John 1:12

“But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”

               In the previous verse, John was showing how Jesus came to His own and His own did not receive Him. This verse follows up with that to show what happens to those who do receive Jesus. As we see in the first part of this verse, John is talking to “all who did receive Him,” and these are the people who received Jesus when He came in the flesh. John shows what “receiving Him” meant; it was not just accepting Him passively but also believing in His name, in who He is. What John wants the reader to see is that those who did not receive Him were not always openly hostile to Him. Not being received could be passive because those who believed in his name truly received Him. This is in connection with what John has already talked about. Jesus is the light and receiving Him meant they stepped into the light completely to not only listen to Jesus but align themselves with Him. Those who did believe in His name were not left wanting, though, as He also gave them something much more valuable in return.

               The last part of the verse shows what the prize is for believing in the name of Jesus, He gives them the right to become Children of God. Jesus gives the right to those who believe in His name. It is not something He is not aware of, and this active participation is important because it shows the Love Jesus has for those that believe. This is also a right, and as a right it is not just an empty claim believers became children of God, it is more of a legal standing of the person to be called a child of God. This alludes to what Paul will later describe as “riches of [Gods] grace.” (Eph. 1:7).  These rights give the believers access to God’s riches like an inheritance.

               As believers, this is true for all of us. He has not only made us children of God through belief in Him but the rights under that title. We need to live like we have this right not that we have access to physical inheritance of money but a spiritual inheritance and access to the Father in heaven. When we think that we cannot do something or that we are not strong enough to overcome sin, we must remember we do have the power through the inheritance bestowed on us by believing in Jesus. This power we have access to through prayer, when we talk to God, we maintain our focus on what really matters. It is also important to understand what rights we get, and we do this through the reading of Father God’s words.

               To those who do not believe, Jesus is right there. He is evident in God’s word but also in the world. You must trust Him by believing In His name and He will give you the same access to God. If you have ever said that you have “tried that Christian thing and it didn’t work for you,” then this is for you because receiving Jesus is more than just trying him out. It is about believing in His name to save you. This will give you access to not only heaven but the inheritance of God which is true knowledge and power.