WEEK NINE
SONSHIP
i. Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Matthew 3:17, Matthew 17:5)
Jesus always refers to God as His father, which automatically earned Him the affiliation as the Son of God. However before that, the Bible records in Matthew 3:17, the Bible records that a voice came from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Even the devil when tempting Jesus demanded that He prove His sonship in Matthew 4:3, even though Jesus did not give in to this temptation. The same confirmation was made at the Mount of transfiguration when Jesus was standing with two others believed to be Moses and Elijah. The disciples who went with Jesus, James, Peter and John also heard the same words, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him”. This leaves us no doubt that Jesus is the Son of God.
ii. Christians are also children of God. (Romans 8: 1- 39)
Paul also wrote in his letter to the Romans, that we all are also children of God. He stated that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and death. Jesus was condemned to death in order to crucify our sinful nature so that we would no longer walk as sinful men but walk in the Spirit of God. He said in Romans 8: 5 – 7, that, “Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, indeed it cannot; 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
It is the Spirit of God that makes us sons of God. In verse 9, he says, “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” And in verse 14 – 16, he says that “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God for you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry “Abba Father,” it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
iii. Rights as citizens of Nigeria (1Peter 2:13-17)
Even as we are children of God, we are citizens of our various countries just as we are citizen of Nigeria. Peter when writing to Christians, he advised Christians to “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing right you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. Live as free men, yet without using your freedom as a pretext for evil; but live as servants of God. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”
He advises that we should respect all constituted authority as all authority is from God to punish all offenders and to regard those who do right. He admonishes Christians to live as free men. However we should not use our freedom to do evil but always do what is right and live as servants of God, loving everyone and honoring the rulership.
Unprecedented 