became a living soul (Genesis 2:7). Eve was then created from Adam (Genesis 2:22-
23). Cain, Abel, were born by their parents and all other human beings since, have
been born in that order (Genesis 4:1-2). They are born sons of God in Adam’s order,
and all are God’s people.
At this point God sees us all as His children and expects the parents or guardians
to guide the child into the knowledge of God until he/she can choose for
themselves to continue to follow and serve God as their Father, Maker and
Saviour. If the parents themselves are walking in the fear of God and following
His ways, then the child will be introduced to God. If on the other hand the parents
are not followers of God, then the child will not know Him until later in life when,
hopefully by God’s grace, someone else introduces them to God. If we grow up
and choose not to follow God, then we remain in this step, and are mostly people
of God as opposed to children of God. Our sonship to God at this point lacks a
familial relationship, and is mostly mechanical.
In human terms, this is like when a child, despite having loving and legal parents
or guardians, be they biological or adoptive, is not raised by them but belongs to
another either through wilful or forceful submission as in cases of run-aways,
abduction, human trafficking, etc. In this case, the child is enticed, enslaved or
coerced and finds themselves in compromising or undesirable situations, without
the comfort and peace of a loving home. Older children could also detach
themselves from their parents by running away, disowning them etc. There have
been known cases of children legally divorcing their parents (referred to as
emancipation). This too will become an important discussion later in the book.
Whichever process leads us away from our legal parents and guardians, the end
result is that we are brought up by another, belong to another or serve another,
voluntarily or otherwise.
Step Two process
If our parents or someone else introduce us to God and we give our lives to Christ
in new, spiritual birth, then we immediately become spiritual children of God and
enter into a close, familial relationship with Him, where we can indeed call Him