Adam is not a son of God. Adam was formed from the dust of the Earth. He was created. His body was made as a sculpture out of clay, and his spirit was put there. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." (Genesis 2:7) Adam was not born of man and woman, he was created from Mother Earth. Subsequently, a rib was taken from his side and a woman was made from it. Eve is part of Adam, also created, not born. They are not children of God, but rather of the Earth.
Likewise, we are not children of God in the flesh. As children of Adam and Eve we are also of the dust, of Mother Earth. "For dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." (Genesis 3:19)
God has one Son. There is no other. Jesus was born of a woman, Mary, and His Father is God, our Heavenly Father. Gabriel told Mary, "the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:35) It is essential to know that there is only one Heir to the throne of God -- Jesus Christ.
Adoption
However, one purpose of our existence is to become children of God. We were not born into His family so we must be adopted into it as His children. The entire eighth chapter of Romans is a treatise on the manner of our adoption into the family of Christ. "Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." (Romans 8:15-17) The Apostle Paul goes on to explain that belief in, and obedience to, Jesus Christ is the only way to obtain this adoption. He showed us the way. He fulfilled His mission, taking upon Himself all of the justice of the world so that we can choose to be with Him, to be adopted into the family of God.
However, one purpose of our existence is to become children of God. We were not born into His family so we must be adopted into it as His children. The entire eighth chapter of Romans is a treatise on the manner of our adoption into the family of Christ. "Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." (Romans 8:15-17) The Apostle Paul goes on to explain that belief in, and obedience to, Jesus Christ is the only way to obtain this adoption. He showed us the way. He fulfilled His mission, taking upon Himself all of the justice of the world so that we can choose to be with Him, to be adopted into the family of God.
Those who will not submit to the Word of Christ remain children of the dust, in opposition to God. They cannot enter into His kingdom, but rather have a place outside where there is no glory -- only weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. The mercy and grace of God is to prepare a way for us to become His children.
Becoming a child of God is similar to becoming a child of our earthly parents. As with the flesh, we must be born into the family of God. This is called being "born again." The first birth is to the family of Adam, receiving the flesh, and the second birth is when we are born to Christ, to become His sons and His daughters. This birth is entirely our choice to join the family of God -- or not!
Becoming a child of God is similar to becoming a child of our earthly parents. As with the flesh, we must be born into the family of God. This is called being "born again." The first birth is to the family of Adam, receiving the flesh, and the second birth is when we are born to Christ, to become His sons and His daughters. This birth is entirely our choice to join the family of God -- or not!
Born Again
Those who want to be adopted into the family of Christ have two requirements, as Jesus told Nicodemus, "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:5)
Those who want to be adopted into the family of Christ have two requirements, as Jesus told Nicodemus, "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:5)
We become the sons of Adam when our body is born of water in the womb, the water breaks, and we come out, receiving our spirit, "the breath of life." Thus, we are born of the water and the spirit. Our re-birth has the same elements.
Baptism is the outward ordinance of being born again. Jesus Himself was baptized, though He did not need to be born again because He already was born into the family of God. Rather, He was baptized to show us the way. "But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments." (2 Nephi 31:7) Baptism is the beginning of being born into the family of God.
The next step is to be born of the Spirit. We must have both. If a baby is born of the water, coming out of his mother's womb, but doesn't receive a spirit, it is born dead. There is no life without both the body and the spirit. In the same way, our birth into the family of God also requires that we are baptized in water, and by the Spirit of God. As a metaphor for this, Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea, representing the baptism of water, and then the children of Israel had to go through the River Jordan before they could go into the Promised Land. This represents the spiritual re-birth.
Spiritual Re-birth
The spiritual part of our re-birth happens after three requirements are fulfilled.
The spiritual part of our re-birth happens after three requirements are fulfilled.
- Faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ.
- Repentance of all our sins.
- Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins by one who has the authority.
Once these three are met, the Spirit enters into the heart. It is the Spirit of promise. We have no control over it. It is like the wind to us. First we receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost by one who holds the priesthood authority, then we pray and ask the Father for His Spirit, and God sends the Holy Ghost to change our hearts, to cleanse our souls and make us into children of God. Once we are born of the Spirit, the second birth is complete, and we are born into the family of God, becoming His children, heirs to His Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven.
Endure to the end
This is not the end; it is only the beginning. Birth is just entering into our new family and world, from there we need to grow and mature and become like our Father. Like any form of growth, our spiritual development happens over time. Having a right to the Throne, and actually inheriting it are two very different things. We must remain faithful to Him in order to inherit His Kingdom. If we turn from Him we will lose our inheritance because the promise is conditional, depending on our faithfulness. We are on probation. We fulfill the promise only if we endure to the end, when we actually inherit Eternal Life.
This is not the end; it is only the beginning. Birth is just entering into our new family and world, from there we need to grow and mature and become like our Father. Like any form of growth, our spiritual development happens over time. Having a right to the Throne, and actually inheriting it are two very different things. We must remain faithful to Him in order to inherit His Kingdom. If we turn from Him we will lose our inheritance because the promise is conditional, depending on our faithfulness. We are on probation. We fulfill the promise only if we endure to the end, when we actually inherit Eternal Life.
We are born into this world as the children of Adam, a lost and fallen man, created from dust, having no rights to any kingdom. Our whole family is lost and fallen. However, through our Lord and Savior we can be born again into His family, with rights to the very throne of God, the Kingdom of Heaven. As the Only Begotten Son of the Father Christ is the only One who can help us. If we choose Him to be our Father we are adopted into the family of God. Jesus Christ is the Father of our re-birth, and God is His Father. We can thus become one with God only through Christ, our Redeemer, and our Father. There is no other way.
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