We're going to work through a number of scriptures, a few, and explain the senses of them to help us grasp the topic before us tonight. It's the Doctrine series, and the subject is the sons of God. I want to read the article. It's Article 29, entitled The Sons of God. It's very brief. Two statements in it, and a few scripture references. It says, all believers are by Christ united to God, by which union God is one with them and they are one with him. All believers are the sons of God and join heirs with Christ to whom are made the promises of this life and that which is to come. Now that first statement, all believers are by Christ united to God by which union God is one with them and they are one with him. If I understand that correctly, that speaks of the union by reconciliation because you'll notice it attributes it to what Christ does or did at the cross. But I want to take it a step further But before this, all believers were united to Christ by the Heavenly Father because he elected them before the foundation of the world. So, we are united to Christ by the Father's election of grace, and we are united to the Father by the Son's reconciliatory death. Look at Hebrews chapter two, verse 11. Now, that is one of the scripture references, and it is a good one, and I wanna notice what it says. And then I wanna explain the setting in which it is given. Hebrews chapter 2 verse 11 for both he now for tells us that it is a reason of a number of reasons that have been given in this chapter for both he referring to Christ he that sanctified and they who are sanctified or all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren." Now, this is, as I just said, one reason. But notice, it's the fourth of four reasons. Those reasons are verse 2, 5, 10, and 11. But I want to emphasize this one. This is the fourth of four reasons cited in this chapter why we should give the more earnest heed to the things which God has spoken to us, lest we should at any time let them slip. The fourth reason is because we have been brought, in Hebrews 2.11, we have been brought into union with God. Now, under the topic of the Sons of God in the Bible, there are three different groups identified by the phrase, Sons of God. It's not that difficult, but some of you know it, maybe haven't thought about it, but you'll know it when we bring it up. It's very simple. There are three groups identified by the phrase, Sons of God. And those groups are the sons of God in the book of Genesis. We're going to talk about those. They are the descendants of Seth. I want to explain how that is. Then the second group are the elect angels. They are in the book of Job, and it refers to them as, I think it's the elect angels. At least I can say that. It may refer just generally to the angels. And the last and third in this group are only found in the New Testament books, and they are the elect in Jesus Christ. So first of all, let's deal with the sons of God, which refer to the natural descendants of Seth, which distinguishes them from the natural descendants of Cain. If turned to Genesis chapter four, verse 25, begin there, and let's work through and see why, who the sons of God are. This is important to discern some things even in the book of Genesis. In Genesis chapter 4 verse 25, it reads, and Adam knew his wife again, and she bare a son, and called his name Seth. Now the Hebrew for Seth is Sheth. There's a reason for that, you'll see it in your margin. For God said she has appointed, and that's the Hebrew word sheath. So you see the similarity. For God said she hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel whom Cain slew. Now, though Cain murdered Abel, God raised up Seth enables stead, and as it were, the seed of the woman in Genesis 3.15 was raised to stand in the place of the dead. A lot could be said about it. There's a type there that just, it just fits this as we come to the end of this lesson. The verse goes on in 26, continue on. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son, and he called his name Enos. Notice this, and you'll see it in your margins. Most of you have this in your margins of the Bible. Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord. And your margin probably says something like this. Then began men to call themselves by the name of the Lord. It's important. These sons, the sons of Seth, began to be distinguished from the sons of Cain. Now go to chapter 6, verse 1, verses 1 and 2, to see what takes place. And it defines better the sons of God at that time and who it refers to. Chapter six, verse one reads, and it came to pass when men, and that's a general reference to both Seth and Cain's sons and children, lineage. It came to pass when men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born unto them that, And here it is, that the sons of God, and that as we've just read are those that are the lineage of Seth, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men. And that's referring to the lineage of Cain, daughters related to him. And what did they see? They saw that they were fair, they were beautiful. And they took them wives of all which they chose. Now, it doesn't mean that Seth's seed didn't have beautiful women or daughters born to them. But there's something wrong with what's taking place. There is beginning a merging of the sons of God with the sons of men. The seed of Seth with the seed of Cain. I hope you'll see this. There's a merging that began. of what used to be two separated societies. The result of this merging was a one-world, antediluvian, pre-flood society, which became corrupt as a result. Notice verse six. And it repented the Lord that he had made man, singular now, one society on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. Verse 12, excuse me. And God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. I want to enter into a little bit of a rabbit trail here to explain some things that most of you will read along the way when we're in this part of scripture. It's a very odd thing to read. The notion that the phrase, the sons of God in Genesis chapter six, that that notion refers to angels should be rejected outright for I have three reasons. First of all, Jesus said that the angels which are in heaven do not marry. Now, some will say, but that's just talking about the angels in heaven. What about the others that fall in angels? See, so we've got to consider a little bit more here. And so that's not enough. There's more to consider. Two, there's nothing in scripture suggesting that angels procreate. that's another problem. Okay, but there's even more to that and we want to give you this. There's nothing in Scripture, a matter of fact, it violates the law, the biblical law of procreation that angels could procreate with humans. Scripture The law of God demands that they procreate after their kind. Those are the three reasons I give that we ought to dismiss this idea. Arthur Pink was one who believes that it was the angels. And other great men of God, in my estimation, have done this. I don't see it. I used to and left it a long time ago by the grace of God. So, sons of God here in Genesis refers to the descendants of Seth, in my estimation, in my judgment. I don't know if you agree with that, but that's where I am. The next place where the sons of God are used, we want to find that in the book of Job. It's the second instance or group. The sons of God refer to the angels, which are in a heavenly or spiritual principality. Maybe you don't agree with that, but let me show you why I believe this is true, and I think it's helpful. Now, Job uses the phrase sons of God three times, and we wanna look at each of these. It always refers to These elect angels, or angels in general, if I can say it like that. Look at verse six of chapter one, first of all. Job chapter one, verse six. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Notice, Satan came also among them. Now, the question, does this refer to a time when the elect of God that were living in that day, Job's day, does it refer to a time when the elect of God among mankind presented themselves before the Lord for worship? Is that what we understand this to say? Is this suggesting that at this occasion of their worship, Satan came among them to be a disrupting or corrupting influence? I want you to listen closely. I don't doubt that Satan might come among the assemblies of the Lord's churches, the members here. during their worship services to do an evil work, I think, of Judas, okay? That's easy enough to see. But is this what Job is referring to? Will this interpretation hold true in the next instance cited in chapter two, verse one? So look, chapter two, verse one. We have now in this place more information given that we didn't have in the first instance in verse six of chapter one. Notice what it says. I don't think it's any different, but we have more information. A similar instance. Again, there was a day when the sons of God came Notice, to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord. Now, to present oneself, is an Hebrew verb, and it's always in what's called hippel. And that means it's a reflexive, and that's why you have the word themselves added to, not only did they present, they presented themselves. So we have to give that some thought. And it's translated in other places, this very same verb. It's translated in other places, to stand. So they came to stand before the Lord in some way. They resorted there. They remained there. They withstood. They presented themselves. They stood still. They set themselves. They stood fast. Or they stood forth. All of that is from this word. It's a big word. It means something. And I think it's very well stated here in our text. Now, here's what we have. Both the sons of God and Satan presented themselves before the Lord. We know that much, okay? To be consistent, whatever may be said about the presentation of the sons of God before the Lord, in the first instance should be said of Satan also. Think about it. Few would deny, look, this is hard. We've been working this for a while. It's hard to interpret. But to interpret it to say that Satan joined with the sons of God, the elect, in humanity, among humanity, for the purposes of worship, seems to add more difficulty than it does clarity to this text. If this refers to the sons of God as the elect angels, and if we remember their sphere of operation, the text might begin to be clearer. We need to remember what angels do. Angels are ministering spirits. What does that mean? They serve. Hebrews 1 verse 14 let me just read it and they are they not all ministering spirits sent forth sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation it's my opinion that that this occasion of the presentation of the sons of God and Satan before the Lord was because God had summoned them to him to appear before him. These had been ministering in things about the life of this man named Job. At this moment there is about to be, you know it so, a change in the way that they should continue to minister to Job because the Lord would have him come or enter into temptation. Matthew chapter six, verse 13. The prayer that the Pope thinks ought to be changed in a model prayer that we pray he not lead us into temptation. How do we explain that? This is an occasion for this. And you remove that, you cloud it up, but here it is. They are going to minister about Job now in a different way because God would bring him into temptation. In Matthew 6, 13, lead us not into temptation as part of our prayer, it ought to be, but deliver us from evil. In Genesis 32 one, Jacob went on his way and the angels of God met him as he was heading back to his homeland after 20 odd years out there with his uncle Laban who had done him dirty. Here he's coming back home and in preparation for meeting his brother, he was in great fear, but you'll notice he met some angels along the way. That ought to cause us to go, whoa, they're serving about him. in a great way. In 2nd Chronicles, you might want to take a look at this. In 2nd Chronicles, beginning at chapter 18, verse 18, we'll read through 21. This isn't the only one. There's a great text of scripture about this matter. Notice this. In 2nd Chronicles, 18 verse 18, the Lord speaking, and he said, Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, or the prophet there. I saw the Lord setting upon his throne and all the hosts of heaven, standing on his right hand and on his left. And the Lord said, who shall entice Ahab, king of Israel? You can almost imagine, this is what was taking place with Job, and here it is now. He said, who shall entice Ahab, king of Israel, that he may go up and fall, die? at Ramoth Gilead, and one spake saying after this matter, another spake after that matter. Then there came out a spirit and stood before him and said, I'll entice him. And the Lord said unto him, wherewith? How? How will you do that? Now, it's not that the Lord doesn't know, but he's showing us, okay? And he said, I'll go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets, his false prophets, Ahab's. And the Lord said, thou shalt entice him. In other words, you do as I command you. Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail. Go out. The Lord said to him, go out and do even so. Now that's what the Bible says. What are we to do about this? We believe it, okay? And it adds other things. Take great comfort in this, brethren. In Psalm 34 7, the angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear. and delivers them. We won't turn there but we ought to know about the episode of the false prophet Balaam and the ass speaking to him. It's amazing. But what was that all about? The angel of the Lord was as an adversary to him. As you see this thing. So In this last instance of Job, the use of the phrase sons of God, both by Job and in the Old Testament, refers to the angels here. I'm sorry, I might have confused that a little bit, but here we see it by Job that it references the angels. It's totally consistent with the last time that Job uses this phrase, the sons of God, and that's in Job 38, verses six and seven. Notice that, Job 38, verses six and seven. In other words, Job doesn't do it, he never uses this term except to refer to the angels. Genesis only uses the words to refer to the sons of Seth. And the New Testament only used this term to refer to the people of God. In Job 38.6, whereupon are the foundations thereof, referring to the earth, fastened? The Lord asks of Job. Or who laid the cornerstone thereof when the morning stars sang together? and all the sons of God shouted for joy. So the Lord demanded this answer from Job concerning where he was when the Lord had essentially created the earth and when the sons of God shouted for joy. Of course, he was non-existent. He was only in the mind of God, if I could say it like that. He wasn't there, he didn't witness it, but there were those that did of his creatures witnessed that event. Now finally, the sons of God refer to the chosen, the elected in Christ before the foundation of the world. That's all that the New Testament knows about. Just to share this though before we consider it is this, the phrase in the singular, the son of God. is only found one time in all of the Old Testament. And that's in that beautiful text of scripture in Daniel 3 verse 25. And it had to do with casting the three called children, young men perhaps, of Israel into that burning fiery furnace the kids know as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. There, when Nebuchadnezzar had done that, they cast him inbound, clothed him into that fire, and he took a look, and this is what he said. He answered and said, lo, I see four men, loose, not three. I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no herd. And the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. Now the phrase in the plural as we've been dealing with the sons of God in the New Testament only refers to all that shall come to faith in Christ. Now I wanna say something about this. I want a temporary rabbit. I want to explain what it means to have faith in Christ. Faith in Christ has reference to one's understanding that Jesus Christ is the Son of God come in human flesh to die for my sins, and that he raised him from the dead to give me eternal life. Having this understanding concerning Christ is evidence of the genuine fruit of the Spirit, which is called faith. Such a person as this has found relief from the guiltiness of sin in the finished work of Jesus Christ on a cross for him. I want to emphasize something. Apart from this, good feelings are not in evidence of faith at all. Drunkards feel good when they can finally put away the bottle. But that has nothing to do with faith in Christ, nothing. A faith that is received as a gift of God. A fornicator might feel good because he or she became married, because he knows that God's law condemned such behavior. But that doesn't have anything to do with faith in Christ whatsoever, nothing. A smoker might feel good that he's put away that terrible self-destructive habit, but I know a lot of smokers that give it up and they don't know the Lord. And finally, a murderer, we've heard it, might feel a great sense of relief from a guilty conscience and yet he'll still die. as every other sinner, because he has not believed in the only begotten Son of God. The truth is, as the Lord said it, and I need to say it, he said this, I tell you, nay. And what he was saying there in that place in Luke 13, 3, Nay, suffering, tragedy doesn't mean that one is a sinner above another. But here, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish, no matter how you feel. To die in unbelief is to perish forever. And to die in the faith of Christ is to awaken in the presence of the Lord. It don't matter how you feel. Now, the sons of God in the New Testament, I'm not going into detail, I have it, it's not necessary. The sons of God is translated from two different Greek phrases. And both of them translate this way, the sons of God or the children of God. It doesn't matter how you do it, it means the same thing. One stresses a certain relationship. It stresses that they are certain children. And the other stresses a relationship as a son. The first place you find this phrase, the sons of God, is in John chapter one, verse 12. The children of God is found in other places, but the first place where, because we're on the topic of the sons of God, I thought I should stay with this to make it simple. The first place that this phrase, the sons of God, is found in the New Testament is in John's Gospel, John 1 verse 12. And here, God grants to those which receive the son and believe on his name the right to become the sons of God. For one to become a son of God God must grant that right. Who would consider it? In John 112, but as many as received Him. Him who? Well, if we stay with John, who was in the beginning, the Word, and was with God and was God. But as many as received Him, to them, gave he power, the right, the authority, excecia, to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, which were born, not of blood, not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God, which were born of God, simply stated. To give you an example, we have a great issue today, a contemporary issue that we can identify with. This idea here in John 112, I believe, corresponds with the idea of becoming a citizen of the United States of America. Which comes first? The grant to the right of citizenship or citizenship? It's obvious, but we might not because of religious bias, we might not want this scripture to say it quite like that. One must be first granted the right, and then one may become a citizen of the United States of America. Following God's grant, that's what these verses say. Following God's grant to be a son of God, One is one's receiving and believing on his name. The same apostle wrote in 1 John chapter three, notice this, 1 John chapter three, essentially saying the same thing, a different action. In the one is granting the right, in the other is granting his love. Behold, 1 John 3, 1, behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed, granted, given, delivered upon us, that in order that we should be called the sons of God. Therefore the world knows us not because it knew him not. The Father has given or granted his love to us in order that we should be called the sons of God. Few would disagree that there must first be a grant to the right of sonship from God before there can be any sons of God. That there must be a grant of his love before we may be called the sons of God. God's act to grant the right to be the sons of God does what? Guarantees that they shall receive and believe on Christ. Just like this, it's parallel to this, to his act. It's just like God's act to elect some guarantees that they shall be saved, shall be holy, and shall believe on Christ. It's essentially predestination. Let me show you something. I like that. In Ephesians 1, 4. Am I making it up? I don't think so. In Ephesians 1, 4, according as he has chosen us in him, in Christ, when before the foundation of the world, to what end? That we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Not that we were, but that we should be. It should work in us this. If we are the elect of God, it will. In 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 13, notice here. I just read this part where it says, God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation. through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. He's chosen you to salvation. Election doesn't save you, but it guarantees that we will be. So the sons of God are essentially predestinated through life to be conformed to the image of the Son. Romans 8.29, look at it, Romans 8.29. the sons of God are predestinated through life to be conformed to his image. Notice the words, for whom he did foreknow, here it is, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son that he might be the firstborn of my mighty brother. So we're predestinated so that in our life, we begin to look like Jesus Christ. We begin to act like him, is what we mean. But not only that, they are predestinated in the resurrection to stand as sons to the fullest extent. We are now the sons of God, but there's going to be a greater measure of that standing in that day, Ephesians chapter 1, verses 5 and 6. Here's that word again, predestinated. We're predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son in our life. And at the resurrection, we are predestinated to stand as sons. And this is the reference, the wording is the adoption. It is literally the word, weosthesion, which is a compound word have a standing in God. Notice in Ephesians 1.5, having predestinated us, here it is, unto the adoption of children, or have a standing as sons by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he has made us accepted into beloved. Now, let's consider this phrase, adoption, so that we're not confused. Romans 8 verse 23, Romans 8 verse 23, and not only they, now that pronoun refers to creation, groaning and travailing to be delivered from the bondage of corruption, and not only they, but ourselves, he and us, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit." I want to quote a man as we read on, firstfruits of the Spirit, and the firstfruits of the Spirit must be either what he first worked in us, and I believe it is, or all this fruits in us with respect unto the full harvest that is to come, or the Spirit himself as the beginning and pledge of future glory." That man said that, but I want to say it. I brought this for this reason. My opinion is that this phrase, the first fruits of the Spirit, refers to that first work of the Spirit of God which causes us to cry out. Abba Father in 8 verse 15, that's where we are right now. And it takes us back to that. Isn't that the first thing that the Spirit of God works, witnesses in us? Romans 8, 16, the Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, what? That we are the children, sons of God. And what's he witness? He assures me and you that I am his. He is mine. That's what it is. So he goes on in this text in Romans 8, even we ourselves, not just creation, but even we ourselves grown within ourselves waiting for Looking for, expecting what? The adoption, the standing as sons to wit. And now he describes it, which is what? The redemption of our body. The idea, because we're on the subject of the sons of God, we need to clarify, the idea today in the word adoption is not what the Bible means. Don't be confused with that. Biblical adoption is the moment that the sons of God finally stand in their Christ-like glorified forms. The adoption is a future event. Adoption isn't the initiation of the relationship of the sons to the father, but it's the time when the sons of God are manifested when Christ comes. And what did John say about that? Those that receive and believe in Christ are sons already. Why? Romans 8, 14. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are. the sons of God. Again, in 16, the spirit of self bears with our spirit that we are the children of God. So we are. But there is a time when there is a standing as sons, when we take up the new form, the form likened to our Lord. And one more. We were there before, but 1 John 3 says, behold, he says what? Behold, now, now are we the sons of God. That's what we need to understand. And it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear we should be like Him for we shall see Him. That's the adoption there. Now, it's at the second coming of Christ that the sons of God should come into the present and eternal form. The same form as the Son of God is presently. And what is that? He is now seated at the right hand of the Father. He raised bodily from the dead. He is in a body that is incorruptible. It's glorious. It's powerful. It's immortal. And it's spiritual. And that is the body we're going to have in the adoption. When that moment comes, when the Son of God comes, that's what we're expecting, brethren. I know, I know before we get out of here, we might have our knees replaced and we might have things on our ears and we might have things cut out of our eyes and new things put in and all that, but no matter what, it ain't gonna be like this one. It'll never happen again. We won't have anything replaced when we have that one. A lot could be said about it. But let me close with this remark concerning the sons of God in this subject. Just kind of summarizing that last point concerning the sons of God, and it's this. In eternity past, God the Father chose some. from all of humanity and gave them to his only begotten son for the purpose of bringing many sons to glory. These he predestinated to be conformed to the image of his son in life and at the resurrection to be raised into the same form as Christ's glorious body. The elect of God shall become the sons of God when, I believe this is correct, when they receive and believe in Christ. And shall one day come into that final standing called the adoption as sons at the resurrection. How do I know that I am one of the sons of God. How do I know? Well, let me ask you some questions. Are you one of those that has received him and believed what the scriptures say concerning him who was in the beginning the word of God, who was with God and is God? Genuine faith understands who this man is. He's Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God. Have you believed on him? Do you believe that this is the one that God the Father sent to die for your sins? These are the questions that must be answered. It doesn't matter what we think. It doesn't matter what we feel. Apart from this, there is not a son of God. Period. If you understand that Christ died for you, and you haven't said so, I ask you why. Why haven't you said so? The work of the Spirit of God One of the first things, I think that's that first root, moves you to cry, Abba Father. But let the brethren know that you know Him. Make a declaration of your faith in Christ. Identify with Him at baptism and join with this church, or another church like this church, and walk with him and those saints until the time of our adoption. Amen. Praise the Lord. Glory to God. Thank you so much for your time.