This year the fourth Sunday of Easter is on May 7, 2006 with the readings from Acts 4:23-33 (Peter & John’s prayer for boldness); I John 3:1-2 (we are children of God) and John 10:11-18 (Jesus is the good Shepherd). The text chosen to analyze is 1 John 3:1 which states, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God.”

There are two ways to interpret every passage in the Bible. The first is from the point of view of living under the Law in which we are the center of attention and what we do makes a difference as to how God regards us. The second is from the point of view of living under the Gospel in which Jesus is the center of attention and what He did and does makes the difference in how God regards us.

With this background it is clear how the text can be misunderstood and misapplied. In a sermon that confuses Law and Gospel, the preacher would exhort the hearers to act more like a child of God so that the Father would consider us as His children. For who would want to have a child who is rebellious and disobedient? The point in such a sermon would be to place the burden of childhood upon the hearer who needs to make a choice as to whether he/she would serve the true God or some idol.

On the other hand, the text is properly understood and applied when we realize that being a child of God has nothing to do with our works. The original Greek is clear that the verbs are in the passive as regards our contribution to becoming a child of God. The first verb is “bestowed” which means that being a child of God is a gift from God which He bestows on us; not something which we do! The second verb is “should be called” which again points to the action of God referring to us as children of God.

This understanding agrees with the rest of Scripture through which Jesus reminds us that we did not choose Him but He chose us and that from before the foundation of the world we were “predestined to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself” (Ephesians 1:5). In fact, when one thinks of a real adoption, what baby has anything to do with the parents choosing him as their child? And after the adoption, his behavior has nothing to do with whether the adoption remains valid. How can we not give to God the same recognition particularly when He reveals that we are saved by grace through faith and not by works lest anyone should boast? (Ephesians 2:8-9).