But whoever did receive Him [Yeshua, God’s Son], those trusting in His name, to these He gave the right to become children of God.  John 1:12, TLV

What’s the Difference?   Aren’t all humans GOD’s children? Yes and no. This verse in John holds powerful insights into the Gospel message. It holds insights into our relationship with the Father — the Creator of the World. One little verse, nestled in the context of this chapter and the whole of Scripture corrects errors and sets clear boundaries of the wisdom and love of our Father.

Really? Yes.

Why aren’t all of humanity children of God? Let’s break down this verse.

• “Whoever.” That means anyone! Jew. Gentile. The set time had come to welcome the nations to the commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2: 12), to be grafted into the Jewish olive tree (Romans 11:24). After thousands of years of separation from the nations — from the Gentiles — our Father was saying all now are welcome to receive adoption by the work of His Son. While this isn’t a big deal today with roughly 2.5 billion Christians in the world that are primarily non-Jewish, it was a big deal back then.
• “Receive and trust in God’s Son.” Trust Him for what? Answer: Our atonement (Hebrews 2:17). His blood, shed on the cross, like the sacrifices of old (Leviticus 23), covered our sins.
• “Those trusting in His Name.” This part of the verse is directed to every person who was not physically present when Jesus was on this earth. Who didn’t see His ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension. Or hear the Good News from those who had. In other words, us. Imagine, John wrote this Gospel nearly 2,000 years ago, and the Holy Spirit had inspired him to future believers, including us.
• “To these He gave the right to become children of God.” The right. There it is. The clear demarcation between humanity as God’s creation, verses redeemed, adopted children of God. What gives us the right? Receiving and trusting in God’s Son. Not good works or being a good person or sitting in a chair in a building.

Yeshua said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life! No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  (John14:6, TLV, EMPHASIS MINE)

Doesn’t get any more clearer than that, does it?