“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14)
In the Old Testament, God envisioned a day when every one of His children would be teachable. “And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children” (Isa. 54:13) Jeremiah foresaw that each member of this new covenant community would know God and His voice: “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD” (Jer. 31:34)
When the Mediator of the new and better covenant began His ministry, He immediately began to recognize those who were the firstfruits of this teachable community. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). When He was ready to depart from them, He assured them that the Holy Spirit who had been “with” them would be “in” them to guide them into all truth (John 16:13).
Paul recognized that those who were hearing from and heeding the counsel of the Spirit of God were the children of God (Rom. 8:14). John spoke of this as the anointing which was received by all who were born again. This anointing which is resident in every regenerated child of God enables them to be taught everything that God wants them to know. “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him” (1 John 2:27)
Have you been born again? Then you have the Holy Spirit within you. He would guide you into all truth, and teach you continually the things God wants you to learn. This provision is so great that you don’t need to hear His truth first from the mouth of man. You can hear it directly from God Himself; and then it can be confirmed in the mouth of godly men. Are you being taught of God? If so, you are His child indeed.