Romans 9:25 “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’” “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called sons of the living God.’”
1 Peter 2:10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
It is no small act of love and mercy that God has called us sons of the living God. We were not, in the flesh, born into this relationship with God. We were not, at any point of our life, good enough or doing good enough things to warrant being adopted by God. All of us were living apart from God without any hope of eternal life. Oh, we may think we deserve it or that a loving God will never condemn us to hell, but the truth is there are a heaven and a hell. Both are reserved for the final destiny of every person ever born. God’s Word makes this very clear. Unless a person is born again (having recognized their sin and God’s offer of redemption and salvation, repenting, and choosing to trust in, cling to, rely on, and believe in Jesus Christ, surrendering all self-reliance and self-worth, living to honor, glorify, and obey God) by default they have joined all others who have by neglect, complacency, rejection, or denial in their destiny in eternal hell. There are two destinies in eternity. Heaven will be with God the Father and all who have believed, repented, and by faith have trusted Jesus Christ. Hell will be with all who have rejected or denied the need of salvation through Jesus Christ.
It is no small act of grace and love by God that we may be called the sons of the living God.