John 1:12 (NKJV) But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.
There are many people who have never really known the love of the father because of absentee fathers or growing up in a single parent family. It will be even more difficult for those who have grown up in a dysfunctional family. One of the greatest challenges for many children who are raised in a single parent family today is to witness their biological father looking after another set of children. It makes them feel abandoned. It is especially damaging when it happens during the formative years of their lives because they might not be able to fully comprehend what is happening, whether they are a contributing factor for the negligence from the father and the rejection in their heart. They would have difficulty trusting their father. They will grow up longing for the love of the father and not being able to know how to be a father. To make matter worst, the only love that we are familiar with is Phileo love which is a conditional love. All of this will contribute to doubt, unbelief, and skepticism about the Heavenly Father’s love for us because of the perception and experience with our earthly parents. Our parents are imperfect no matter how good they are as compared to the love of the Heavenly Father. When we are born again then we get to learn and experience Agape love. God’s kind of love. Unconditional love. The unconditional love is shown to us through His grace towards us.
The definition of grace according to Jerry Bridges of the Navigators means “there is nothing that you have done to make God love you more. There is nothing you have said or done to make God love you less”.
In Luke 15:11-32 The father in this parable personifies grace. It is a powerful story because the son has rebelled against the father. The father had every reason to disown him for the shame he had brought to the family and the hurt he had caused in his heart. However, the father was gracious, loving and merciful to restore the sonship and his right to be in the household. The father gave the prodigal son the signet ring. The signet ring signified that he belongs to the family, and it was also used as a seal for the purchase of goods because it hds the family’s crest on it. He was also given a new robe. Likewise, God has given us the right to be His children when we have chosen to receive the way back to Him through the redemptive blood of Jesus. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit instead of the signet ring that act as a seal to show forth the demonic realm that we belong to God’s family. We are also given a new robe which is the robe of righteousness. We need to continue to identify ourselves as children of the living God. That’s our new identity. All of these are God’s grace.
Sermon Series: He will Make Your Path Straight
成为神的儿女
约翰福音1：12 凡接待他的， 就是信他名的人，他就赐他们权柄，作神的儿女。
因为缺席的父亲，或者是在单亲家庭长大，许多人从未真正体会过父爱。对于那些在功能失调的家庭中长大的人来说，这将更加困难。对于今天在单亲家庭长大的许多孩子来说，最大的挑战之一就是目睹他们的亲生父亲照顾另一组孩子。这让他们感到被遗弃。当它发生在他们生命的成长阶段时尤其具有破坏性，因为他们可能无法完全理解正在发生的事情，不知道是否出于自身的因素导致了父亲的忽视和内心的拒绝。他们很难信任他们的父亲。他们在对父爱的渴望中长大，自己却不知道如何做父亲。更糟糕的是，我们所熟悉的唯一爱是Phileo爱，它是一种有条件的爱。由于对我们地上父母的看法和经验，所有这些都会导致我们对天父的爱产生不确定、不信和怀疑。无论世上的父母有多好，比起天父的爱，他们终归是不完美的。当我们重生时，我们就会了解并体验到 Agape 的爱。上帝的爱，无条件的爱。这无条件的爱藉着祂的恩典使我们看见。
根据航海家杰里·布里奇斯对恩典的定义，“你不能以做过的任何事来让上帝更爱你。 你过往的言行也无法减少丝毫上帝对你的爱”。
路加福音 15:11-32 这个比喻中的父亲是恩典的化身。这是一个震撼人心的故事，因为儿子忤逆了父亲。就他给家人带来的耻辱和带给他的心痛，父亲完全有理由不认他。然而，父亲恩赐、仁爱、怜悯地地恢复了儿子的身份和他在家中的权利。父亲把印章戒指给了浪子。 这枚印戒象征着他是家族的人，它也被用来作为购买商品的印章，因为它上面有家族的纹章。他还得到了一件新长袍。同样，当我们选择通过耶稣的救赎之血接受回归祂的道路时，上帝就赋予我们成为祂儿女的权利。圣灵取代了印章成为我们的印记，向魔界昭示我们属于上帝的家庭。我们还得到了一件新的袍 子，就是公义的袍子。我们需要继续认同自己是永生上帝的儿女。 这就是我们的新身份。而这一切都是神的恩典。
讲章系列：祂会指引你的道路