Who is in God's favor?

There is a lot of confusion about who are the “descendants” of God. In other words, how do I find God’s favor as His child?

A lot of people are under the impression that if I’m born into such and such a nationality, like I’m Jewish or something similar, then by birthright, well, God needs to favor me. The logic goes something like this: "my ancestors were favored by God, so why wouldn’t I be?"

The apostle Paul addresses this question in Romans 9 when he writes:

it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as (His) descendants.

What Paul is saying here is that no one is “born” into the Kingdom of God, but you “believe” in the promises of God and that is what God favors. You believe that what God says, God will do!

Jesus put it this way in the Gospel of John chapter 3:

4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

It is my spirit that believes. My spirit is not tied down to an inheritance or a birthright, like my flesh is.

Ultimately, it is my spirit that returns to God and stands in judgement.

And that is what the apostle Paul is saying: i.e., it is my spirit that believes. And when my spirit believes in the promises of God, not concerned with either my own or others birthright, then I am a child of God, and thus will seek Him and His promises. 

And all good children are obedient to the wishes of those put in their authority.