The True Son of God
To all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
JOHN 1:12-13
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The True Son of God
Through God's creation and blessing we were born of the blood of our parents; some poor, pitiable, and deserted children are adopted and reared as heirs by pious people; our students are pupils and disciples of their preceptors, whom they honor—some more, some less—according to the command and will of God, as their fathers. But the fatherhood by blood, by law, or by honor justifies and saves neither the fathers nor the children. The high honor and glory of the sonship of God is attained solely through the birth of or from God, through believing in the name of the man called Jesus Christ, true and natural son of Mary, born of her in time and begotten eternally of the Father. . .. This Jesus Christ, our Lord, alone imparts this birth, granting believers in Him the privilege, the right, and the power to become God's children. He alone bestows sonship. Therefore they and only they are children of God who are born of God, that is, who believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and of Mary. And these believers are not "born of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." . . . Whoever remains faithful to the Word and accepts the testimony of John—also impressively emphasized by Isaiah's testimony to Christ in chapter forty—and believes in Christ's name falls heir to this inexpressible glory of sonship with God, whether he be emperor or king, burgher, peasant, servant, shepherd, or beggar. Thus all, without exception, whether male or female, who hear the Word of Christ and believe in Him are privileged and able to say in truth: "Through Christ I am God's child and heir of all His heavenly goods, and God is my Father."
From Sermons on the Gospel of John, Chapters 1-4 (Luther's Works 22:100-101)
JOHN 1:12-13
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The True Son of God
Through God's creation and blessing we were born of the blood of our parents; some poor, pitiable, and deserted children are adopted and reared as heirs by pious people; our students are pupils and disciples of their preceptors, whom they honor—some more, some less—according to the command and will of God, as their fathers. But the fatherhood by blood, by law, or by honor justifies and saves neither the fathers nor the children. The high honor and glory of the sonship of God is attained solely through the birth of or from God, through believing in the name of the man called Jesus Christ, true and natural son of Mary, born of her in time and begotten eternally of the Father. . .. This Jesus Christ, our Lord, alone imparts this birth, granting believers in Him the privilege, the right, and the power to become God's children. He alone bestows sonship. Therefore they and only they are children of God who are born of God, that is, who believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and of Mary. And these believers are not "born of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." . . . Whoever remains faithful to the Word and accepts the testimony of John—also impressively emphasized by Isaiah's testimony to Christ in chapter forty—and believes in Christ's name falls heir to this inexpressible glory of sonship with God, whether he be emperor or king, burgher, peasant, servant, shepherd, or beggar. Thus all, without exception, whether male or female, who hear the Word of Christ and believe in Him are privileged and able to say in truth: "Through Christ I am God's child and heir of all His heavenly goods, and God is my Father."
From Sermons on the Gospel of John, Chapters 1-4 (Luther's Works 22:100-101)
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