How do people become sons of God? I know the Bible says in Romans 8 that it is by grace through faith we are sons of God, but Jesus said in Matthew 5 that we may be sons of God if we love our enemies. Can you help me sort out this confusion?
John 1:12-13 gives us the answer.
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”
And in Galatians 4:4-7 Paul said,
“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.”
From these passages, we can see that if we are born again we are sons of God. And obviously, this applies equally to men and women.
In Matt. 5:9 Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God.” In Romans 12:16-17, Paul confirmed this by saying that as believers we should live in harmony with one another. We should not repay evil with evil, and if possible, as far as it depends on us, we should live at peace with everyone. Being a peacemaker is evidence of our belief in the Prince of Peace.