What

is

SONSHIP?

 

God who has blessed us and chosen us has also “predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself” Eph.1:5

 

What does ‘adoption’ mean?

Greek – ‘huio thesia’ the placing of a son.

 

We are predestined to receive the placement as a son

 

When we are born again we become children [sons] of God.

 

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children [sons] of God, to those who believe in His name” Jn.1:12

 

 

 

 

As children we do not inherit

“Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all.” But is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father” Gal.4:1-2

 

Children are subject to their parents: Jesus as a child was under the authority of Joseph & His mother

“Then He went down with them  and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them” Lu.2:51

 

Children are heirs but are under “guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father” Gal.4:2

 

Children are meant to grow up

“we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried  about with every wind of doctrine…” Eph.4:14

 

 

 

 

There comes a time when we ‘become of age’ – the age of maturity when we can receive the spirit of sonship/adoption

“For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship by whom we cry out, ‘Abba Father’” Rom.8:15 NIV

 

We are redeemed from under the law so that “we might receive the adoption as sons” Gal.4:5

 

The inheritance is for mature sons

“Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” Gal.4:7

 

Jesus at the age of 30 came to the Jordan River to be baptised by John. The Father identified Jesus as His Son

“And suddenly a voice came from heaven saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’” Matt.3:17

 

A son only does what the father tells him to do

“The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner, For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself does” Jn.5:19-20

 

Sons are those who are led by the Spirit

“As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God” Rom.8:14

 

The Lord disciplines His sons

“My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives” Heb.12:5-6

 

Jesus has planted His sons [good seed] in the world

“the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom” Matt.13:38

 

These sons are the righteous ones who will “shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” Matt.13:43 in the earth

 

Even creation is waiting for the sons of the kingdom to shine forth [manifest]

“The earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing [manifestation] of the sons of God” Rom.8:19

 

God will give the inheritance to His sons

“He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son” Rev.21:7

 

 

Three stages of growth

 

1) Salvation:  we are saved “by grace through faith” Eph.2:8 it is God who “establishes us” * in the

new birth

 

2) Service: we receive the empowerment of the Holy Spirit by grace through faith; it is God who “has anointed us” *

 

3) Sonship: it is a work of grace by faith that we receive the spirit of sonship to be placed in the body as a mature son ready to receive and walk in our inheritance. It is God “who has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee” *   

* 2Cor.1:21-22

 

 

It is time:

·       to no longer be children

·       to grow up into maturity

·       to receive the placement of sons

·       to shine forth in the kingdom

·       to walk in our inheritance as sons

·       to know God as Father