Even if You Feared, Continue to Behold the Son

"And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:" (Genesis 35: 22)

Reuben, whose name means "Behold the Son", was the first born of Israel. When he slept with one of his father's concubines Bilhah ("Fear"), then he lost his first-born birthright:

"Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:

"Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch." (Genesis 49: 3-4)

 

In the same way, to the degree that we sleep with fear instead of "Beholding the Son" Jesus, then we find ourselves stagnant instead of excelling in our lives.

 

Despite the shameful incest perpetrated by Reuben, the Holy Spirit communicates to us that Reuben did not cease from being a son of Jacob: "Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. . ."

 

In the same manner, the Love of God has already transformed us from dead in our trespasses to alive in Christ (Ephesians 2: 1) and has made us Sons of God:

 

"15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." (Romans 8: 15-17)

 

Clearly, it is God's love which transforms us into sons of God:

 

"1Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." (1 John 3:1-3)

 

The Holy Spirit witnesses to us that we are righteous because of what Jesus has done for us (John 16: 8-11)

 

When we feel afraid, we should feel neither ashamed nor pressed to do something about it because we have cut ourselves off from God, for nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8: 38-39)

 

We cannot lose our sonship, our standing in Christ, because we never earned it. Instead, continue to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3: 18), and keep on receiving His gifts of righteousness and abundance of grace in your life (Romans 5: 17).

 

Even if you "sleep with fear", keep "Beholding the Son", and He will cause you to excel, even through your greatest sins and failures.