Relationships to God

Introduction. When I preached in Birmingham, I heard gospel preacher  David Tant make a great point: “Rules without relationships lead to rebellion.” I don’t know if this is original to him, but I like it, because it shows that rules & rebellion are serious, but there are some principles that govern all relationships. This is true in…

* Government; * Education

* Faith (rules are meaningful only because of one’s commitment to the relationship).

I. We have a family relationship to God.

A. Christians are children of God. (They have learned that sin changes this relationship, but faith and obedience restores it).

1. Non-Christians are children of Satan

·         “Offspring of God” (Acts 17:29)

·         “Image of God” (Gen. 1:26). The question is…

What is the condition of our spirit?

·          “Soul who sins will die” (Ezek. 18:4).

·         “Wages of sin” is death (Rom. 6:23).

a. Spiritual death (Eph. 2:1-3).

b. “Of your father the devil”—following his desires (John 8:44) “sons of the wicked one” (Matt. 13:38)—cast into hell (13:42).

2. Conversion allows “adoption” through Christ

·         “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23)

·         Plan before foundation of the world (Eph. 1:1-12)—“adoption as sons by Jesus Christ” (v. 5).

a. Adoption refocuses the spirit—Christians must be like Him in spirit (Rom. 8:1). Christians must set our mind on spiritual things (8:5). The result of this (8:14-16).

b. Christians become children of royalty (1 Jn 3:1-3).

B. Christians are Joint-Heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:16-17) Who is Christ?

·         He is the fullness of Godhead (Col. 2:9)

·         He was tempted yet without sin (Heb. 4:15)

·         No guile was found in His mouth (1 Pet. 3:22)

1. We shall be like Him (1 Jn 3:2). Why? Love (1 Jn 3:1)

2. He is not ashamed to call us “brethren” (Heb. 2:10-12).

·         Christians bodies are members of Christ (1 Cor. 6:15)

·         Christians are God’s “fellow-workers” (1 Cor. 3:9). This is not a burden, but an honor—we will share in the “inheritance” of heaven.

II. We have a personal relationship to God. Why is it hard to do what we should as Christians? Children disobey in their parents’ absence. We are always in God’s presence! Unfaithfulness to God is a betrayal of a relationship as real as any we can ever know.

A. It involves communication. Friends listen. Paul Faulkner said, “you tell someone what you think of them more by the way you listen than by what you say”

·         God always listens (1 John 5:14-15)

·         “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything with prayer and supplication let your requests be known to God” (Phil 4:6).

1. Sin hinders prayer (Isa. 59:2). Outside of Christ there is no prayer for forgiveness!

2. Scripture is God’s voice. It is…

·         “Living and powerful” (Heb. 4:12)

·         “Effectively” works in believers (1 Thess. 2:13).

B. It involves concern. We are more valuable than sparrows (Matt. 10:28-31). Even angels are concerned about us (Matt. 18:10; Heb. 1:14).

C. It involves emotion.

1. Repentance produces joy (Luke 15:8-10).

2. Sin causes grief (Eph. 4:29-32).

3. Unfaithfulness causes jealousy (James 4:4-5).

Conclusion. How do we receive this adoption?

·         Faith comes by hearing (Rom. 10:17)

·         Repent and do works befitting repentance (Acts 26:20).

·         Confession—“whoever confesses that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God” (1 John 4:15).

·         Immersion for forgiveness of sins—“for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for as many of your as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:26-27).