Saints Are Children of God by Faith

Galatians 3:26-29; Who are the children of God? Such depends entirely upon the usage of terms and what is meant in a particular situation. Births are of various kinds, and each has its own parents and its own children. To be born does not mean to come into existence out of nothing, but rather to begin a new type of existence, to live again in a changed situation. Birth is the continuation of life under different circumstances.

Galatians 3:26-29; All men were born in pre-existence as the spirit children of God the Father, meaning that the spirit element which existed from all eternity, and has neither beginning nor end, was organized into spirit children, which children were the offspring of celestial Parents and were thus members of the family of God the Father.

Galatians 3:26-29; Mortal men are born into mortality, meaning that the spirits from pre-existence come into tabernacles which have been created from the dust of the earth through the normal birth processes. In this case the parents are mortal persons and the family relationship includes the immediate kinsmen.

Galatians 3:26-29; Those accountable mortals who then believe and obey the gospel are born again; they are born of the Spirit; they become alive to the things of righteousness or of the Spirit. They become members of another family, have new brothers and sisters, and a new Father. They are the sons and daughters of Jesus Christ. They take upon them his name in the waters of baptism and certify anew each time they partake of the sacrament that they have so done; or, more accurately, in the waters of baptism power is given them to become the sons of Christ, which eventuates when they are in fact born of the Spirit and become new creatures of the Holy Ghost.

Galatians 3:26-29; Thereafter, through celestial marriage, they are adopted into the family of God the Father, becoming his sons and daughters. In this sense they are brothers, not sons, of Christ; they become heirs of God; they are joint-heirs with Christ.

Galatians 3:26; 26. Children of God] Sons and daughters of Jesus Christ, adopted members of his family. "Because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters," King Benjamin said, "for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters. And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh." (Mosiah 5:7-8; Revelation 21:7.) This, of course, is one of the ways in which the Son of God becomes the Father, enabling him to say: "I am the Father, I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world." (Ether 4:12.) See Commentary I, pp. 278—281. Born again] See 1 John 5:1-5.

Galatians 3:27; 27. Baptized into Christ] After announcing Christ's divinity, John wrote: "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." (John 1:11-12.) Then in modern times that same Lord said he was, "The same which came in the meridian of time unto mine own, and mine own received me not; But to as many as received me, gave I power to become my sons; and even so will 1 give unto as many as will receive me, power to become my sons. And verily, verily, I say unto you, he that receiveth my gospel receiveth me; and he that receiveth not my gospel receiveth not me. And this is my gospel—repentance and baptism by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, even the Comforter, which showeth all things, and teacheth the peaceable things of the kingdom." (D&C 39:3-6.)

Galatians 3:27; Put on Christ] Take upon oneself the name of Christ, making it the new family name, the new name by which the saints are called. King Benjamin's counsel to those who had entered the covenant of baptism was: "Take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives. And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ." (Mosiah 5:8-9.) Men in this day are commanded: "Take upon you the name of Christ, and speak the truth in soberness. And as many as repent and are baptized in my name, which is Jesus Christ, and endure to the end, the same shall be saved. Behold, Jesus Christ is the name which is given of the Father, and there is none other name given whereby man can be saved; Wherefore, all men must take upon them the name which is given of the Father, for in that name shall they be called at the last day; Wherefore, if they know not the name by which they are called, they cannot have place in the kingdom of my Father." (D&C 18:21-25.) And each time the saints partake of the sacrament, they certify anew to the Father that they are willing to take upon them the name of his Son. (D&C 20:77.)

Galatians 3:28; 28. "He inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile." (2 Nephi 26:33.)

Galatians 3:29; 29. Abraham's seed] See Galatians 3:1-25; Commentary I, pp. 458—462. According to the terms and conditions of the covenant of the priesthood, those who magnify their callings in the priesthood become, by adoption, "the seed of Abraham," and have the sure promise of exaltation in the kingdom of God. (D&C 84:33-40.)

Galatians 3:29; Heirs according to the promise] See Galatians 3:1-25; Galatians 4:1-7.