God’s Creation vs. God’s Sons
Genesis 1:26–27 “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…So God created man in His own image… male and female He created them.”
Genesis 2:7 “The LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life…”
John 1:12–13 “But as many as received Him… He gave authority to become children of God…who were born… of God.”
|
Aspect |
God’s Creation |
God’s Sons |
|---|---|---|
|
Meaning |
Made by God; bears God’s image outwardly but lacks God’s life inwardly. |
Born of God; possesses God’s life and nature within. |
|
Essential Identity |
A creature within creation; human life only. |
A child in God’s household; has divine life and nature. |
|
Source of Life |
Formed from dust; possesses human/soulish life. |
Born of God; possesses divine, eternal, incorruptible life. |
|
Distinction |
Lives by ethics, morality, conscience. |
Lives by the operation of the Spirit and the growth of divine life. |
|
Origin / Reason |
Created to express God outwardly and contain Him as a vessel. |
Regenerated through Christ so that God may impart His life to fulfill His economy. |
|
Result |
Remains a creature without divine life; cannot reach God’s goal. |
Inherits God’s riches, partakes of His nature, grows into maturity to express Christ. |
|
Examples |
• Confucius’ “bright virtue”—moral refinement but without divine life. |
• John 1:12–13 believers receiving the authority to become God’s children. |
|
Way of Living |
Lives by human virtue, culture, morality. |
Lives by the Spirit, expressing Christ and God’s nature. |
|
Highest Attainable Level |
Moral excellence, ethical perfection, cultivated conscience. |
Matured sons expressing God, sharing His life, nature, authority, and kingdom. |
|
Application |
Improves outward behavior only; cannot fulfill God’s intention. |
Daily experience of the Spirit, growth in life, living as God’s sons. |
|
Burden |
Do not remain at the level of God’s creation. |
See that we are God’s sons; seek the growth and expression of divine life. |
|
Prophecy (Speaking for God) |
Declare we are more than creatures; we must grow in God’s life. |
Speak concerning God’s inner operation, transformation, and divine nature. |
|
Guidance |
Do not rely on self-effort, ethics, or conscience-improvement. |
Turn to the spirit, receive life supply, live by the divine life. |
|
Conclusion |
A creature can never reach God’s goal by human effort. |
God’s economy is to produce sons who share His life and express Him. |
|
Expanded Scriptures |
John 3:6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” 1 Peter 1:23 “Having been regenerated… through the living and abiding word of God.” 1 Peter 2:2 “As newborn babes, long for the guileless milk of the word, that you may grow…” Romans 8:14–16 “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God… The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God.” Philippians 2:13 “For it is God who operates in you both the willing and the working…” 2 Peter 1:4 “…that you might become partakers of the divine nature.” |
Key Points Summary:
- 1. Being “created” is not equal to “being born of God.”
- 2. Ethics improve outward behavior but cannot impart divine life.
- 3. God’s purpose is not moral refinement but life-dispensing.
- 4. Through regeneration believers become God’s sons.
- 5. Sons live by divine life, not by human effort.
- 6. God’s ultimate goal is the expression and reproduction of Himself through His sons.
Content Summary:
Humanity in Genesis 1 was created in God’s image and likeness but without His life. Through Christ’s redemption and regeneration, believers receive God’s life and become His sons—not merely His creatures. God’s intention is not ethical refinement but the dispensing of His life to produce sons who express Him.
*Please refer to Galatians Life-Study, Chapter 45, "Walking by the Spirit as Sons of God (Part Two)".
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