By. Sis. Christie Martyn
Introduction
Salvation is a birth—a spiritual birth.
In the New Testament, this is described as being “born of God” or “born of the Spirit,” which signifies sonship. The benefits of salvation are rooted in the resurrection and indwelling of Christ. The prophets, as recorded in the Old Testament, spoke of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that would follow. That glory is made evident in the resurrection, which unveils God’s riches now available to all because of what Christ has accomplished.
What exactly is available in the resurrection? The indwelling of the Spirit of God.
Everything a person receives at the point of salvation is in the Spirit and is eternal. This article explores two main questions:
- How does a person become a son of God?
- What proves that a person truly is a son of God?
- Many often repeat the saying, “God is a Father to everyone,” but is this statement accurate?
Let us explore this claim through the lens of Scripture.
How Does One Become a Son of God?
Romans 8:14-16 (NKJV) says: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.
In this text, the Apostle Paul speaks to believers in Christ, affirming their new identity as sons of God—a result of their faith in the gospel. To understand this better, let’s step back to verses 1–9 of the same chapter.
Paul draws a sharp contrast between those who live in the flesh and those who live in the Spirit. In Romans 8:1, he writes:
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. He continues by describing the nature of life in the flesh versus life in the Spirit, then brings it home in verse 9: But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now, if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
Paul makes it clear: believers are “in the Spirit” because the Spirit of God dwells in them.
Romans 8:14 states: As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. The word “led” comes from the Greek word ago, which means to be brought from one place to another. In context, this refers to being brought from the realm of the flesh into the realm of the Spirit—from darkness to light, from bondage into liberty. This is salvation, not a future prayer point, but a present reality for the believer. The word “sons” in this verse is from the Greek huios, used generically for both male and female. Thus, those who have believed the gospel are now sons of God. Anyone who believes the gospel becomes a son of God.
Consider these supporting scriptures:
1 John 5:1 (NKJV): “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.”
John 1:12 (NKJV): “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.
Therefore, believing in the gospel is the benchmark for becoming a son of God.
What Proves That You Are a Son of God?
Romans 8:16 (NKJV) says: The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
The indwelling Spirit of God is the proof of our sonship. The moment we believed the gospel, we received His Spirit—this is the evidence that we are born of God. According to John 7:38-39, this indwelling is a post-resurrection reality—made available only after Jesus rose from the dead. God’s great love is demonstrated in this divine birth.
1 John 3:1 (KJV) says: Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.
Verse 2 continues Beloved, now are we the sons of God.
Conclusion
Yes, God is the Creator of all mankind—but He is not automatically the Father of all. God only fathers those whom He has birthed through the gospel. Sonship is not inherited through natural birth (procreation) but through new birth—a new creation that happens by faith in the resurrection. A man becomes born of God through faith in Christ alone.
As sons of God, we are partakers of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).
We now carry the DNA of God—His Spirit within us. This means we have His ability, and anything not associated with our heavenly Father should never be associated with us. We now have the right to approach God boldly, crying “Abba, Father” (Galatians 4:6).
The believer must fully grasp the reality of God being our Father and walk daily in that consciousness. Our Father’s will is that we, as sons of God, extend this sonship to the world by preaching the gospel. Because SONSHIP is SALVATION (See 2 Corinthians 5:17-20).
