Day by Day with Martin Luther

Read: Malachi 3 Rev. 21:9-22:5

“True Son of God”

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”
[John 1:12-13]

Through God’s creation and blessing we were born of the blood of our parents; some poor, pitiable, and deserted children are adopted and reared as heirs by pious people; our students are pupils and disciples of their preceptors, whom they honor – some more, some less, according to the command and will of God, as their fathers. But the fatherhood by blood , by law, or by honor justifies and saves neither the fathers nor the children. The high honor and glory of the Son-ship of God is attained solely through the birth of, or from God, through believing in the name of the man called Jesus Christ, true and natural Son of Mary, born of her in time and begotten eternally of the Father ….. This Jesus Christ, our Lord, alone imparts this birth, granting believers in Him the privilege, the right, and the power to become God’s children. He alone bestows sonship. Therefore, they and they only are children of God who are born of God, that is, who believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and of Mary. And these believers are not “born of blood or of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” .Whoever remains faithful to the Word and accepts the testimony of John, and believes in Christ’s name is an heir to His indescribable glory.