A child of God or a child of the devil?

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Undeterminable

Guest
#1
Would you say that there are only two states of being after hearing the gospel?

1 - The children of God, the chosen, those that believe in Christ (saved Christians, Galatians 3:26, Matthew 22:14, John 3:18)

2 - The children of the devil, the called, the condemned that don't believe in Christ (those possessed with devil/s or under the influence of Satan, John 8:44, Matthew 22:14, John 3:18)

Would it be fair to say that at any time those in the 2nd group could still become children of God? That is if God has not given them over to a reprobate mind (Romans 1:28).
 
W

wwjd_kilden

Guest
#2
The world isn't as black and white as people like to make it.

Sometimes the seed of the gospel takes time to grow.

A member of my family came to Christ a few years ago. He surely had heard the gospel many times before he came to Christ.
I don't think that means he was "a child of the devil" in the process.
 
U

Undeterminable

Guest
#3
Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. ~ John 8:42

Clearly here Jesus is describing if your Gods children you will love him. So if you don't love him then you are a child of the devil.

I recall back to my days before becoming a Christian and I think of all the times that seeds had been planted but I was still a child of the devil through my actions. It wasn't until I loved Jesus Christ that I became born again and I became a child of God.
 
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FreeNChrist

Guest
#6
Would you say that there are only two states of being after hearing the gospel?

1 - The children of God, the chosen, those that believe in Christ (saved Christians, Galatians 3:26, Matthew 22:14, John 3:18)

2 - The children of the devil, the called, the condemned that don't believe in Christ (those possessed with devil/s or under the influence of Satan, John 8:44, Matthew 22:14, John 3:18)

Would it be fair to say that at any time those in the 2nd group could still become children of God? That is if God has not given them over to a reprobate mind (Romans 1:28).
There are Children of God and there are Children of the devil. Two entirely different and separate groups of people
 

PennEd

Senior Member
Apr 22, 2013
12,818
8,596
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#7
Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. ~ John 8:42

Clearly here Jesus is describing if your Gods children you will love him. So if you don't love him then you are a child of the devil.

I recall back to my days before becoming a Christian and I think of all the times that seeds had been planted but I was still a child of the devil through my actions. It wasn't until I loved Jesus Christ that I became born again and I became a child of God.
A distinction should be made brother, that JESUS LOVED US 1st, THEN we loved Him.
 
Dec 19, 2009
27,513
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#8
Would you say that there are only two states of being after hearing the gospel?

1 - The children of God, the chosen, those that believe in Christ (saved Christians, Galatians 3:26, Matthew 22:14, John 3:18)

2 - The children of the devil, the called, the condemned that don't believe in Christ (those possessed with devil/s or under the influence of Satan, John 8:44, Matthew 22:14, John 3:18)

Would it be fair to say that at any time those in the 2nd group could still become children of God? That is if God has not given them over to a reprobate mind (Romans 1:28).
I think more of it as this:

Some people try hard to resist temptation, some don't try at all, and then there are those in between.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,704
3,649
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#9
This is like BC days...

Ephesians 2:3 KJVS
[3] Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Sorta like satans home boys...

Ephesians 2:2 KJVS
[2] Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

But now...

Ephesians 2:4-7 KJVS
[4] But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, [5] Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) [6] And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: [7] That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
 

Didymus

Senior Member
Jan 11, 2017
128
6
0
#10
We need to be careful and simply stand by what the Word of God says:
1. The Bible says that before we knew Christ, we were at enmity with God (enemies).
2. When Jesus said that the unbelievers are "children of the devil" that does not imply that they are his offspring and ineligible for salvation. That merely implies that we did the devil's bidding, as if he were our master or father.

I like to believe that there are three states after hearing the gospel, as Jesus illustrated in the parable of the seed being planted on three types of soil, and also in Acts 17 when Paul spoke of the resurrection- some mocked, some said they would think about it, while others believed.
 

Locutus

Senior Member
Feb 10, 2017
5,928
685
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#11
We have to remember that some of scriptures tends towards hyperbole for dramatic effect as a teaching tool.

Paul certainly did not draw such a strict dichotomy:

Act 17:28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’

Act 17:29 “Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man.
 

iamsoandso

Senior Member
Oct 6, 2011
7,773
1,548
113
#12
We have to remember that some of scriptures tends towards hyperbole for dramatic effect as a teaching tool.

Paul certainly did not draw such a strict dichotomy:

Act 17:28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’

Act 17:29 “Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man.
hmm, Aratus,,,it's always interesting to see the different ideas that strikes ones mind in pondering Paul's comparison to Zeus isn't it? lol, it's the kind of puzzle that seems like Greek to most,like Grace, just how do you explain to a first century Greek that the three Greek goddesses are not involved.
 

Locutus

Senior Member
Feb 10, 2017
5,928
685
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#13
Yes, I guess he was a bit of arat....:p
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,095
6,479
113
#14
A week or so ago, some other person was saying this same thing........different Screen Name, different wording (just a wee bit), but pretty much the same thing. They didn't last long...........maybe you will do better?
 
Sep 3, 2016
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#16
Would you say that there are only two states of being after hearing the gospel?

1 - The children of God, the chosen, those that believe in Christ (saved Christians, Galatians 3:26, Matthew 22:14, John 3:18)

2 - The children of the devil, the called, the condemned that don't believe in Christ (those possessed with devil/s or under the influence of Satan, John 8:44, Matthew 22:14, John 3:18)

Would it be fair to say that at any time those in the 2nd group could still become children of God? That is if God has not given them over to a reprobate mind (Romans 1:28).
The scripture says, "He is able to save to the uttermost."
 

zone

Senior Member
Jun 13, 2010
27,214
164
63
#17
Would you say that there are only two states of being after hearing the gospel?

1 - The children of God, the chosen, those that believe in Christ (saved Christians, Galatians 3:26, Matthew 22:14, John 3:18)

2 - The children of the devil, the called, the condemned that don't believe in Christ (those possessed with devil/s or under the influence of Satan, John 8:44, Matthew 22:14, John 3:18)

Would it be fair to say that at any time those in the 2nd group could still become children of God? That is if God has not given them over to a reprobate mind (Romans 1:28).
1 Corinthians 6
…10nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And that is what some of you were. 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. 12“Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything.…