To reach a level of surrender so deep that one can embody the way and lifestyle of Jesus cannot be inherited; it must be cultivated. If what parents pass down is only the label of being Christian, the habit of attending church, and good morals typical of Christian culture, that does not guarantee that a person will become one of God’s truly chosen people. Look at Abraham’s faith—faith that led him to live in obedience to God’s will. His life was completely seized by the calling he received from Elohim Yahweh. He had to leave his homeland for a place he didn’t even know. He had to wait twenty-five years for the promised son, even after his name had been changed from Abram to Abraham. His obedience to God’s will seized his entire life.
In the same way, when someone truly believes in the Lord Jesus, their life will also be seized to live out that genuine faith. True faith demands a life fully surrendered to God. It cannot happen automatically. A person can become a Christian without ever choosing to—just by being born into a Christian family. They may attend worship every week or even be active in ministry, yet still not live the lifestyle of Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ, when He took on human form, obeyed the Father just as Abraham did. That is why we are called Abraham’s children if we follow everything that God commands. Abraham left Ur of the Chaldeans not for a personal adventure, but to find the land that God would show him.
It is indeed a privilege to be born into a Christian family, but such a birth is not a guarantee of salvation. Many in remote regions have never heard the Gospel in their entire lives, or have only heard fragments of it. Meanwhile, we who were born as Christians have received a great opportunity—an opportunity to be restored to God’s original design, to become members of the Kingdom of Heaven, and to be glorified with Christ. But this opportunity comes at a significant cost.
When we are born into the Christian faith, we have already received a divine seal: “You are not of this world.” That is why parents bear such a great responsibility—to shape the souls of their children from an early age, so that they live in the awareness that they do not belong to this world. Sadly, this awareness has largely been lost in today’s millennial generation. Many parents have also lost it. They forget that we are called not to live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Therefore, we are indebted to live by the Spirit, not by the flesh.
How great, then, is the responsibility of parents to introduce true faith to their children. Yet once again—faith cannot be inherited. Every child must make their own choice. The Jews did not have to choose; from birth, they automatically carried the status of God’s chosen people by lineage. But the chosen people of the New Covenant are different—it is a spiritual struggle. The life they must live is not based on laws that are followed automatically, but on conscious willingness to be led by the Holy Spirit.
Those who have lost sight of God’s glory may still lead morally upright lives, influenced by laws and social customs. But for believers, morality is not the highest standard. We must follow in the footsteps of Jesus. The Bible does not say, “Make all nations moral,” but rather, “Make all nations My disciples.” To be a disciple means to build a direct relationship with God—not merely with a church, a pastor, or one’s parents. The church and God’s servants are instruments, but every individual must personally interact with God.
Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the rhema of God. For man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Rhema means a personal word from God to a person. Behind this statement lies a truth: every person must receive spiritual nourishment directly from God through a personal encounter with Him. Therefore, each individual must choose and decide to have a living, reciprocal relationship with God, not just intellectual knowledge of religion. Only in this way can our lives truly be seized by God—completely taken over for His glory.