This question is an intriguing one, but the Bible gives a clear answer that many of us may not want to hear. We want to believe that all of the world’s residents are God’s children and all belong to Him. It makes us feel better because if this were true, there is no responsibility on our part (or anyone else’s) to make our own salvation sure or take the message of salvation through Christ to others.

Romans 9:8 states, “…they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of promise are counted for the seed.” What this passage is describing is that being born an Israelite was not an automatic entrance as a child of God. This was a hard saying to the Jews of the Apostle Paul’s day. In our day, we might say that just because a person goes to Church is not an automatic golden Wonka ticket into heaven. In this scripture, the children of promise are those who have put their faith in (believe in, trust in, rely on) Jesus Christ and therefore “received the Spirit of Adoption” (Romans 8:14-16).

Now don’t get me wrong, I believe babies and little children are covered and remain covered under God’s grace until the time they can understand the sacrifice made for them at the cross. However, we are not simply a Christian by our physical birth nor do we have “an in with God” because grandma was a Christian. Scripture does tell us that we are all God’s creation (Colossians 1:16), but we are made sons and daughters of God as we personally put our trust in Christ, declaring Jesus as our Lord and at that time “being sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13).

Jesus Christ went to the cross to die in our place. He did so for this purpose, so that “whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). During this time leading to the Passover and Easter season, let us remember what Christ did for us. Why is this lesson important? So that we are reminded that others need to hear the good news of Christ’s sacrifice so that they may believe and be adopted into God’s family as we have been.

Be blessed and be grateful,

Pastor Chris Hayden