The Children of God vs. Children of the Devil

Many people believe that all human beings are children of God, but the word of God tells us that this is not true. The Bible clearly states that there are children of God and children of the devil. All humans are creations of God, but not all are children of God.

“The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one.”

Matthew 13:38

The children of the devil are also referred to as the children of the wicked one (Matthew 13:38), the children of disobedience (Colossians 3:6, Ephesians 5:6, Ephesians 2:2, and the children of wrath Ephesians 2:3.

The children of God are referred to as the children of the kingdom (Matthew 13:38), the children of God (Romans 8:16, Matthew 5:9), and the sons of God (John 1:12, Romans 8:14)

All human beings fall into either one of these two categories whether they like it or not, know it or not.

Characteristics of the children of God and the children of the Devil

1. Righteousness vs. Unrighteousness

Apostle John makes it clear in the book of 1 John chapter 3 that he who commits sin (makes a habit of sin) is a child of the devil, and he who works righteousness is a child of God. This is because God is righteous and therefore he cannot have sinful children. His seed is holy and so his children are holy. A tree produces fruit according to its nature. An orange tree cannot produce lemons. God cannot produce sinners, and that is why Jesus says that we must be BORN AGAIN to see the kingdom of God.

“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”

1 John 3:8-10

2. God’s nature vs. the devil’s nature

Jesus told the Pharisees that the devil was their father because they did not love Jesus nor obey him, but did what the devil does which is murder and lie. They had the devil’s nature making them his children.

“Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me…

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it…

He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.”

John 8:42, 44, 47

Jesus gives us the power to become the sons (children) of God

Jesus died for our sins and rose again defeating the power of sin and death that had kept humanity in bondage to Satan (Hebrews 2:15). This was so that whoever believes in him and what he did on the cross, may receive his Spirit and thus his nature. We become partakers of his death and resurrection by believing in his sacrifice for us, and are then translated from the kingdom of darkness to his kingdom (Colossians 1:13). We then become new creatures and the old nature dies. These new creatures are the sons of God and no longer children of the devil.

This means that all of us are children of the devil before we believe in Jesus for salvation. That is because we are born sinners. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Apostle John says that “the whole world lies in wickedness.” (1 John 5:19). We are all slaves of Satan until Jesus sets us free.

We see therefore that Jesus alone gives us power to become the sons of God. He came to redeem many sons unto his father.

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

John 1:12

“For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”

Hebrews 2:10

“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.”

Colossians 1:13

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

2 Corinthians 5:17

3 Categories of Children of the Devil

We have seen that humans are divided into two categories, the children of God, and those of the devil. But not all people are aware that they are children of the devil. However, we have seen that the main identifier of the devil’s children is that they do the will of the devil, live in sin, and disobey God.

The children of the devil can be divided into 3 groups:

1. Those who know they are the children of the devil

These are those who are consciously serving the devil knowing that they are serving the devil. In this group are people like witches, wizards, Satanists, and so forth.

“There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord.”

Deuteronomy 18:9-12

2. Those who are the children of the devil but think they are children of God

In this category sadly are lukewarm and compromising Christians. That is those who live a double life, wanting it both ways. They want Jesus but they also want their sins. Jesus said that he would vomit the lukewarm out of his mouth (Revelations 3:16) and further said that on the day of judgment, he would tell such people he never knew them because they were workers of iniquity (Matthew 7:23).

“Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

Matthew 7:21-23

3. Those who are children of the devil by default

In this category are all unbelievers: those who have not accepted Jesus as savior and Lord. By rejecting the salvation Jesus offers, they have chosen to remain as children of the devil. Those in this category are of varying beliefs: they may not believe in the devil, believe they are good people, followers of other religions, atheists, the stubborn, those who love sin, etcetera. But though they may not consciously be serving the devil, they are his children as long as they remain in their sins and reject Jesus’s offer of salvation.

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

John 3:18

Separation at the final judgment

In the parable of the tares (Matthew 13:38-43) and the parable of the nets (Matthew 13:47-50 Jesus told us that in the final judgment, the separation shall be made between the children of the kingdom and the children of the wicked one. This will be at the close of the age when the devil and his children shall be cast into the lake of fire forever, while the children of God shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father forever.

May God help us to not only choose to be his children but remain his children until the end by obeying him, in Jesus’s name!

The Parable of the tares

³⁸ The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

³⁹ The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

⁴⁰ As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

⁴¹ The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

⁴² And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

⁴³ Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Matthew 13:38-43

Parable of the net

⁴⁷ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

⁴⁸ Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

⁴⁹ So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,

⁵⁰ And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

⁵¹ Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

Matthew 13:47-50

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