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Conference lgp30::christian-perspective

Title:Discussions from a Christian Perspective
Notice:Prostitutes and tax collectors welcome!
Moderator:CSC32::J_CHRISTIE
Created:Mon Sep 17 1990
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1362
Total number of notes:61362

1358.0. "How to become a son of God?" by SMARTT::DGAUTHIER () Tue May 27 1997 21:52

    Matt 5:44,45
    
    But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 
    that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to
    rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the
    unrighteous. 
    
    
    Is this a formula for becomming a son of god?
    
    
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1358.1THOLIN::TBAKERFlawed To PerfectionTue May 27 1997 22:0710
>    Is this a formula for becomming a son of god?

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you?

Sounds like a son of God to me.

When your love and concern for others overwhelms any other
desire you have, you're already in heaven.

Tom
1358.2Romans 8, see especially verse 14PHXSS1::HEISERMaranatha!Tue May 27 1997 22:34119
8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,
 who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from
 the law of sin and death.

8:3  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God
 sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned
 sin in the flesh:

8:4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not
 after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

8:5  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but
 they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life
 and peace.

8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to
 the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8:8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit
 of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none
 of his.

8:10  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit
 is life because of righteousness.

8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you,
 he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies
 by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

8:12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the
 flesh.

8:13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the
 Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have
 received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the
 children of God:

8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;
 if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to
 be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation
 of the sons of God.

8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason
 of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

8:21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of
 corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain
 together until now.

8:23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the
 Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to
 wit, the redemption of our body.

8:24  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a
 man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

8:25  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

8:26  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we
 should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us
 with groanings which cannot be uttered.

8:27  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,
 because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,
 to them who are the called according to his purpose.

8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the
 image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

8:30  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he
 called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

8:31  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be
 against us?

8:32  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how
 shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

8:33  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that
 justifieth.

8:34  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is
 risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh
 intercession for us.

8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or
 distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are
 accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that
 loved us.

8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
 principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate
 us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1358.3CNTROL::DGAUTHIERTue May 27 1997 23:209
    RE .2 (Mike)
    
    Romans 8, your interpretation and how it pertains to what it is to be
    a son of God?
    
    Thanks
    -dave
    
    
1358.4PHXSS1::HEISERMaranatha!Tue May 27 1997 23:3015
    Those who are born again in Christ (and all that is involved in that
    phrase) are sons of God.  This includes:
    
    - accepting Jesus Christ as God, Lord, and Savior as outlined in God's
      Word.
    - confession of your sin and your need for a Savior (as outlined in
      God's Word).
    - acceptance of Christ's vicarious atonement on the cross (as outlined in
      God's Word).
    - renouncing your past sin and living for God (as outlined in God's Word).
    
    Most of this is covered in the "Sinner's Prayer"-type prayers that
    people pray to receive Christ as Savior.  
    
    Mike
1358.5CSC32::J_CHRISTIESpigot of pithinessWed May 28 1997 03:0711
Matthew 5:9 (Jesus speaking)

Blessed [are] the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

.0 Dave,

	I personally don't find the notion of a formula to become one of
God's offspring a very satisfying one.

Richard

1358.6SMARTT::DGAUTHIERWed May 28 1997 13:2511
    RE .4 (Mike)
    
    >Those who are born again in Christ (and all that is involved in that
    >    phrase) are sons of God.
    
    Ummmmm... so Jesus is not the 'only' son of God?
    
    I believe that it's said that Jesus = God.  If that's so, why was/is he
    called the son of God?  
    
    -dave
1358.7PHXSS1::HEISERMaranatha!Wed May 28 1997 15:328
    Romans 8 makes it clear that we are sons of God via adoption because of
    Christ's vicarious atonement.
    
    As for the Deity and Nature of Jesus Christ, I've posted hundreds of
    lines on the Triunity of God in here.  Try 907.226 and onward.
    
    the short answer is that YHWH has manifested Himself in 3 ways.  God
    the Son was conceived via the Holy Spirit from God the Father.