τέκνα θεοῦ children of God; υἱοὶ θεοῦ sons of God

Israel as God’s sons/children

1. God called Israel His son
1. “Israel is My son, My firstborn” (Ex 4:22)
2. “Out of Egypt I called My son” (Hos 11:1)
3. “Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth” (Isa 43:6)
4. “Concerning My sons” (Isa 45:11)
2. Sons/children of God
1. “Sons of the living God” (Hos 1:10)
2. “Children of the LORD God” (Deut 14:1)
3. “They are not His children” (Deut 32:5)
4. “Provocation of His sons and daughters” (Deut 32:19)
3. Indirect references: “sons/children” without suffix
1. “Children in whom is no faith” (Deut 32:20)
2. “I have nourished and brought up children” (Isa 1:2)
3. “Children who are corrupters” (Isa 1:4)
4. “Children who will not lie” (Isa 63:8)
5. “Rebellious children” (Isa 30:1)
6. “Children who will not hear the law of the LORD” (Isa 30:9)
7. “Backsliding children” (Jer 3:14, 22)
8. “Silly children” (Jer 4:22)
9. “Unwise son” (Hos 13:13)
4. Jesus implied that only the Israelites are children of God (Mt 15:26; Mk 7:27)

God as the Father of the Israelites

1. “Is He not your Father” (Deut 32:6)
2. “Forgotten the God who fathered you” (Deut 32:18)
3. “Will you not... cry to Me, ‘My Father’?” (Jer 3:4)
4. “I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn” (Jer 31:9)
5. “If I am the Father, where is my honor?” (Mal 1:6)

Other references to sons of God in the OT

1. Sons of God and daughters of men (Gen 6:2, 4)
2. Sons of God as heavenly beings (Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7)
3. Sons of God/gods/Most High (Ps 29:1; 82:6; 89:6)

Sons of God in Jesus’ Teachings

1. Peacemakers shall be called sons of God (Mt 5:9)
2. Loving our enemies makes us sons of our Father in heaven (Mt 5:45; Lk 6:35)
3. Those who attain to that age and of the resurrection are sons of God (Lk 20:36)

Believers in Christ as Sons/Children of God

1. Direct references
1. Believers in Jesus’ name are given the authority to be children of God (Jn 1:12)
2. As many as are led by the Spirit are sons of God (Rom 8:14)
3. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Rom 8:16-17)
4. Children of the flesh are not children of God (Rom 9:7-8)
5. Sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:26)
6. Become children of God without fault (Php 2:15)
7. “Behold what manner of love... that we should be called children of God” (1 Jn 3:1)
8. “We are children of God” (1 Jn 3:2)
9. Children of God versus the children of the devil (1 Jn 3:10)
10. Loving the children of God (1 Jn 5:2)
2. Indirect references
1. Jesus is the firstborn among many brethren (Rom 8:29; cf. Heb 2:17)
2. Be imitators of God as dear children (Eph 5:1)
3. Walk as children of light (Eph 5:8)
4. As obedient children (1 Pet 1:14)
5. Inasmuch as the children (παιδία) have partaken flesh and blood (Heb 2:13-14)

υἱοθεσία adoption as sons

1. Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption (Rom 9:4)
2. Adoption as sons through the sending, birth, and redemption of God’s Son (Gal 4:4-5)
3. Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ (Eph 1:5)
4. Spirit of adoption (Rom 8:15)
5. Eagerly waiting for the adoption as sons (Rom 8:23)