真神的儿女
问：领受圣灵后，我们就成为真神的儿女还是长子，或两者皆是？请以新约时期讲解并与经节支持。
在旧约中，悖逆的子女都被称为神的儿女。因人类来自真神，所以在圣经中被称为神的儿女。虽然如此，这些儿女悖逆、犯罪，得罪真神，并与神作对。他们是因着出自亚当的后代而被称为悖逆的儿女，而不是真神的真儿女。
赛30：1耶和华说：祸哉！这悖逆的儿女。他们同谋，却不由於我，结盟，却不由於我的灵，以致罪上加罪；
这种肉体上被称为真神的儿女，并不是真神赐权柄作为儿女的人。我们今日能被称为神的儿女，但是否圣经里蒙真神赐权柄作为神儿女的人呢？作为真神真正的儿女是非常重要。圣经里记载，凡得着真神儿子名分的，都能承受天国的产业。这种人不是从血气或人意生的，而是从神所生的。他们乃是从神的教会出世，名字被记在羔羊生命册上。他们从灵洗与水洗重生，由真教会生出，成为神所赐权柄属灵的儿女。要完全重生，就必藉着神的水洗和灵洗所生。我们必要领受神的灵，从圣灵所生。人若没有神的灵就不属基督。
罗8：9如果神的灵住在你们心里，你们就不属肉体，乃属圣灵了。人若没有基督的灵，就不是属基督的。
圣灵与我们同证我们是真神的儿女。
罗8：16-1716圣灵与我们的心同证我们是神的儿女；17既是儿女，便是後嗣，就是神的後嗣，和基督同作後嗣。如果我们和他一同受苦，也必和他一同得荣耀。
神赐权柄给与作为神儿女的我们，使我们拥有真神所赐的圣灵居住在心中。圣灵就与我们的心同证我们是神的儿女。既是儿女，便是后嗣，能承受天国的产业。
罗8：23不但如此，就是我们这有圣灵初结果子的，也是自己心里叹息，等候得著儿子的名分，乃是我们的身体得赎。
已得着圣灵的我们，虽然有圣灵初结果子，仍盼望着身体得赎的日子。既领受了神的灵在心中，并得着真神所赐的权柄有神儿子的名份，我们就能承受天国的产业。在新约圣经中，有两处经文提及长子。在圣经中论及长子的名份并不是在肉身上成为头生的就称为长子。这属灵的长子是谁呢？
罗8：29因为他预先所知道的人，就预先定下效法他儿子的模样，使他儿子在许多弟兄中作长子。
这儿子是谁呢？真神的儿子，岂不是指着那道成肉身作为人子的主耶稣基督吗？这长子原是真神的儿子在众多弟兄中作长子，在我们之间为模范，让我们跟从人子的脚踪奔跑。
来12：22-2422你们乃是来到锡安山，永生神的城邑，就是天上的耶路撒冷。那里有千万的天使，23有名录在天上诸长子之会所共聚的总会，有审判众人的神和被成全之义人的灵魂，24并新约的中保耶稣，以及所洒的血；这血所说的比亚伯的血所说的更美。
天上的耶路撒冷和属灵的锡安山，原是指着真神属灵的身体、神的教会。为什么要强调真神属灵的身体及天上的耶路撒冷呢？这乃是因为天上的耶路撒冷和属灵的锡安山是指属灵真神的身体，并不是指世上的教会，而是指属灵的教会。属灵的身体和教会，原是那些得救拥有真神生命，得着真神儿子名份，名字被记录在生命册上；是有名录在天上诸长子之会所共聚的总会，被成全之义人的灵魂。被记载在生命册上的人都因着蒙真神恩典成为义人，名字才能被记录在生命册上。因此，主耶稣基督当日说，你们要因名字被记录在天上而欢喜。若名字已被记录在生命册上的人犯了罪，名字就会被涂抹。天上的耶路撒冷和属灵的锡安山原是蒙恩属灵的真教会、属灵的身体。有名录在天上诸长子之会所共聚的总会指的是那些得着真神儿子名份、得着神赐予权柄的儿子，能承受天国产业的人–他们共聚起来成为天上的耶路撒冷。长子指头生的；头生的在圣经是最美好的。蒙神拣选并能在生命册上保持记录，是蒙真神圣灵而生的头生，在头一次复活有份的人。
启20：6在头一次复活有分的有福了，圣洁了！第二次的死在他们身上没有权柄。他们必作神和基督的祭司，并要与基督一同作王一千年。
在第一次复活的人，是蒙真神的圣灵住在他们身上而复活的。神的灵使他们复活过来，他们就成为了真神属灵的锡安山、属灵耶路撒冷的一份子，能承受天国产业。真神的儿子完全蒙真神赐圣灵权柄降在身上，以至圣灵证明我们是真神的真儿女。虽然在旧约圣经中，人被称为神的儿女，但他们是一般犯罪悖逆，来自亚当的后裔。所以我们不要沾沾自喜，以为能被称为神的儿女就非常满足了。
罗9：8这就是说，肉身所生的儿女不是神的儿女，惟独那应许的儿女才算是後裔。
罗9：25-2625就像神在何西阿书上说：那本来不是我子民的，我要称为「我的子民」；本来不是蒙爱的，我要称为「蒙爱的」。26从前在什麽地方对他们说：你们不是我的子民，将来就在那里称他们为「永生神的儿子」。
我们原本不是属真神的子民，但蒙真神的恩典被拣选成为神的子民。蒙真神的宝血救赎出来，使我们成了真神的真子民。我们本来不是蒙爱，出于神的怜悯，成为神所拣选、蒙爱的子民。“就在那里”指的是神所拣选的子民、“蒙爱的”就是那些守道、顺服真神的人。真神就在那里称他们为永生真神的儿子。我们今日接受了真神宝血的大水洗，就成了真神所拣选的子民，是披戴了主耶稣基督的救恩与真理。作为真神的子民，我们要成为神所爱的，顺服真神、守道、行道，以至我们蒙真神的圣灵让我们复活，使我们成为永生真神的儿子。
愿一切荣耀归於主耶稣基督。哈利路亚！阿们。
（圣经问答-2010年灵修会）
CHILDREN OF GOD
Q: Do we become the children or the firstborn of God, or both, having received the Holy Spirit? Please explain with reference to the time period of the New Testament and with supporting Bible verses.
In the Old Testament, rebellious children were called the children of God. As mankind originated from God, they were called the children of God. Nevertheless, they were rebellious children who committed sins and incurred the wrath of God, often at odds with Him. They were called rebellious children as they were born of Adam’s descendants, but they were not the true children of God.
Isa 30:1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:
The rebellious children were called the children of God in the flesh, but God did not give them the authority to be His children. We are called the children of God today but are we given authority by God to be His children in accordance with the Bible? It is very important to be the true children of God.
The Bible records that those adopted to be the children of God are able to inherit the heavenly kingdom. Such children are not born of the flesh or of the will of man, but are born of God. They are born in the church of God and their names are recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life. The true children of God are born of the water and of the Spirit, born through the church of God, and thus are given the authority to be the spiritual children of God. To be born again, one must be born of water and of the Spirit of God. This means that we must receive the Spirit of God to be born of the Holy Spirit. If one does not have the Spirit of God, he is not of Christ.
Rom 8:9, 16-17 9But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17And 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.
God gives us the authority as the children of God in order for us to be able to receive the Holy Spirit to dwell within our hearts. The Holy Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. If we are the children of God, then we are also His heirs, able to receive the inheritance of the heavenly kingdom.
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
This verse states that after having received the Holy Spirit, we have the firstfruits of the Spirit but we still long for the day our bodies may be redeemed. Today, we are able to receive the inheritance of the heavenly kingdom as the Spirit of God dwells in our hearts and He gives us the authority to be adopted as His children.
There are Bible verses in the New Testament which refer to the term “firstborn” but they do not refer to a person born first in the flesh literally. Rather, the term firstborn refers to the firstborn of the Holy Spirit and they are deemed to be excellent in the Bible. The firstborn of the Holy Spirit are those who are chosen by God and are able to maintain their names in the Book of Life. They have a part in the first resurrection.
Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Who is this “Son”? The Son of God refers to the Word made flesh who is the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus Christ. The term “firstborn” here refers to the Son of God being the firstborn among many brethren, to be an example among us that we may follow in His footsteps as the Son of Man.
Heb 12:22-24 22But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
The heavenly Jerusalem and the spiritual Mount Zion refer to the spiritual body of the true God, namely, the church of God. Why is there an emphasis on the spiritual body of God and the heavenly Jerusalem?
This is because the heavenly Jerusalem and the spiritual Mount Zion refer to the spiritual body of God or His spiritual church, and not the physical church of the world. The spiritual body of God and His spiritual church refer to those who receive salvation and life from Him. They are adopted as the true children of God and their names are recorded in the Book of Life. The true children of God are the general assembly, the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven and the spirits of just men made perfect. The true children of God are assembled to form the heavenly Jerusalem.
The Lord Jesus Christ said that those whose names are recorded in heaven should rejoice for that sake. However, if anyone whose name is recorded in the Book of Life commits sin, that person’s name will be removed.
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Those who have part in the first resurrection shall be resurrected, for the Holy Spirit dwells in them. The Spirit of God shall cause them to be resurrected and they shall become the spiritual Mount Zion and a part of the spiritual Jerusalem. Those who have part in the first resurrection shall be able to receive the inheritance of the heavenly kingdom, for they have received the authority from God. The Holy Spirit shall bear testimony with their spirit that they are His true children. Although mankind was referred to as the children of God in the Old Testament, they were a sinful and a rebellious lot; and were of the descendants of Adam. Therefore, let us not be complacent and think that we should be satisfied just because we are called the children of God today.
Rom 9:8, 25-26 8That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. 25As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. 26And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.
Initially, we were not the people of God but through His grace He chose us to be His people and redeemed us by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, we have become the true people of God. We were originally not the beloved people of God but out of His mercy He chose us to be His beloved people. “There shall they be” refers to the chosen people of God, while “beloved” refers to those who keep to His Word and are submissive to Him. Therefore, God shall call His true people the children of the living God.
Today, we are the chosen people of God for we put on the salvation grace and the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ after having received the water baptism of His precious blood. As the people of God, we must become His beloved people and be submissive to Him. We must be keepers and doers of the Word so that we may be resurrected through the Holy Spirit to become the children of the living God.
(Q&A AnnualSpiritual Nurture Meeting 2010)