Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Mar 1:11  And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as He was coming up out of the water, the heavens opened and a voice came from heaven saying: “Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11).

Those words were not said of others who were baptised but to Christ alone. Jesus is the Father’s beloved above all those He loves. Christians are also sons of God (John 1:12). Are you God’s beloved son? To be a true Christian is to be more than just a believer. To say that someone is a Christian is to say that he is Christ-like in character, that he follows in the footsteps of Jesus (1 Peter 2:21). Can a Christian be God’s beloved son if he is not walking as a son of God?

How did Jesus become God’s beloved Son? For one thing, He was obedient: “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). While the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God by not submitting to John’s baptism, Christ didn’t (Luke 7:30). Even John the baptizer declared that he should be the one baptised by Jesus and not the other way but Jesus replied to him: “Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15).

I have not known of any child who is obedient to his parents and yet is still not their beloved son or daughter. Most parents would love an obedient child. Likewise, one of the requisites to become God’s beloved son is to be obedient to His commandments: “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father,” (John 14:21).

The obedience of the Son of God pleases the Father. If, like Christ, we delight to do God's will, He will delight in us.

The heart of every child cries for his father’s approval. A son wants to hear from his father: “Daddy is so proud of you.” Or a daughter from her dad: “You will always be Daddy’s favourite girl.” He or she will do anything to be his father’s proud son or favourite girl.

But, how is it that Christians are not too concerned about entering into God’s good book?

1. Have you forgotten the love of God? “I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us?” (Malachi 1:2).

2. Do you honour God? “A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour?” (Malachi 1:6).

3. Are you giving your best to God? “And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil?” (Malachi 1:8).

4. Do you consider following Jesus a burdensome thing? “Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts” (Malachi 1:13).

5. Have you been fulfilling your duties to God? “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me” (Malachi 3:8).

These are some interesting series of questions for each of us to answer from the depths of our soul. It is not how filial sons honour their fathers. Are you a beloved son of God?

Jimmy Lau

Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.