There are three significant things that every child of God needs to know. These three truths radically change how they identify as a child of God and relate to their new life in Christ.
The zenith of all creation was made when God created Adam and Eve in His own image.
He delegated to them the capacity and the authority to fill the earth with a new species of being—sons and daughters of God made in His image and possessing the authority and power to be stewards over all of His creation.
Then, the unthinkable happened.
Adam and Eve committed high treason with the serpent, forfeiting the authority delegated to them and giving it into the hands of the ruler of the darkness of this world. The magnitude of the loss experienced in that act of sin is revealed in a statement Lucifer made to Jesus Christ:
“Again, the devil took Him up on a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their grandeur, and said to Him, ‘All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me'” (Matt. 4:8-9 MEV).
The devil possessed the authority to make Jesus the head of all the kingdoms on planet earth because that authority had been given over to him by Adam and Eve.
God promised the day would come when that authority would be given back to the rightful owner.
“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel” (Gen. 3:15).
The authority of stewardship for all of creation had been given by covenant to the human race.
Through an act of high treason that authority had been transferred to Lucifer. Recovery of that authority must come through an act of righteousness by a perfect man restoring the covenant that had been broken. God entered the world in the person of Jesus Christ.
The writer of Hebrews describes what took place.
“For it was not to the angels that He has subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. But someone in a certain place testified, saying: ‘What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him? You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.’ For in subjecting all things under him, He left nothing that is not subjected to him. Yet now we do not see all things subject to him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels to suffer death, crowned with glory and honor, so that He, by the grace of God, should experience death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the Author of their salvation perfect through suffering. For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all of One. For this reason He is not ashamed to call them brothers” (Heb. 2:5-11).
Jesus Christ, the Last Adam, and perfect man made the sacrifice that redeems mankind from the slave market of sin.
There are three things you need to know about being a child of God
1. Redeemed men and women are restored to their original position as stewards of all God’s creation.
2. Redeemed men and women are born again, forgiven of their sin and God remembers it no more; justified, just as if they had never sinned; sanctified, declared holy and made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus; sealed by the Holy Spirit as covenant sons and daughters; made heirs of all of God’s creation; seated with Christ in Heavenly places; and made kings and priests unto God.
3. From this position, redeemed sons and daughters of God are restored to their rightful position as stewards of all God’s creation. They are given authority to subdue and take dominion.
They are given authority over all the enemies of God to plunder hell and to populate heaven.
Dr. F. Dean Hackett has served in full-time Christian ministry since October 1971. He has ministered throughout the United States, Canada and Europe, serving as pastor, conference speaker and mentor. He has planted four churches, assisted in planting 15 others, and currently serves as lead pastor of Living Faith Church in Hermiston, Oregon. Dr. Hackett founded Spirit Life Ministries International in 2001 to facilitate ministries in Croatia and Bosnia Herzegovina and to open a training center for workers in those nations. You can find him at F. Dean Hackett – Foundational, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
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