Father or father?

In making my way through John 8 and Jesus' discourse with the Jews of His day, the disconnect continues. There are two different languages being spoken. All this talk about "who is my father?" seems to dominate the focus. "Father" carries with it authority, legitimacy, nature, and future expectations. To establish paternity when we are trying to match our DNA with God's DNA is a big deal. A small illustration would be if you were a candidate to inherit a billion dollar estate if you could prove you were a descendent of the deceased. The lab tech takes the swab and begins the test. You wait in anticipation to see the results, proof that you are the heir. Why would that be a big deal to you? A matched DNA carries with it authority, legitimacy, nature and future expectations. When all of these are rolled up together they spell power. God's DNA inside of us is so much more important that the DNA of a billionaire. This was what was at stake. The problem was that there were illegitimate interlopers, Satan and these Jews, who did not have the proper DNA but they thought they did or should, and did not want to admit they had no claim on the Father's blessings. They were children of fornication, i.e. bastards.

These terms seem so out of place today. We want all people to think they are legitimate spiritually. Even in the natural realm it is odd to hear anyone speak of a child born out of wedlock as being a child of fornication, or a bastard child. It is downright offensive. And, of course it is not technically the child who is illegitimate. It was the union that conceived the child that was illegitimate. The only proper lineage to God is one born within marriage. As long as the Jewish system held to the teachings and purposes of God, being true children of Abraham, their children were legit and their inheritance was legit. But, they prostituted themselves with idols, and then rejected the true Messiah, making their union with God a sham and a shame, and producing children from another father, the devil. This teaching coming from the mouth of Jesus as truth was extremely offensive to the Jews. No wonder they wanted to stone Him.

The evidence of God's DNA in a person is whether His word is in them. God's DNA is in His word. And it is only if that word and Word (Jn.1;1ff) dwells within a person that they are legitimate heirs of the Father and of Abraham. Jesus searched the hearts (he took a DNA swab) of the Jews and found no word and no Word in them. He did find evidence of another person's DNA there, one characterized by lies and murder (hatred). Since all children are born of desire (sexual/love), then there should be evidence of the type of desire that produced the offspring. Was it carnal and fleshly only or was it of love and spiritual? Flesh gives birth to flesh. Spirit gives birth to sprit. Jesus saw the DNA of the devil, a purely carnal and fleshly desire that sought to make those who should have been the legitimate offspring of the woman into little copies of himself (Read Rev.12). In Satan's fury he now seeks to implant and supplant his DNA into the hearts of all making them heirs of hell with him. Jesus is offering an alternative, and a return to their legitimate rights as sons (to all who believed in Him he gave the right to become children of God, John 1:12).