The Carpenter's Children

Posted 11/26/15 by Donald Barnhouse

The Carpenter’s Children

A missionary in Central America once preached on the subject of universal brotherhood. At the close of his address, two professors from a local school said that they thought they had found a flaw in his reasoning. Were not all individuals of the human race descended from Adam and Eve? And did not God create Adam and Eve? And therefore, were not all individuals thereby the children of God? The missionary pointed to the benches in the room and asked, "Who made these benches?"

The man replied that they had been made by the local carpenter. "And do you, therefore, call these benches the carpenter's children?" he asked.

"Of course not," they answered. "They are not the carpenter's children because they do not have in them the life of the carpenter."

"And do you have the life of God in you?" was the searching question that revealed the reality of man's departure from God. No one can be called a child of God, if he does not have within him the life of God.

On that day many will say, “Lord did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do mighty works in your name?”. And I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from me you workers of lawlessness”. (Matt. 7:22-­23)

1. How does these verses destroy the false hopes of universal manhood and works salvation?

2. Why will Christ call such works done in His name (prophesying, casting out demons, and mighty works) lawlessness?

3. Does the Lord “know” you because of your works for Him or because of His work in you?

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