Ancient Hebrew concept of being a child of God

[gregoryfl]

" I know you-are the seed of Abraham, but you-are seeking to have me killed because you-have not enough of my word. I have spoken the-things that I saw next-to my Father. The-things that you-have seen next-to your father, you-are doing." They answered and said to him, "Our own father is Abraham." Jesus said to them, "If you were the children of Abraham you would be doing the deeds of Abraham. Now behold: You are seeking to kill me, a fellow that speaks truthfully with you, one-which hears from God. Abraham never did this! You-are doing the deeds of your father." Jn 8:37-41 ARTB

Being a child of one's parents in Eastern culture is not quite the same as it is in Western culture. Yeshua gives us a glimpse into this when he says the above.

First, notice who Yeshua is addressing:

When he spoke these-things many believed in him. Jesus said to those Jews that believed in him, "If you will continue in my word, you-are truly my disciples. Jn 8:30,31 ARTB

Here we have believers, those who believed in Yeshua. This would, back in those days, have made them his disciples, or taught-ones. Yet, he gives the criteria of what it means to TRULY BE a taught-one...continuing in his word.

This entire scene defines for us what being a child of God is, from his perspective.

Yeshua acknowledges that these ones are the seed of Abraham. They came from his loins and are, by Western definition, automatically sons. This is biologically true. Yet, because they were seeking to kill him, one who was only speaking what the Father showed him, he spoke of another Father that they were looking at and imitating.

He thus defines what it means to be a child of a father...to imitate the father. When they say their father is Abraham, he does not say that they are not his seed, for he just acknowledged such previously. He speaks of whether they truly are Abraham's children, which, while strange to western ears, is not the same as being Abraham's seed.

The seed aspect has to do with source.
The child aspect has to do with behavior.

To those that receive him, those that believe in his name, he grants to them the authority that they would be the children of God. Those not from the blood, and not from a desire of the flesh, and not from a desire of a fellow, but they were begotten from God. Jn 1:12,13 ARTB

I used to confuse this with becoming a child of God in the normal biological sense that takes place in the physical world. I have now come to see this from the distinctives found in Yeshua's words to those who believed in him.

There has been debate back and forth as to whether these verses support the view that one is born first (born again), then believes in him, or whether it is believing in him that causes one to be born. This post is not concerning that.

The aspect of source and behavior is laid out here in the following way:

...were begotten from God = seed = source.
...receive him, believe in his name = child of God = behavior.

I believe this is why Yeshua said that such belief in him, (which, according to his other words, included remaining in his word) would allow for being given AUTHORITY to be children of God [to live in relationship with the One who begat them, imitating him). This reminds me of Ephesians 5:1, where they were encouraged to be מֵתּדַּמֵין (ones who resemble) God, as little children.

Ronen

[ed]

:Ilikeit:

Ephesians 5
1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

:dsunny: