”Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
John 1:12New International Version (NIV)
John 1:12 Devotional (Daily Bible Verse)
Children of God
John 1:12 contrasts John 1:10-11 to reveal how you can become part of the “Children of God“. That is, when you receive Jesus Christ, He gives you the power to become a child of God.
The Nature, Mission, and Reception of Jesus Christ
But before John revealed how you become God’s child, he wrote about the nature, mission, and reception that Jesus Christ got in this world.
The Apostle John, thus, wrote that Jesus Christ made (created) all things (John 1:3). He also wrote that Jesus possessed life, which is the light of mankind (John 1:4).
This is the light that shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it (Jon 1:5). It is this light that came into the world that He made, but the world didn’t recognize Him (John 1:9-10).
Jesus, therefore, came to His own, but they didn’t receive Him (John 1:11). Some rejected Him, while some received Him.
Jesus gave those who received Him the right to become children of God
However, Jesus gave those who received Him the right to become children of God. He acted with grace towards those who received Him and changed their status.
God adopted those who received Jesus into His family (1 John 3:1). Because, those who received Jesus, had also believed in Him. That is, they lay hold of, or grabbed, Jesus or welcomed Him into their lives.
He extended the same grace to you when you invited Him into your life. And He gave you the authority or privilege to become the child of God.
The Lord God admitted you into His family when you believed in the name of Jesus Christ. He gave mankind the name of Jesus Christ as the means of adoption into His family.
Prayer/Blessing
Lord Jesus, thank You for making the way for me to become a child of God. Help me to take as truth what You say about me. This is my prayer of humility in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Daily Bible Reading
1 Chronicles 17-20 (see How to Read the Bible in One Year or How to Read the Bible (for Beginners))