CHILDREN OF GOD.— The teaching of Jesus Christ abo\it the children of God cannot be under- stood apart from His teaching about the Father- hood of God : indeed, it is from the latter stand- point that it must be approached. In such an approach the main positions seem to be as follows :—
(1) Jesus asserts absolutely the fatherly nature of God. His use of the name ' Father implies that the fatherly nature is eternal in God. God does not become Father ; He is ' the Father.' All knowledge of God is deficient which does not 'know the Father' (Mt 11=', Jn 146"). This fatherly nature of God necessarily manifests itself in all God's dealings. He cannot be other than Father, and ' he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust' (Mt5''5).
(2) This eternal Fatherhood in God is comple- mented by an eternal Sonsliip in God. Jesus used habitually the name 'My Father.' It implied a special relationship between the Father and Him- self, which is summed up by John, ' The only be- gotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father ' (Jn I'S).
(3) "The fatherly heart of God does not rest satisfied in the eternal Sonship in God. He desires the response of filial love from all who are capable of giving it (cf. esp. Lk IS'-^^, Jn i^). Jesus assumed that the filial attitude is expected from all men. This is implied in His method of teach- ing. The Divine Fatherhood is woven into its texture. Therefore the picture of God the Father is offered to everybody, with its necessary appeal to the hearer to enjoy the filial relationship. Since the outlook of the gospel is universal, the sonship may be universal. Even 'publicans and sinners' may enjoy the filial feeling.
(4) But Jesus taught plainly that this filial atti- tude is not general amongst men. He told the Jews that they were of their father the <levil (Jn 8^''), and distinguished ' the good seed, the sons of the kingdom,' from ' the tares, the sons of the evil one' (IVft 1338) . ^f. also Mt 23"-».
(5) Certain conditions are laid down as essen- tial to the enjoyment of the filial relationship to God. These conditions are usually described by Jesus in terms of character. The children of God are ' peacemakers,' are those who love their enemies, and who do the will of the Father (cf. Mt 5S-" 12™): they 'do good and lend, never despairing,' and are ' merciful ' (Lk &•''• ^'). But in the discourses in John's Gospel, Jesus Himself is offered as a touchstone for tlie filial relationship (cf. Jn S"-"). In this connexion the demand for the new birth must be noticed. Jesus connected entrance into that Kingdom which He came to found, with being 'born anew' (Jn 3'); He de- manded that His disciples should be converted and become as little children if they would enter the Kingdom (Mt 18^ ||). It may fairly be said that in the mind of Jesus there is an intimate connexion between these two modes of teaching. The moral character befitting the children of God is secured by the new birth 'of water and of the Spirit ' (Jn 3').
From these propositions we can gather the teach- VOL. I. — 2o
ing of J,
about the children of God. Tin
relationship is apprehended by Jesus ethically, not physically. To identify Divine sonship with human birth brings the relationship down to the physical sphere. Jesus kept it in the religious sphere, 'fhe Fatherhood of God is an ethical attitude eternally present in the Godhead ; man's Divine sonship is his ethical response to this Divine Fatherhood. God is ever waiting to wel- come men as sons, and to give them the position of sons at home (Lk 15). But their assumption of this filial position depends upon their adoption of the filial attitude, ' I will arise and go to my father.' As Wendt says, 'God does not become the Father, but is the heavenly Father, even of those who become His sons. . . . Man is a true son of God . . . from the fact of his comporting him- self as a son of God ' (Teaching of Jesus, i. p. 193).
This religious attitude which betokens Divine sonship, includes four elements, (n) Children of God love their heavenly Feather. Love is the golden bond in all home relationships. Jesus declares it to be the sovereign law in the true relationship between man and God. F'or He taught that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength (Mt 22", Lk 10='). When claiming to have come forth from God, He said to the Jews : ' If God were your father ye would love me,' where love of Himself is identified with love of the Father whom He revealed.
(6) Children of God obey their heavenly Father. This is implied in all Jesus' exhortations to men to do the will of God. It is clearly stated in these sentences : ' Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother ' (Mt 12™) ; ' Not every one that saith unto me. Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven' (Mt 7=') ; cf. also Mt 21" 24« II.