Whose Children...?

"…For he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light." (John 12:35-36) "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light." (Ephesians 5:7)

Characteristics of the children of darkness . . .
* They have worldly wisdom [knowledge of evil]. (Luke 16:8)
* The children of the flesh are not the children of God (Romans 9:8)
* Their conversation is in the lusts of their flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and are by nature the children of wrath. (Ephesians 2:3)
* They are deceived by vain words and the works of the flesh. Because of these things the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience. (Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 3:5-6)
* The children of the devil are manifest – whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither is he that loveth not his brother. (I John 3:10)

Characteristics of the children of light . . .
* They are joyful in their King. (Psalm 149:2)
* They love their enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again. (Luke 6:35)
* They are the children of God, being children of the resurrection. (Luke 20:36)
* They shall be gathered together in one. (John 11:52)
* They walk in the Light and believe in the Light. (John 12:35-36)
* The Spirit itself bears witness with their spirit that they are the children of God. (Romans 8:16)
* They are heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. (Romans 8:17)
* They which are of faith are the children of Abraham. (Galatians 3:7)
* They are the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26)
* They are the children of promise. (Galatians 4:28)
* They are light in the Lord. (Ephesians 5:8)
* They are children of the light, and children of the day… putting on the breastplate of faith, and love; and for an helmet the hope of salvation. (I Thessalonians 5:5,8)
* The children of God are manifest – they love God and love their brother. (I John 3:10)
* They keep His commandments and they overcome the world. (I John 5:2-4)

In the 8th chapter of John, Jesus reasoned with the Jews, who claimed to be the children of Abraham. Jesus went straight to the heart of the matter, saying those who sin are slaves to sin and that slaves have no permanent place in the family. The mere fact of descending from Abraham did not mean they had inherited Abraham’s faith. For if the God of Abraham was truly their Father, they would have recognized Jesus who came from God. As it was, in denying and refusing Jesus, they were lying to themselves and plotting to murder the Just and Holy One. They were revealing and following the lead of their real father – the devil. Instead of repenting when the True Light exposed the darkness in their hearts, they were furious and took up stones, determined to obliterate that Light.

Whose child are you? Whose child do you want to be? Why stumble around in the darkness with an alienated mind, putting your trust in lies and in the deceiver? Follow on to know the Lord. Look into the Light of His Word. Allow it to lead you into Life everlasting. The Spirit and the Bride say come, and whosoever will, let him come and become a child of the Light – today!