Does That Mean I’m A God?

Galatians 4:5 talks about believers in Christ receiving “the adoption of sons.” For some people the term being adopted has a negative connotation.  To them it means that they have been given up to a lesser situation, lesser because they are not with their original parents.  The mentality is that, “It would’ve been best to stay with my original parents but now I’m stuck with these ones.” This is not how God speaks when he thinks of our adoption, He sees us as being in a miserable state and that we need to be moving up to a better family, a better situation, and that family is the family of God and the situation is one of a relationship with Him. Yet being adopted does not mean that I am actually born into that family or carry the DNA of that family but rather that I am receiving the benefits of the family without actually being naturally or originally in the family.
   One young adult asked me, “So we are adopted into the family, that means that we become Gods, correct?” My immediate thought was no, it means that we are brought into a closeness with God, the protection and comfort of God and a relationship with God.  But further thinking reminded me, of the fact that, in some ways God trusts some of His ruling attributes to us.  We are told that our prayers release the power of God and accomplish things (James 5:16), that we have the ability to do similar works that Jesus did while here on the earth (John 14:12).  The ministry of sharing God’s truth and goodness is also entrusted to us (Matt 28:18-20; Acts 1:8).  Though not actually becoming a God, He does include us in the activities of His family.
   As Christians we are not brought into a lower state or a lesser situation because we are followers of Jesus Christ.  Instead God lifts us up and chooses to work through us in similar ways as Jesus worked here on earth.
   Take a moment to think about how you can step out, not being a God, but letting the power of God flow through you because you are close to God.