Now are We the Sons of God!

Now are We the Sons of God!

The first time the word Church appears in the new testament, it was used by the Lord describing the immediate outcome of His work in redemption through His death, burial and resurrection.
Matthew 16:18
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

In fact, His revelation as the Son of God that He really is remains an ordinary claim until it is validated in the most extraordinary way possible. The pretext of Matthew 16:18 narrates the conversation between the Lord and His disciples wherein Peter rightly called Him out as the Son of God. The Lord responded by saying the response of Peter was divinely inspired, this was the revelation of God to Peter.

This is yet another reason to accept the testimony that Jesus is the Son of God following series of other events where He was revealed to be the Son of God including:
1. Gabriel's announcement at the conception of Mary (Luke 1:26-38) and the events following His birth - the shepherd's visit, the Magi's visit, Jesus' presentation at the temple.
2. John the Baptist's revelation.
3. The confession of humans and devils in the course of His ministry.
4. His miraculous works.

However, the chiefest pointer to His Son of God status was His resurrection from the dead having predicted same ahead. It was the greatest evidence that He is indeed the Son of God. What made His a unique resurrection was that He rose from the dead to die no more, death will never have dominion on Him ever again.
Romans 1:4
And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

It is on this revelation of Him being the Son of God the church is built on. More on this later.

The phrase "I will build" in Matthew 16:18 is translated from the Greek word 0ikodomeō which means to establish or to found. It could also of course mean to build. It is a verb to describes a finished work rather than describing a process. The Lord was firmly stating ahead what he will do in His resurrection, establish the Church. It is a once and for all action with once for all time result - the Church.

How do we know the Church is established in His resurrection? He points to the "gates of hell" and the word hell here is from the Greek word Hades literally an uncomfortable place for the dead. Jesus indicating here His surrender to death will have Him under the power of death at least for three days. When He prevails over death by rising from the dead, the Church is established hence His statement "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it". Even in death, the place of the dead will not prevent the Church from taking of. It is an assurance of His resurrection.

Two things are prominent here; His Sonship is evidenced by His resurrection from the dead, so also is the establishment of the Church is based on His resurrection. So, Jesus' resurrection is the most important doctrine of Christianity. In fact, Christianity falls apart without resurrection of Jesus.

Another prominent observation here is the two prominent concepts here, Son of God and Church are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they very well relate with each other in an indivisible way. We just need to study the term Son of God and and also the Church and its constituents and the relationship that exist between the two terms. No marvel, the Lord says on this revelation "Son of God" "I will build my Church".

The primary objective of the Lord in taking away the sin of the world was to raise a new race of people for God divorced from the Adamic (human) nature and fully conformed to the image of the Son of God.
It is important to shed the Adamic nature because it is enmity with God. It is against God, it is a creation of sin not God. It must perish with this world.
Romans 8:6-8
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

John 3:3, 5-6
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God, That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Romans 5:14
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

1 Corinthians 15:21-22
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

1 Corinthians 15:45-50
And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual , but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

The chief description for this new race of people is sons of God.

Hebrews 2:9-13
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.

Jesus was clearly saying, in my resurrection I will bring many more sons to the Father, the congregation of which He calls the Church. Before His resurrection, those who believed in Him got the power to become sons at His resurrection.

John 1:11-13
He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Those who receive his message after resurrection are changed by the regenerative and renewing power of the Holy Ghost since His resurrection is already attained.
Titus 3:4-8
But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

So, in His resurrection we are declared the sons of God.
Romans 8:14-16
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Galatians 3:26
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 4:4-7
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Philippians 2:14-15
Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

1 John 3:1-2
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.