We Christians often hear that we are "God's children." Apparently, some of us probably never put much emphasis on that, simply because we never saw how valuable or important that is – and the reason is likely our very own family.

Those who are in a broken family will find it hard to understand this. Some who have never met their earthly fathers don't know what it's like to have one. Those who had abusive or negligent fathers probably won't want one, and might have a hard time understanding that we have a loving Father in heaven who will never be absent, never be abusive, and never be negligent.

Still, those who have close relationships with their earthly fathers will be surprised to know that God is such an amazing Father. In fact, no dad on earth can ever compare to Him.

Paul described this amazing truth twice in the New Testament. In Romans 8:15-17, he said that "you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father." The word "abba" means "father," albeit in a dear way. It simply means that those who are born again have God as their Father – a real, loving Father.

If you didn't get that, here's how Paul told the Galatian believers the same thing:

"But when the right time came, God sent his Son [Jesus], born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, 'Abba, Father.' Now you are no longer a slave but God's own child. And since you are His child, God has made you His heir."

'I will not leave you as orphans'

The Lord Jesus, prior to His agony, promised to "never leave us as orphans" (John 14:18).

Before Christ, all of us live as orphans, devoid of a relationship with our heavenly Father. Let's face it: Our sins have separated us from God, and because of this we wander the earth like nomads, looking for a place to find peace, safety and rest. In Christ, we have all of these.

Christ promised that after He leaves, He'll ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that Paul called "the Spirit of adoption," the mark that guarantees that we belong to the Father as His children. This Spirit is the one who comforts us, leads us into all truth, reminds us of all that Christ has spoken, and guarantees that we, by faith, have been accepted in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:6)

Adopted by grace

Think about it. Before Christ, we were enslaved to sin. We were slaves to fear. But when Christ came, He paid for our freedom to be adopted by God and considered as His own children. This adoption is not the result of our struggles and efforts to be a good person. Rather it is a result of Christ's atoning sacrifice, which God had planned since the world was created.

Friend, know that in Christ you have been freed from all the regulations of the law. You are not a slave to sin or the law to prove yourself anymore. You are a child of God.