One of the topics that we had the most trouble with when I was studying was how to explain the “sonship” of the children of God in such a way that our “sisteren” wouldn’t be offended or feel belittled because they were, well, women. After all, they have the right to be daughters of God, don’t they? There were legal arguments, cultural and historical arguments and none of them really satisfied me. Come to think of it I always thought it was much ado about nothing, but I’m a guy and so I don’t have to deal with being called a “son” because of the sex God has given me.

What is perhaps the most enlightening solution to that idea “that we should be called the sons of God” (1Jn. 3:1 — KJV) came from a Turkish brother on the Global Day of Prayer. He pointed out that the reason we’re called “sons” is because we’re part of the Body of God’s Son—Jesus Christ. So our sonship does not rest in our physical gender (which, by Jesus’ words in Luke 20:34-36, will not be an issue in Eternity) but in the fact that we are “in Christ” (Gal. 3:26-28). And I find that a wonderful, biblical answer to a thorny issue that should never have divided us in the first place.