The Right to Become Children of God

When John introduces Jesus as the Word made flesh, he pauses to describe the astonishing privilege that faith in Christ confers. He writes:

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,

- John 1:12

John's choice of wording here is striking. He does not say that God gave a gift or blessing, but a right (Greek: exousia). This term carries the idea of legal standing, authority, or privilege. It is as if John wants his readers to know that becoming a child of God is not simply an optional benefit of faith, but the legitimate standing of every true believer.

In the ancient world, rights were tightly guarded. Citizenship in Rome, for example, conferred privileges that could not be claimed by outsiders. In the same way, God grants believers the legitimate right of adoption into His family. This means that our place before God is not a sentimental designation but a covenantal reality grounded in Christ's sacrifice.

The following verse (John 1:13) makes clear that this status is not inherited by bloodline or achieved by human will. It is entirely the work of God. Here John dismantles the Jewish assumption that descent from Abraham automatically guaranteed divine favor. Instead, those who receive Christ are given the only true birthright–becoming children of God.

For Christians today, this is a source of unshakable assurance. To know that our sonship or daughtership rests not on feelings, nor on human approval, but on a God-given right, allows us to approach Him boldly in prayer and to anticipate our eternal inheritance with confidence.