Seeking Jesus First Dec. 24, 2025
Receiving the Right to Become Children of God
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12–13, NKJV)
After telling us that the Light came into the world and was largely unrecognized and unreached, John now turns our attention to a glorious contrast: some did receive Him. Though many rejected the Light, God’s purpose was not frustrated. Wherever Jesus is received, something decisive and eternal takes place.
John says that to those who receive Christ—to those who believe in His name—God gives “the right to become children of God.” This is not a poetic phrase or a religious title. It is a legal and spiritual reality. The word right speaks of authority, privilege, and standing. Through faith in Jesus, we are granted full access into God’s family. We are not merely forgiven sinners; we are adopted sons and daughters.
This receiving is not passive. To receive Christ is to welcome Him as He truly is—the eternal Word, the true Light, the Son sent from the Father. It is to trust Him, to rely on Him, and to embrace Him by faith. Believing in His name means believing in His identity, His work, and His authority. Faith is the open hand that receives what God freely gives.
John is careful to explain that this new birth has nothing to do with natural processes or human effort. We are born “not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” In other words, this is not something inherited, achieved, or produced. No family lineage, personal discipline, religious striving, or human decision can create this life. It is a work of God from beginning to end.
This truth aligns with what we have emphasized in previous writings: the life of Christ is planted in us as an incorruptible seed. New birth is not behavior modification—it is life impartation. God does not improve the old nature; He gives a new one. By His Spirit, we are made partakers of His divine nature, and a new identity begins to grow from the inside out.
Being born of God also reshapes how we see ourselves and how we live. Children live from relationship, not performance. They grow through connection, not coercion. When we understand that our sonship is a gift of grace, our obedience becomes a response of love rather than an attempt to earn acceptance. We follow God not to become His children, but because we already are.
This new birth also explains why light can now shine through us. We bear witness to Christ because His life is truly in us. We are not outsiders trying to represent a distant God; we are children revealing our Father. As His Word abides in us and His Spirit leads us, the family resemblance becomes evident in our words, actions, and love.
Today, let this truth settle deeply in your heart: if you have received Christ, you have been born of God. You belong. You are authorized. You are loved. Live today not striving to become something, but resting in who you already are—a child of God by faith in Jesus Christ.