Were all the children of Israel “Children of God”?
Yes. He chose them as a “special” people, unlike the Gentiles.
Ex.19:4-6
“4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.
5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. “
When did a Child of Israel become a Child of God?
When they obeyed....! See Ex. 19:4-6
Then they never fell from Grace. If they were still his children, then they were still under his Grace.
Only those that obeyed His commands. Many fell and peished in their sins at Mt. Sinai.
Ex. 32:27& 28 “27 And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.
28 And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.
God’s grace is reserved for those that “believe” and obey.
John 11:25-26 “25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
You and I just like the children have a decision to make, But here is the question, my FRiend. Does God abandon his children?
No. They abandon Him.
2 Pet. 2:21-22 “21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. “
Jesus said that not one of his sheep would be lost.
No. Jesus said His sheep hear his voice and they “follow”. only those that follow and obey Jesus are his..! Go to Luke 15 and read about the lost sheep at how Christ rejoices when one his sheep that is lost is found and returned.
Jn. 10:25-27 “25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.
26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: “
So once you are designated by God as to being one of his sheep, then I don’t see how you can possibly end up lost.
By disobedience and falling from grace. You and I have to live as God wants us to, we can’t live as we want. We have to obey the voice of Jesus.
John 14:21
21 ‘He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”
To claim that Jesus loses his sheep is to claim that he was not truthful.
Jeus doesn’t lose His sheep, they go astray on their own. Nothing can seperate us from God’s love, nothing but ourselves.
Rom. 8:38-39
“38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. “
So that is why I asked the important question of when exactly does a person become a child of God?
When they obey the gospel of Christ. You and I are added to God’s kingdom when we are obedient to His command.
Acts 2:46-47
“46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. “
Romans 1:15-17 “15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
If it is after they have been designated by God as one of Christ’s sheep or one of his Children, then the possibility of them “falling from grace” and ending up in Hell is..... ZERO.
God says otherwise: 1 Tim. 4:15-16 “15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. “
Heb. 3:11-13
“11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. “
Gal. 1:6-9
“6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”
Which means never. Tell me when did all of Israel keep the covenant with God in Ex 19:4-6?
NEVER.
That is why they needed to be saved by Grace and not by their works.
BTW God did not refer to the Children of Israel as the Children of God, he referred to them as the Children of Israel.
Only those that obeyed His commands.
That would be none.
Many fell and peished in their sins at Mt. Sinai.
That would be some.
God’s grace is reserved for those that “believe” and obey.
It is reserved for those upon whom he grants mercy. Rom 9:15.
If you are an object of his grace, you will believe.
Does God abandon his children? No. They abandon Him.
Those people were never his children. The people to whom Christ referred when he said he would tell them "I never knew you", were those also his children at some point? Or were they never numbered among his Children or his flock?
No. Jesus said His sheep hear his voice and they “follow”. only those that follow and obey Jesus are his..! Go to Luke 15 and read about the lost sheep at how Christ rejoices when one his sheep that is lost is found and returned.
Are you suggesting that if Jesus Christ actually went out looking for one of his sheep, that he couldn't find it? If Christ goes looking for his sheep, you can be assured that that sheep will not be lost forever.