however. He has provided a means through which we can become His children. That is the message of these verses.

Not by blood...

These verses first of all tell us that one does not become a child of God "by blood." That is, it is not inherited from your parents. A person is not a child of God just because his or her mother, father, or grandmother was. Every individual must make that decision personally.

Not by the will of the flesh...

We also see that one does not become a child of God by "the will of the flesh." That is, it is not something we accomplish through our own efforts (Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8,9). No matter how good we might try to be, we can never measure up to God's standard of righteousness, for He is perfect, and those who relate to Him must be perfect as well (Rom. 3:10).

Not by the will of man...

Finally we see that one does not become a child of God by "the will of man." That is, it is not something anyone else can do for us. Again, it must be a personal decision. No one else's prayers or efforts could ever make us children of God.

What, then, is necessary?

To be a child of God a person must "receive" Jesus by "believing in His name."

To receive Christ means to accept Him as personal Savior.

Jesus is the sinless Son of God who came to take away the sin of the world. His death on the cross paid for man's sin. He is the only way for a person to become a child of God.

Jesus said., "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except by me" (John 14:6).

You can receive Jesus as Savior and become a child of God simply by trusting Him alone for your salvation. A simple description of what it means to trust Jesus Christ is given below. Your decision to trust Christ, and Him alone for your salvation is the single most important decision you will ever make. Take a moment to seriously consider the grace that God offers to you. Acknowledging Jesus Christ as your personal Savior includes a basic understanding of 3 simple facts:

A - Admitting that you are a sinner.

B - Believing that Jesus died on the cross for your sins.

C - Claiming the gift of eternal life that He offers.

Once you become a child of God, you not only receive the gift of eternal life, but you receive all the privileges and responsibilities that go along with being God's child.

As your Father, God promises to be with you, to lead you, to provide for your needs, and to correct you when you go wrong.

As a child of God, you are expected to live in such a way that people can see that God is your Father.

If you would like to be a child of God, take a moment to pray through this simple prayer of faith...

Lord, I want to become one of your children by receiving Jesus as my Savior. I admit that I am a sinner in need of salvation. I believe that Jesus died on the cross in my place to take away my sin. Forgive me for my sins. Thank you for giving me your gift of eternal life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

If you have prayed to receive Jesus as Savior, we would like to know about it. We would also like to provide you with more information about living life as a child of God.

Please write or e-mail us and let us know of your decision.