The Key to Eternal Purpose – SONSHIP

Sonship

The key to eternal purpose is sonship. When God appointed His Son Jesus as the heir of all things, when the eternal purpose that all things in heaven, on earth and under the earth should one day be gathered under the Lordship of Christ, God also foresaw a body (the church) through which sonship would be manifested. The expression of Christ should find it’s expression in the body of Christ in terms of sonship.

Sonship is not only a sense of belonging, or relatedness to Christ. It is not just about salvation; it is about spiritual maturity. When Christ, who is the head of the church, is truly ‘all in all’ in the life and expression of the church, then the body attains a fullness of sonship. This was the motivation for apostle Paul’s mission, “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.” And then again, “My little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!” (Galatians 4:19). The church is called to sonship, and we need to respond by faith and action.

How are sons birthed in the kingdom of God?

The inception of sonship (Galatians 1:15-16)- "It pleased God... to reveal His Son in me." 

Objectively Christ is our Savior, our Great High Priest, our Advocate before the Father and so on. This relates to our spiritual position in Christ. But for spiritual maturity in this life, we need an inward revelation of Christ in our hearts. A believer with revelation is not living based on what others know, but they “know” because they have had a personal revelation of Christ in their hearts through life situations that try, test, and prove their faithfulness to God. The Holy Spirit brings revelation. (John 16:14-15)

The basis of sonship (Romans 1:4)- “Declared (determined, designated) the Son of God in power by the resurrection of the dead". Isaac is a type of a son who died and came to life. Isaac’s life is a type of resurrection life, a son who reopened the wells stopped up by the enemy and brought life to others. There is no way a well of life can be opened without a fresh battle with death. Isaac had to face the enemy of contention (Esek), enmity (Sitnah), before he came to a place of room (Rehoboth) and living water (Beersheba). It is costly and many believers are not willing to pay this price.

The law of sonship (Romans 8:14)- "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God", Where does the Holy Spirit lead? “He leads “according to eternal purpose” (Romans 8:28). When believers are increasingly governed by God’s eternal purposes, their thoughts are not, “What I like”, “What I should do” “Where shall I go?” but “How does this further God’s eternal purposes?” Our personal interests hinder the work of the Holy Spirit and His leading in our lives.

The course of sonship (Romans 8:29)- “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son” God is always seeking to conform us to the image of His Son Jesus Christ. This is a sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The apostle John said in 1 John 3:2, “when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.”

The nature of sonship (1 Corinthians 10:31)- “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” A son is spiritually minded yet does not neglect the responsibilities of daily living. Being spiritually minded means your heart is set on the Lord and is a primary consideration. They are life to you, nothing and no one can take their place in your life. Everything else is a secondary consideration.

Satan’s temptations of Christ were all centered around His sonship. It is the same for us. We need to learn to battle for sonship according to God’s word and the help of the Holy Spirit. This generation of sons is responsible for the next generation of fathers. May the sons take their rightful place in this critical hour!

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