The Gift of the Son • Deshen Daily

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Corinthians 1:9 KJV)

God's adoption showing a father receiving a child running to him

God gave His Son as a gift to the world. However, typical of God’s Word, there are layers of the truth of this gift. Jesus as a Man who came on earth is only the beginning.

The Father gave us His Son as a Man and as the new nature or life in Christ. He gave us the gift of being His Son, living His life, and enjoying the privileges of that status. What a blessing! In our recent Deshen Daily miniseries, including describing “Christ Our Strength,” we mentioned this truth repeatedly—Christ has become our identity. He is who we are, in Christ.

Paul says in Galatians 3:27:

“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:27 KJV)

When we believed in Jesus, we were baptized into Him to become united or one with Him. We have put on Christ as our clothing, and this clothing is not merely our external works but our nature. We are God’s sons indeed, not just an assumption. As if Paul wanted to clear any doubts from our minds as to our sonship, he says to the Galatians:

“And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father” (Galatians 4:6 KJV).

The Spirit of His Son—the Spirit of Jesus or the Holy Spirit—is the Spirit that makes His Son His Son. And since we are sons in the order of His Son, God gave us the same Spirit in our hearts, crying “Abba, Father”!

But this irresistible truth does not end there. God did not annihilate our uniqueness in giving us the gift of His Son. It is not as though all of us will look physically like Jesus, talked as He talked, walked as He walked, smiled as He smiled, etc. No! The beauty of the divine expression in humanity is in the diversity of its expression. The nature of the Son in you manifests as you with your uniqueness. Paul says it this way:

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20 KJV).

Yes, you are still alive; yet it is not you living but Christ, the Son of God, living in and as you.

The Father has invited humanity to partake in the life of His Son. Praise the Lord for His wonderful gift!

What are the two aspects of the Gift of the Son as described above?

The nature of the Son came into your heart at salvation. Now, God wants you to put on the Son as your new character—Christ should be formed in your heart as described in Christ Our Strength”. Christ in you is the hope of glory. Creation is waiting for the manifestation of these sons (Rom. 8:19). Grow to the fullness of Christlikeness!

Thank the Lord for His wonderful Gift!