Answer: We are all sons of God through faith in Christ
Jesus, (verse 26).
MORE INFORMATION AND/OR OTHER SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:
We are "sons of God" in the full ethical and
spiritual sense, through faith. As Galatians
3:14 says, "He redeemed us in order that the blessing
given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus,
so that by faith we might receive the promise of the
Spirit."
In the following verses, notice what the justified
believer--an heir in God's family--inherits, the
names/titles by which he/she is called, what his/her obligations
are, what we can hope for, the discipline that the loving Father in
heaven gives His children/heirs, how we obtain the rights of
sonship and heirs, Who declares us His brother and children of His
Father, Who testifies with our spirit that we are God's
children, the One Who became flesh to share the humanity of His
brothers, what we are freed from as sons of God through Jesus
Christ, etc.:
Romans 8:12-25: "Therefore,
brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful
nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to
the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to
death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who
are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not
receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you
received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, 'Abba,
Father.' The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit
that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we
are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we
share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His
glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth
comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The
creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be
revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not
by its own choice, but by the Will of the One Who subjected it, in
hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to
decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of
God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in
the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so,
but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan
inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the
redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But
hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already
has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for
it patiently."
Romans 9:22-26: "What if God,
choosing to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with
great patience the objects of His wrath--prepared for
destruction? What if He did this to make the riches of His
glory known to the objects of His mercy, whom He prepared in
advance for glory--even us, whom He also called, not only from
the Jews but also from the Gentiles? As He says in
Hosea: 'I will call them "My people" who
are not My people; and I will call her "My loved one"
who is not My loved one,' and, 'It will happen that in
the very place where it was said to them, "You are not My
people," they will be called "sons of the living
God."'"
Galatians 4:1-7: "What I am saying
is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a
slave, although he owns the whole estate. He is subject to
guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So
also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic
principles of the world. But when the time had fully come,
God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those
under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.
Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our
hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father.' So
you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God
has made you also an heir."
Hebrews 2:10-18: "In bringing many
sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for Whom and through Whom
everything exists, should make the Author of their salvation
perfect through suffering. Both the One Who makes men holy
and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not
ashamed to call them brothers. He says, 'I will declare
Your Name to My brothers; in the presence of the congregation I
will sing Your praises.' And again, 'I will put
My trust in Him.' And again He says, 'Here am I,
and the children God has given Me.' Since the children
have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by
His death He might destroy him who holds the power of
death--that is, the devil--and free those who all their
lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely
it is not angels He helps, but Abraham's descendants. For
this reason He had to be made like His brothers in every way, in
order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in
service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of
the people. Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted,
He is able to help those who are being tempted."
Hebrews 12:4-11: "In your struggle
against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding
your blood. And you have forgotten that Word of encouragement
that addresses you as sons: 'My son, do not make light
of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes
you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes
everyone He accepts as a son.' Endure hardship as
discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not
disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and
everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children
and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers
who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more
should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our
fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but
God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His
holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but
painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness
and peace for those who have been trained by it."
