From Offspring ...To Heir
Barry Adams
Acts 17:22-28
22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. 24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ NIV
22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. 24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ NIV
I would have loved to have been there when the Apostle Paul was having this conversation with a bunch of philosophers on Mars Hill in Athens. Paul starts his sermon by using their altar to the 'unknown god' as the launching pad to preach the gospel to them.
He starts to unpack who this 'unknown god' really is, and how the One who created the heavens and the earth also created all nations from one man (Adam). Paul goes on to make the divine connection between the only true God and every person on the planet.
This passage of Scripture is a brilliant example of Paul's creative genius in how he builds a bridge to these non believers by quoting one of their own Greek poets (Aratus) who was referring to their pagan God, Zeus in his writings by saying... As your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring'.
After Paul makes this connection that every person on the planet is an offspring of God, he then goes on to call them to change their thinking (metanoia) about who God is and turn and believe in Jesus Christ.
Acts 17:29-31
29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. NIV
So what does it mean to be God's offspring? Is it the same as being God's children? And if so, why is there an invitation to be born of God (John 1:12-13) so that we can become His children if we are already His offspring according to this passage of Scripture?
This might sound confusing until we begin to unpack the Greek word that Paul uses to refer to us as God's offspring. It is the word 'genos' which means born, country(-man), diversity, generation, kind(-red), nation, offspring, stock. It is a word that can describe things that have a similarity (kind) and it can describe someone who is generationally linked to another person.
I believe that the best description of how 'genos' is used in Acts 17 is that Paul is making a connection with the Athenians that they indeed all derived their existence from God through their generational link to the first man, Adam. So in that sense, they are God's offspring because He fathered the human race.
I like how The Passion Translation Bible communicates this idea of all of us having our lineage traced back to God in the way TPT translates Acts 17:28-29...
28 It is through him that we live and function and have our identity; just as your own poets have said, ‘Our lineage comes from him.’ 29 “Since our lineage can be traced back to God, how could we even think that the divine image could be compared to something made of gold, silver, or stone, sculpted by man’s artwork and clever imagination?
It is interesting to note that there is a different Greek word used to describe those who are children of God and have been born again. John 1:11-13 says... 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children (teknon) of God-- 13 children (teknon) born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. NIV
The Greek word that John describes here for the word 'children' is the word 'teknon' which means a child (as produced): — child, daughter, son. It also describes an intimate and reciprocal relationship formed by the bonds of love. This word is used most often, especially in the writings of the Apostle John to describe our familial relationship to God as His children.
For example in 1 John 3:1... See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children (teknon) of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. NIV
When speaking of our new birth relationship to the Father, Paul also uses the Greek word 'teknon' but he also uses the Greek word 'huios' that describes 'sons or children' as noted in Romans 8:14... For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children (huios) of God. NIV And Paul goes on to write...
Romans 8:15-17
15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship (huiothesia). And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children (teknon). 17 Now if we are children (teknon), then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. NIV
The word 'genos' used in Acts 17 for the word 'offspring' describes more of a technical description of a relationship rather than a family father/child heart connection. Though God is our Father because that is the very essence of who He is, we still need to have a heart transformation where we go from being God's offspring (genos) to His children (teknon). And it is important to note that the Greek word 'genos' is not used even once in the New Testament to describe the new birth relationship that a believer has with their Heavenly Father.
A good example of how we can see the difference between being someone's offspring and his child is found in Jesus' discussion with the religious leaders of the day in John 8:31-47. Jesus tells these leaders that anyone who sins is a slave to sin in which they reply in verse 33... We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. (ESV).
In verse 37, Jesus responds to them by saying... 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. (ESV). And then the conversation continues in verses 39-40... 39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. (ESV)
Jesus is clearly telling them that just because they are Abraham's offspring, that doesn't mean they are Abraham's children. Because being children of Abraham requires a heart connection that they didn't have. Jesus goes on to tell them that their father is the devil! (John 8:41-44). Yikes!
I believe the same thing can be said for all humanity. We were all created in the image of God and are all God's offspring by virtue of us all being created by Him. But there needs to be a restored heart connection through the new birth in order for us to complete the redemption process that transforms us into being God's children and heirs by the indwelling of His own Spirit.
The reality is that God has always been Father because that is who He is. And in His fathering love, He created all things (1 Corinthians 8:6) including every person in the human race. Psalm 139 is clear in God's intimate involvement with each one of us. And in that sense, we all came from God, we were all fathered by God and He loves each and every one of us equally with His Fatherheart.
But the gospel that Jesus came to bring us into is one where we can be transformed in our relationship with God through the simple act of faith. By believing and receiving God's free gift of salvation in Christ, we go from being an offspring (genos) of God, to being born anew to be a child of God (teknon, huios) by the power of the Holy Spirit as described in Romans 8:15-17...
15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. NIV
It is this glorious transformation, we receive the Spirit of Sonship that affirms that we are no longer slaves but sons and daughters (Galatians 4:6-7). This free gift is available to every person on the planet if they would just dare to believe this to be true.
He starts to unpack who this 'unknown god' really is, and how the One who created the heavens and the earth also created all nations from one man (Adam). Paul goes on to make the divine connection between the only true God and every person on the planet.
This passage of Scripture is a brilliant example of Paul's creative genius in how he builds a bridge to these non believers by quoting one of their own Greek poets (Aratus) who was referring to their pagan God, Zeus in his writings by saying... As your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring'.
After Paul makes this connection that every person on the planet is an offspring of God, he then goes on to call them to change their thinking (metanoia) about who God is and turn and believe in Jesus Christ.
Acts 17:29-31
29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. NIV
So what does it mean to be God's offspring? Is it the same as being God's children? And if so, why is there an invitation to be born of God (John 1:12-13) so that we can become His children if we are already His offspring according to this passage of Scripture?
This might sound confusing until we begin to unpack the Greek word that Paul uses to refer to us as God's offspring. It is the word 'genos' which means born, country(-man), diversity, generation, kind(-red), nation, offspring, stock. It is a word that can describe things that have a similarity (kind) and it can describe someone who is generationally linked to another person.
I believe that the best description of how 'genos' is used in Acts 17 is that Paul is making a connection with the Athenians that they indeed all derived their existence from God through their generational link to the first man, Adam. So in that sense, they are God's offspring because He fathered the human race.
I like how The Passion Translation Bible communicates this idea of all of us having our lineage traced back to God in the way TPT translates Acts 17:28-29...
28 It is through him that we live and function and have our identity; just as your own poets have said, ‘Our lineage comes from him.’ 29 “Since our lineage can be traced back to God, how could we even think that the divine image could be compared to something made of gold, silver, or stone, sculpted by man’s artwork and clever imagination?
It is interesting to note that there is a different Greek word used to describe those who are children of God and have been born again. John 1:11-13 says... 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children (teknon) of God-- 13 children (teknon) born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. NIV
The Greek word that John describes here for the word 'children' is the word 'teknon' which means a child (as produced): — child, daughter, son. It also describes an intimate and reciprocal relationship formed by the bonds of love. This word is used most often, especially in the writings of the Apostle John to describe our familial relationship to God as His children.
For example in 1 John 3:1... See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children (teknon) of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. NIV
When speaking of our new birth relationship to the Father, Paul also uses the Greek word 'teknon' but he also uses the Greek word 'huios' that describes 'sons or children' as noted in Romans 8:14... For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children (huios) of God. NIV And Paul goes on to write...
Romans 8:15-17
15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship (huiothesia). And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children (teknon). 17 Now if we are children (teknon), then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. NIV
The word 'genos' used in Acts 17 for the word 'offspring' describes more of a technical description of a relationship rather than a family father/child heart connection. Though God is our Father because that is the very essence of who He is, we still need to have a heart transformation where we go from being God's offspring (genos) to His children (teknon). And it is important to note that the Greek word 'genos' is not used even once in the New Testament to describe the new birth relationship that a believer has with their Heavenly Father.
A good example of how we can see the difference between being someone's offspring and his child is found in Jesus' discussion with the religious leaders of the day in John 8:31-47. Jesus tells these leaders that anyone who sins is a slave to sin in which they reply in verse 33... We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. (ESV).
In verse 37, Jesus responds to them by saying... 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. (ESV). And then the conversation continues in verses 39-40... 39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. (ESV)
Jesus is clearly telling them that just because they are Abraham's offspring, that doesn't mean they are Abraham's children. Because being children of Abraham requires a heart connection that they didn't have. Jesus goes on to tell them that their father is the devil! (John 8:41-44). Yikes!
I believe the same thing can be said for all humanity. We were all created in the image of God and are all God's offspring by virtue of us all being created by Him. But there needs to be a restored heart connection through the new birth in order for us to complete the redemption process that transforms us into being God's children and heirs by the indwelling of His own Spirit.
The reality is that God has always been Father because that is who He is. And in His fathering love, He created all things (1 Corinthians 8:6) including every person in the human race. Psalm 139 is clear in God's intimate involvement with each one of us. And in that sense, we all came from God, we were all fathered by God and He loves each and every one of us equally with His Fatherheart.
But the gospel that Jesus came to bring us into is one where we can be transformed in our relationship with God through the simple act of faith. By believing and receiving God's free gift of salvation in Christ, we go from being an offspring (genos) of God, to being born anew to be a child of God (teknon, huios) by the power of the Holy Spirit as described in Romans 8:15-17...
15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. NIV
It is this glorious transformation, we receive the Spirit of Sonship that affirms that we are no longer slaves but sons and daughters (Galatians 4:6-7). This free gift is available to every person on the planet if they would just dare to believe this to be true.