Who's Child am I?

Julia Gathering Roses

Daniel Ridgway Knight

Rehs Gallery

*Note: running your cursor over some of the olive green words will give you the definition of that word. If you click on the word a window will open to the dictionary used for this post.

English Standard Version
1 John 3 :10 Read This Chapter

By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

My life proves again to whom I belong. A righteous life is evidence that I'm a child of God: however, if I do not "practice righteousness" I'm not a child of God but a child of the devil. On top of that if I do not love my brother (fellow Christians) then I'm not God's child. {Love is very important too. I'm going to devote a whole study to it very soon. For now I'm going to concentrate on "practicing righteousness".}

Righteousness is not a word that is used too frequently today. But, in light of the scripture above I think a good study of the word is necessary. According to 1913 Webster's Dictionary righteousness is: The quality or state of being righteous; holiness; purity; uprightness; rectitude.

Righteous, holiness, purity...

God says if my life does not show evidence of these qualities (righteousness) then I'm not His child... but, the devil's child!

That's harsh.

I wholeheartedly desire and long to be a child of God. So, I want to learn everything that I can about righteousness.

Look up a verse or two in the same chapter:

English Standard Version

1 John 3:7-9

Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is
righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil,
for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God
appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.

Practice makes perfect!

I must choose to make "righteous" decisions- the way I live my life must reflect a pure and holy person who belongs to God. If I choose to practice living a sinful life; well, that makes me unrighteous....

English Standard Version

1 Corinthians 6 Read This Chapter

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

My Saviour...my LORD.

"A Child's Prayer" by Jay Bryant Ward

Thank you God for sending your precious Son to this earth to die for my sins. I don't want to sin. Ever! I know I can't be perfect, but I want to to practice righteousness. I want my life to be an evidence that I belong to You. I am Your child. And, when I fall... thank you for washing me, sanctifying me, and justifying me in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by Your Spirit. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.