A Question On The Nature Of Us Being God'S Children

[boblloyd91]

Hello all, I was wondering about something lately. In Acts it says that we are the offpsring of God, and that on the other hand we are also adopted through faith in Jesus Christ. I know the Latter Day Saint view of this (that we are literally God's children) as well as the Mainline view (creature/creator). I was curious if anyone had any in depth knowledge of ancient Christian/Jewish beliefs about the nature of man in regards to our relationship to God that would shed light on the debate. Specifically, what evidence is there out there in the ancient writings that would support the LDS view and the mainline view. I was also curious about any other NT scriptures that indicate that man is a spiritual child of God

[thesometimesaint]

Hebrews 12:9 is a good place to start.

[savedbygrace]

Our Lord Jesus revolutionised the perception of our relationship to God by referring to him as the Father which I don't think was the Jewish way of seeing God. And as for us , we are adopted as his children through the work of our Lord Jesus Christ, and we can confidently approach the throne of Grace, and we can call him Abba, which I believe translates to Daddy....Hallelujah!!

[Rivers]

I as far as I am aware, there is nothing in the scripitures that indicates how our spirits were created.

[CASteinman]

Hello all, I was wondering about something lately. In Acts it says that we are the offpsring of God, and that on the other hand we are also adopted through faith in Jesus Christ. I know the Latter Day Saint view of this (that we are literally God's children) as well as the Mainline view (creature/creator). I was curious if anyone had any in depth knowledge of ancient Christian/Jewish beliefs about the nature of man in regards to our relationship to God that would shed light on the debate. Specifically, what evidence is there out there in the ancient writings that would support the LDS view and the mainline view. I was also curious about any other NT scriptures that indicate that man is a spiritual child of God

Try reading the very early Christian work called the "Hymn of the Pearl".

Found in works from the 2nd to 3rd Century, it is an insert into them and it has been said that it might be the earliest piece of Christian literature.

[volgadon]

Hello all, I was wondering about something lately. In Acts it says that we are the offpsring of God, and that on the other hand we are also adopted through faith in Jesus Christ. I know the Latter Day Saint view of this (that we are literally God's children) as well as the Mainline view (creature/creator). I was curious if anyone had any in depth knowledge of ancient Christian/Jewish beliefs about the nature of man in regards to our relationship to God that would shed light on the debate. Specifically, what evidence is there out there in the ancient writings that would support the LDS view and the mainline view. I was also curious about any other NT scriptures that indicate that man is a spiritual child of God

Superb question. There are lots of things which could be mentioned, I'm going to see if I've posted anything already that might answer your question.

[CASteinman]

I found a source for the Hymn of the Pearl online.

Here it is.

http://gnosis.org/library/hymnpearl.htm

(Incidentally, you will notice --if you read it all the way through -- that there are echos of the prodigal son here.)

Here are snatches from the start of this allegory:

When, a quite little child, I was dwelling

In the House of my Father’s Kingdom,

And in the wealth and the glories

Of my Up-bringers I was delighting,

From the East, our Home, my Parents

Forth-sent me with journey-provision.

Indeed from the wealth of our Treasure,

They bound up for me a load.

Large was it, yet was it so light

That all alone I could bear it.

II.

Gold from the Land of Beth-Ellaya,

Silver from Gazak the Great,

Chalcedonies of India,

Iris-hued [Opals?] from Kãshan.

They girt me with Adamant [also]

That hath power to cut even iron.

My Glorious Robe they took off me

Which in their love they had wrought me,

And my Purple Mantle [also]

Which was woven to match with my stature.

III.

And with me They [then] made a compact;

In my heart wrote it, not to forget it:

"If thou goest down into Egypt,

And thence thou bring’st the one Pearl --

"[The Pearl] that lies in the Sea,

Hard by the loud-breathing Serpent --

"[Then] shalt Thou put on thy Robe

And thy Mantle that goeth upon it,

"And with thy Brother, Our Second,

Shalt thou be Heir in our Kingdom."