You are my Son whom I love with

“You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased. ”

The Divine modis operandi: No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. John 1: 18 Perfect Father Pattern Son Many sons

Church of members Two kinds of churches Church of sons and daughters The sonship-Church gives where the member-Church takes In the local Church; Sons give, Members take

5 benefits of the sonship-Church

1. Sons know their source, Members drink from any stream This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

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I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me. One Father vs. 10, 000 Teachers 1 Corinthians 4: 14 -16 § “Source” indicator = the gospel § The danger with 10, 000 teachers: Create your own theology - 2 Timothy 4: 3 Your Father may not be the best teacher but the best teachers will never be your Father

2. Sons are always true, Members are sometimes false Prodigal son: true-false-true Religious son: true then false

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Hebrews 12: 7 -8 Sonship is discipline Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation… Hebrews 5: 8 The Father’s discipline qualifies us for true sonship and saves us from spiritual illegitimacy.

Supply v consume 3. Sons focus on family, Members take for self Sow v reap Sons serve where needed, members are self-serving

God’s sons are an excellent biological sons before they became excellent spiritual sons 3 dimensions of sonship: • Son of God (eternal) – Born Again as a child of God • Son of man (natural) – honour your father and mother • Son of the house (spiritual) – honour your spiritual family

4. Sons pursue their Father’s spirit, Members expose their flesh Elisha v Ham Sons of prophets v Sons of Noah

7 Fifty men from the company Elisha pursued the spirit not the flesh of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground. 9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you? ” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit, ” Elisha replied. 10 “You have asked a difficult thing, ” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not. ” 2 Kings 2: 7 -14

11 As they were walking along and talking together, Elisha pursued the spirit not the flesh suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two. 13 Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah? ” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over. 2 Kings 2: 7 -14

5. Sons seek heart circumcision, Members seek what they want

5. Sons seek heart circumcision, Members seek what they want Moving churches: Sons are sent, Members leave Genesis 17: 9 -11 Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you.