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SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD*
Expression designating human beings who have been born of God and have become part of his family. When the Bible speaks of God’s sons, it does not intend to exclude females. The term “sons” is inclusive of all believers. But the Scriptures nearly always have the word “sons”—with one exception in the NT, 2 Corinthians 6:18, in which God’s people are called “sons and daughters.”
From the beginning, God the Father desired to have many sons and daughters sharing the image and likeness of his beloved Son. It could be said that his one Son brought him so much satisfaction that he yearned to have many more. This may have been the impetus for the creation of the universe and, most specifically, of human beings (see Gn 1:26-27). Proverbs 8 indicates that God was delighted with the sons of men. This is again expressed in the NT, especially in the book of Ephesians. The opening verses in Ephesians resound with this note: the heart’s desire of God was to obtain many sons in and through his Son. The many sons, in union with the unique Son, would bring great glory and satisfaction to the Father.
Paul used a Greek word in Ephesians 1:5, 9, and 11 that conveys the idea of desire, even heart’s desire. The word is usually translated as “will”—“the will of God.” But the English word “will” conceals the primary meaning. The Greek word (thelema) is primarily an emotional word and secondarily volitional. God’s will is not so much God’s intention as it is God’s heart’s desire. God does have an intention, a purpose, a plan. It is called prothesis in Greek (see Eph 1:11), and it literally means “a laying out beforehand” (like a blueprint). This plan was created by God’s counsel (called boule in Greek, Eph 1:11). But behind the plan and the counsel was not just a mastermind but a heart of love and of good pleasure. Therefore, Paul talks about “the good pleasure of God’s heart’s desire” (v 5). Paul also says, “He made known to us the mystery of his heart’s desire, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him” (v 9).
The impetus of God’s eternal purpose came from a heart’s desire, and that heart’s desire was to have many sons made like his only Son (see Rom 8:26-28). In love, he predestined many people to participate in this “sonship”—not by their own merits but by virtue of their being united to the Son (Eph 1:4-5). Notice how often in Ephesians 1 Paul speaks of the believers’ position “in him.” Outside of him (the Son), no one could be a son of God and no one could be pleasing to the Father. The many sons and daughters owe all their divine privileges to the Beloved, as ones given grace through him (v 6). If it were not for God’s satisfaction in his beloved Son, there would not have been the inspiration for the creation of man in the first place. Humans exist because God wanted to obtain many sons and daughters, each bearing the image of God’s unique Son. People are well pleasing to God and bring him satisfaction by being united to the one who has always satisfied him. Apart from the Son, no one has access to the Father. But because of the Son’s redemption, all believers have the right to become children of God (Jn 1:12) and now have access to the Father through the Son (14:6).