Reference: Children (Sons) Of God
Hastings
There are a few passages in the OT in which the term 'sons of God' is applied to angelic beings (Ge 6:1-4; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; cf. Da 3:25 RV). Once the judges of Israel are referred to as 'gods,' perhaps as appointed by God and vested with His authority (but the passage is very obscure; may the words be ironical?), and, in parallel phrase, as 'sons of the Most High' (Ps 82:6, cf. Joh 10:34; also, Ps 29:1; 89:6 Revised Version margin).
With these exceptions, the term, with the correlative one of 'Father,' designates the relation of men to God and of God to men, with varying fulness of meaning. It is obvious that the use of such a figure has wide possibilities. To call God 'Father' may imply little more than that He is creator and ruler of men (cf. 'Zeus, father of gods and men'); or it may connote some phase of His providence towards a favoured individual or nation; or, again, it may assert that a father's love at its highest is the truest symbol we can frame of God's essential nature and God's disposition towards all men. Similarly, men may conceivably be styled 'children of God' from mere dependence, from special privilege, from moral likeness, or finally from a full and willing response to the Divine Fatherhood in filial love, trust, and obedience. It is, therefore, not surprising that the Scripture facts present a varying and progressive conception of God as Father and of men as His children.
I. In the OT.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Blessed are the peacemakers; for they will be called sons of God.
Ye have heard that it was said, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy." But I say to you, Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you; read more. that ye may become sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
that ye may become sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love those who love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? read more. And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye that excelleth? Do not even the heathen the same? Be ye therefore perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
But take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen by them; otherwise ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
but if ye do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Behold the birds of the air, that they sow not, nor reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much greater value than they?
At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that, though thou didst hide these things from the wise and discerning, thou didst reveal them to babes.
At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that, though thou didst hide these things from the wise and discerning, thou didst reveal them to babes.
Then will the righteous shine forth as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears, let him hear.
And he came a little nearer, and fell on his face, praying and saying, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me! nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt.
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any one, that your Father who is in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.
But love your enemies, and do good and lend, despairing of no one; and your reward will be great, and ye will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the unthankful and wicked. Be merciful, as your Father is merciful.
All things were delivered to me by my Father; and no one knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom it is the will of the Son to reveal him.
And he said to them, When ye pray, say, Father, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come;
If ye then, though evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit! And having said this, he expired.
But as many as received him, to them he gave power to become children of God,to those who believed in his name; who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. read more. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; and we beheld his glory, a glory as of an only begotten of a father.
No one hath ever seen God; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath made him known.
Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly do I say to thee, Unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith to him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter his mothers womb a second time, and be born? read more. Jesus answered, Truly, truly do I say to thee, Unless a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.
That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit. Marvel not that I said to thee, Ye must be born again. read more. The wind bloweth where it will; and thou hearest the sound thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
No one can come to me, unless the Father, who sent me, draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day.
And he said, For this cause I have told you, that no one can come to me, unless it hath been given him from the Father.
They answered and said to him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith to them, If ye were Abrahams children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath spoken to you the truth, which I heard from God; this did not Abraham. read more. Ye do the works of your father. They said to him, We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, God. Jesus said to them, If God were your father, ye would love me; for from God I proceeded forth and am come; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
and not for the nation only, but that he might also gather together in one body the children of God that are scattered abroad.
Jesus saith to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one cometh to the Father but through me.
In that day ye will know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
Jesus saith to her, Touch me not; for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren, and say to them, I ascend to my Father and your Father, and my God and your God.
But these have been written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and that believing ye may have life in his name.
For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as also some of your own poets have said: "For we are also his offspring."
and shown with power to be the Son of God as to his spirit of holiness, by the resurrection of the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord;
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are sons of God. For ye did not receive the spirit of bondage so as to be again in fear; but ye received the spirit of adopted children, whereby we cry, Abba, Father! read more. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God; and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and fellowheirs with Christ; if indeed we are suffering with him, that we may also be glorified with him. For I esteem the sufferings of the present time as of no account, when compared with the glory which is about to be revealed to us. For the earnest expectation of the creation is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creation was brought into subjection to vanity not of its own will, but by reason of him who put it into subjection, in hope that even the creation itself will be set free from the bondage of corruption and brought into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation is together groaning and suffering the pains of labor, up to this time; and not only so, but even we ourselves also, though having the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption as sons, for the redemption of our body.
and not only so, but even we ourselves also, though having the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption as sons, for the redemption of our body. For we were saved only in hope. But hope which is seen is not hope; how can a man hope for that which he seeth? read more. But if we hope for that which we do not see, then do we with patience wait for it.
For he determined beforehand that those whom he foreknew should be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
For he determined beforehand that those whom he foreknew should be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
who are Israelites; whom God adopted as sons, whose was the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the service of the sanctuary, and the promises;
That is, not the children by natural descent are children of God, but the children to whom the promise is made are accounted as the offspring.
as he also saith in Hosea, "I will call that my people, which was not my people; and her beloved, that was not beloved. And it shall be, that in the place where it was said to them, Ye are not my people, there shall they be called sons of the living God."
And it shall be, that in the place where it was said to them, Ye are not my people, there shall they be called sons of the living God."
For there is no difference between Jew and Greek; for one and the same is Lord over all, rich to all that call upon him. For "every one who calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
But I say, Hath not Israel had knowledge? First, Moses saith, "I will move you to jealousy by that which is no nation, I will excite you to indignation by a foolish people."
But before faith came, we were kept in ward under the Law, shut up unto the faith which was to be revealed.
For ye are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus;
Now I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth in no respect from a bondservant, though he is lord of all; but is under guardians and stewards, until the time appointed by the father. read more. So also we, when we were children, were in bondage under the rudiments of the world; but when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem those under the Law, that we might be adopted as sons. And to show that ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father! So then thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
So then thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
But ye, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of a promise.
having in love predestinated us for himself to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved; read more. in whom we have the redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he made to abound toward us, in all wisdom and understanding; having made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself in reference to the dispensation of the fullness of the times, to gather for himself into one all things in Christ, the things which are in the heavens, and the things on the earth; even in him, in whom we also obtained the inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who have before placed our hope in the Messiah; in whom ye also, after having heard the word of truth, the glad tidings of your salvation, in whom, I say, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit that was promised, which is a pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of his glory.
which is a pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of his glory. For this cause I also, having heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and of your love to all the saints, read more. do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, would give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of him; the eyes of your mind being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope belonging to his call of you, and what the riches of the glory of the inheritance which he hath given among the saints,
that ye may be blameless and pure, children of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; among whom ye shine as luminaries in the world,
For to which of the angels did he ever say: "Thou art my Son, I this day have begotten thee?" and again: "I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?"
But we see him who was made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, on account of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor; that by the grace of God he might taste death for every one. For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. read more. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren; saying, "I will declare thy name to my brethren, in the midst of the congregation will I sing praise to thee." And again, "I will put my trust in him;" and again, "Behold, I, and the children which God gave me." Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner shared in the same, that through death he might bring to nought him who had the power of death, that is, the Devil, and might deliver those who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For surely he doth not help angels, but he helpeth the offspring of Abraham. Whence it was right for him to be in all respects made like to his brethren, that he might become a merciful and faithful highpriest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.
Not yet have ye resisted unto blood, in your contest against sin; and ye have forgotten the exhortation, which reasoneth with you as with sons: "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when reproved by him; read more. for whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth; and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." It is for chastening that ye endure; God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he, whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye are without chastening, of which all have been made partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons. Furthermore, we were chastened by the fathers of our flesh, and we gave them reverence; shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us, according as it seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now all chastening for the present indeed seemeth to be not joyous, but grievous; but afterward it yieldeth the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; and make straight paths for your feet, that the lame may not be turned out of the way, but may rather be healed.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the lights, with whom is no change, nor shadow from turning. Of his own will he begot us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Pure religion and undefiled before God, the Father, is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep ones self unspotted from the world.
Therewith bless we the Lord and Father, and therewith curse we men, who have been made after the likeness of God;
Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, begot us again into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
And if ye call him Father who without respect of persons judgeth according to each ones work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear;
being born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth.
Laying aside therefore all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all slander, as newborn babes, desire the spiritual, pure milk, that ye may grow thereby to salvation; read more. if indeed ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but in the sight of God chosen, honored, be ye yourselves also, as living stones, built up, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Because it is contained in the Scripture: "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen, honored; and he that believeth in him shall not be put to shame." To you therefore who believe, is the honor; but to the disobedient, "the stone which the builders rejected, the same hath become the cornerstone," and "a stone of stumbling, and a rock to strike against;" even to those who stumble, being disobedient to the word; to which they were also appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for a possession, that ye may show forth the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light; who once were not a people, but are now the people of God; who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
who once were not a people, but are now the people of God; who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
because all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Whoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father; he that acknowledgeth the Son hath also the Father.
If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one also that doeth righteousness hath been born of him.
Beloved, now are we children of God, and it hath not yet been manifested what we shall be. We know that, when it shall be manifested, we shall be like him; because we shall see him as he is.
Whoever hath been born of God doth not commit sin, because his seed abideth in him; and he cannot sin, because he hath been born of God.
Beloved, let us love one another; for love is from God, and every one that loveth hath been born of God, and knoweth God;
Whoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ hath been born of God; and every one that loveth him that begat, loveth also him that hath been begotten of him.
because whatever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith.
He that overcometh shall inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the cowardly, and unbelieving, and the polluted with abominations, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all the liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.