CHAPTER 8
God is the creator of all people but He is not the father of all people. Not everyone is a son of God. For one to be a son of God, one thing is needful.
What are you saying, have you not read Ephesians 4 verses 4 to 6? It reads:
(Eph 4:4) There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
(Eph 4:5) One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
(Eph 4:6) One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
This verse is clear enough, particularly verse 6, it says, ‘One God and Father of all’. Yet you are saying that God is not the father of all. Are you not contradicting this text?
This may be the question resonating behind the mind.
But before we settle this question, here are questions for you to digest:
Let’s read the following verses:
(Joh 8:43) Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
(Joh 8:44) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.
He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar; the father of it.
There is a father who was a murderer from the beginning, and this father has sons who are doing the will of their father.
(Eph 2:2) Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
(Eph 2:3) Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
(1Jn 3:10) In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
These verses bring us to a conclusion that God has children and the devil also has children.
This cancels the belief that God is the father of all.
Hence, there is truly a need to rightly divide the word of truth because once a preacher misses the context, the hearer is misled. The wrong interpretation gives birth to the wrong application, and the resultant effects are poisonous results.
But before we go any further, we need to explain the phrase “One God and Father of all” in Ephesians 4:6 contextually.
The word “all” is from the Greek word “pas” which refers to specific things and not all things in its absolute sense.
Let’s clarify the phrase ‘all’ by critically examining it through other texts of the Bible.
(Joh 14:26) But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
We can both agree that there are certain things Jesus didn’t teach. Jesus didn’t teach science, Jesus didn’t teach politics, Jesus didn’t teach how to play soccer, Jesus didn’t teach how to kill, and Jesus didn’t teach how to steal.
So, the word all in this context only refers to the specific things Jesus taught.
Let’s look at another text; the most abused one.
(Php 4:13) I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
What are all things?
The word ‘all’ will be clear in verse 12.
(Php 4:12) I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Paul was referring to the following specific things:
Hence the word all things will mean ‘to abase, to abound, to be hungry and to suffer need.’
He does not mean he can do all and everything.
Additional texts
(Luk 2:1) And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
The word all here is specific; it is not referring to all the people in the entire universe but rather to people who were under the Roman Empire, under the rulership of Caesar Augustus.
Caesar Augustus can only take census within the area of his jurisdiction.
(1Ti 4:10) For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
The word especially is from the Greek word “malista” which means particularly, chiefly, most of all, (e-) specially.
Apparently, God is the saviour of all men and the phrase ‘all men’ do not mean all humanity on the entire universe but rather only those that believe. First, you need to believe in order to be saved. If you don’t believe, you cannot be saved.
Now, after being armed with the accurate knowledge, we can contextually dismantle Ephesians 4 verse 6.
(Eph 4:6) One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
There is a sect that will tell you that we have been reconciled to God, and everyone is now saved and God is the father of all.
That is far from the truth:
The first question to ask is to whom was this letter addressed to?
(Eph 1:1) Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
The letter is specific. It is addressed to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus or to the church.
God is the father of all, who are the all?
The answer is simple, all those who are saved. This means all the unsaved are excluded.
Do not be misled, not all humanity is saved. Not all people are children of God.
Only those who have believed are given the right to be called the sons of God.
(Joh 1:12) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
(Rom 8:14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
We have seen that God has children and the devil also has children.
How does God give birth to children?
Who is the first son of God?
(Heb 1:6) And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
Christ Jesus is the first begotten son of God.
How did God give birth to him?
(Psa 2:7) I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
The writer of Hebrews also quoted the same text.
(Heb 1:5) For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
“This day have I begotten thee” which day?
Is it the day when Mary gave birth to him? The answer is NO.
(Rom 1:4) And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
(Col 1:18) And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
(Rev 1:5) And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
This day “have I begotten thee” refers to the day when God raised Christ from the dead.
So, the womb that gave birth to the first begotten, Christ the risen Lord, is not Mary but rather the death.
The word ‘first begotten’ is from the Greek word “pro¯totokos” which implies the firstborn, the sample, or the model.
In order words, all the sons of God will be patterned after the first begotten son, Christ Jesus.
How was God giving birth to other sons fashioned after Christ yesteryear and today?
Before we move on, let’s define the term ‘son of God’.
The word son is from the Greek word “uihos” child, foal, son and the word God is from the Greek word “theos” which implies a deity, especially the supreme Divinity.
The term son of God, therefore, means the coming together, the infusion, the marriage, the combination of divinity and humanity — it’s God taking up residence in the hearts of humanity — it’s the life of God living inside a man.
How does God tabernacles in the hearts of humanity?
(1Co 4:15) For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
(Eph 3:6) That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
(2Ti 1:10) But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
The gospel is the vehicle or the means through which God gives birth to sons. When you believe the gospel, the saviour takes up residence in your heart.
A man can only be born again if he is carried in the womb called the gospel. It is faith in Christ that saves.
The moment one believes the gospel, immortality takes his dwelling place in the heart and that person is eternally saved.
He becomes one with God. Because he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. (1Co 6:17)
And as he is, so are we in this world. (1Jn 4:17)
Don’t doubt God, you are what He says you are. What is God saying to you?
(Rom 8:14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
(Rom 8:15) For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
(Rom 8:16) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
(Rom 8:17) And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
(Gal 3:26) For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
(Gal 4:6) And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
We are not a servant, you are not a friend of God, but you are a son of God through Christ Jesus.
To sum it up:
The gospel is the means by which God gives birth to sons.