THE MANIFESTATIONS OF THE SONS OF GOD

Friday 8 August

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. Romans 8:18-19 (KJV)

For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption to sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” Romans 8:15 (BSB)

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. 1 John 3:2 (KJV)

Did you know there will be two kinds of manifestations of the Sons of God? Most believers are familiar with our three opening verses. Reading and understanding what you read can be totally different. Just ask the Ethiopian Eunuch when Philip heard him reading Isaiah and asked him,

‘Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.’

It’s the same with us today. In certain passages of scripture we think we know what is being referred to, only to find that the context means something beyond what we perceived.

In Romans 8:18 Apostle Paul says the glory of God will be revealed in us. He then goes on to speak of the creature which is all of creation waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Just because we are all the sons of God in Christ doesn’t mean we have seen the fulfilment of Romans 8:19. That’s why it says in 1 John 3:2 ‘and it does not appear YET what we shall be. So how do we reconcile the two?

One is a partial manifestation. The other is a full manifestation. We have the glory of God on the inside but is has not yet been fully revealed on the outside.

1 John 4:17b tells us ‘as HE is so are we in this world’. As He IS not as He WAS. This is referring to Jesus being in us by the Holy Spirit and our oneness with Him and the Father. Not the Jesus who is passed into the heavens as a man. Why? Because the Holy Spirit is the one here relating with us in real time on the earth.

This is the partial manifestation. Believers are able to stir up the life and nature of God within them to effect changes in their lives and the lives of others. Christianity unlike religion is from the inside out and not the outside in.

Jesus said there were signs that would follow them that believe,

‘In my name they will cast out demons, speak with new tongues, lay hands on the sick etc.

These signs are proof of the internal manifestation of Christ in the believer.

What about the full manifestation? This will occur at the ‘Parousia’ or second coming of Christ.

There are two major concepts we need to grasp here.

Firstly, the Bible teaches the ‘second coming’ of Christ is an appearance ‘phaneroo’ of Jesus in the heavens and the manifestation of Christ on the earth.

Secondly, the full manifestation or full disclosure about the truth of the new creation in Christ will be seen on the earth not in Jesus but in US. I hope you’re catching this. When we drop our mortal bodies and are clothed with our heavenly bodies, everything of Christ on the inside will be seen in all its glory on the outside.

Jesus full disclosure will be in the heavenlies: The believer’s unveiling will be on the earth. To see more on this, look up ‘THE APPEARANCE OF CHRIST’ devotion. It will help you.

1 Corinthians 5:2 says,

‘We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing.’

Another version says ‘For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,’

For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. (Romans 8:22)

and we as new creations are groaning. (1 Cor 5:2)

There is some truth that the people who are not in Christ are waiting for the sons of God to be revealed in our day.This is not the full manifestation however that comes to a climax at the Day of the Lord when believers will be caught up into the Spirit with our new spiritual bodies just like Jesus has.

One day creation won’t be groaning and neither will the new creation. Those in Christ will come to a full manifestation and realisation of the sons of God we have become. I don’t know about you but I’m looking forward to that glorious day!

APPLICATION

Do all you can do to reveal the Christ in you now by praying in the Spirit and meditating on the Word, while keeping our final disclosure in your purview.