Introduction
Remember the chilling question the Joker posed to Batman: “Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?”
Many of us have — and far too many believers still do. You don’t want to be found in that place.
We must awaken to the truth: the Kingdom of Darkness is not a metaphor, but a sobering reality. There are no “fifty shades of gray” between light and darkness. There is no middle ground. Satan, the ruler of this present world, relentlessly seeks to deceive, discredit, and destroy the children of God.
He has twisted truth into lies and legalized sin. He attacks the saints in their health, their homes, and their hearts. He wages war against our peace, our witness, and our faith. His purpose is clear—to make the redeemed appear broken, defeated, and joyless, so that Christianity itself becomes unattractive to a watching world.
Through the seductive power of media, the lure of pleasure, and the endless pursuit of self-gratification, he entices humanity to dance in the shadows of the pale moonlight.
The children of darkness are many, and they wage war against the Kingdom of Light with every weapon they can wield. Yet we must never forget: though the darkness rages, the Light still reigns—and it cannot be overcome.
This message is a wake-up call.
On Defining “Child”
As the saying goes, “The Greeks have a word for everything.” This is especially true when it comes to the word Child as used in Scripture. The English language, though rich in many ways, is often imprecise—especially when describing spiritual growth and relational identity. Greek, however, provides a far more precise and nuanced understanding. Therefore, it is essential to define what I mean by Child within the context of this study.
Nepios literally means “no speech”—an infant or baby. Paul used this term in 1 Corinthians 3:1:
“But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.” ESV
And again in
“…for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.” Hebrews 5:13 ESV
This word speaks to spiritual immaturity—those newly born in Christ, yet untrained in discernment.
Paidion refers to a young child or toddler. Jesus used this term when He said,
“Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven”. Matthew 18:4 ESV
Paul also echoes it in Ephesians 5:1:
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children”. Ephesians 5:1 ESV
The paidion stage is characterized by humility, trust, and dependence—a stage where a child is still learning obedience and imitation.
Pais is broader, encompassing children of various ages, sometimes translated boy or girl (Matthew 2:16; 8:6–13; Luke 8:54). It suggests one who serves and learns under authority—still under tutelage, yet growing in responsibility.
Teknon describes a child in active development—perhaps an adolescent or young adult. Paul writes,
“my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! Galatians 4:19 ESV, and John tenderly exhorts, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. 1 John 5:21 ESV
This term reflects relational intimacy and identity—one recognized as belonging to the family.
Finally, Huios denotes a fully matured son (used without gender bias). In ancient custom, a huiothesia—or “placement as a son”—was a ceremony where the father formally entrusted the child with full authority to act on his behalf. The father would declare, “This is my beloved son (huios) in whom I am well pleased,” bestowing on him all the rights, riches, and power of the family name. — Familiar words indeed.
For an excellent teaching on this, I recommend Dutch Sheets’ Give Him 15 devotional for October 27th, 2025, from which I have drawn these definitions.
In this paper, when I speak of a Child of God or a Child of Satan, I refer to the progression within these meanings. Becoming a Child—whether of good or of evil—is a process. For the believer, it is the journey of sanctification, “the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2), whereby we grow from infancy to maturity in Christ.
Child (Huios) of God
To be a Child of God is to live in continual dependence upon the Father through Jesus Christ. Salvation is not a static event but a living relationship, sustained by faith and obedience. Jesus said plainly:
“No one comes to the Father except through Me”. John 14:6 ESV
Thus, the true child of God walks daily with the Father, abiding in His love, upheld by His grace, and restored by His mercy whenever they stray. For in His eyes, once we are His, He never stops pursuing, loving, and calling us home.
A Child of God is far more profound than merely being “saved” or “born again.” It is to be joined, heart and soul, to the Father through His Son — to share in His life, His nature, and His love. I’ve often heard parents, in frustration or disappointment, say of a wayward child, “He’s no child of mine.” How tragic. Yet our Heavenly Father never speaks so. Even when we stray, He does not disown us. We remain His children. Through the tender conviction and relentless grace of the Holy Spirit, He draws us back to Himself.
Jesus illustrated this divine pursuit in the parable of the lost sheep:
“So He told them this parable: ‘What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” Luke 15:3–7 (ESV)
Sin does not erase our identity as God’s children — but it does wound our fellowship with the Father. Like a cloud passing before the sun, it obscures the warmth of His presence until repentance restores the light.
A Note on Once Saved, Always Saved
Much has been said about this doctrine, and while I will not dive into exhaustive theological debate, a few truths must be made clear.
Hebrews 13:5 assures us that God will never leave nor forsake us. Yet Scripture also reveals that we can turn away from Him. The popular phrase “once saved, always saved” is a comforting slogan rooted in Calvinism, which offers a deceptive peace. It is a doctrine rooted in human reasoning, not divine revelation — a false assurance that blinds many to the seriousness of continuing in faith and obedience.
The Apostle Paul warned against this very presumption:
“…do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who supports the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, ‘Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.’ That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in His kindness.Otherwise you too will be cut off. And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them in again.” Romans 11:18–24 ESV
Faith must be sustained. Grace is not a license to sin, but a divine invitation to persevere in righteousness. To fall from grace is possible — yet by repentance and God’s mercy, one may be grafted in again.
The Unpardonable Sin
There is, however, one sin Scripture declares unforgivable — the sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit. This is not a moment of doubt or a careless word, but a hardened, willful rejection of the Spirit’s witness to Christ — attributing the works of God to the power of Satan.
“Therefore, I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” Matthew 12:31–32 ESV
The unpardonable sin is not a momentary doubt or a fleeting act of rebellion—it is the willful and knowing rejection of truth. It is the deliberate renunciation of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, the blasphemous act of calling evil what is holy, and light what is darkness. The Pharisees committed this very sin when they accused our Lord of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub.
This sin is not merely a rejection of religion; it is the rejection of redemption itself. In doing so, one severs the very lifeline of grace, cutting oneself off from the only source of forgiveness and eternal life.
Herein lies the sobering truth: if you persist in denying your relationship with Jesus Christ—choosing your own way over His, silencing His Spirit within you—you drift toward that fatal realm. To reject sonship with Him is to align yourself with the adversary, and to walk as a child not of God, but of Satan.
A Child of Satan
From the beginning, it has been God’s eternal desire to have children with whom He could share His boundless love. Yet Satan, in his fallen and rejected state, mimics this divine longing in corruption—he too seeks children, but his are children of darkness.
To be a child of Satan is not a vague or mysterious condition; it is a clear and decisive one. We must ask ourselves: Is there anything about God or His Word that we refuse to accept or believe? If so, we cannot claim to be children of God.
Yes, we grow in understanding (as a child grows, mentioned above), and faith is indeed a journey. But rejection of divine truth because it offends our logic or contradicts our experience reveals not immaturity, but unbelief. Faith does not draw from human reasoning; it draws from trust in the unseen God.
When we speak of good and evil, we must measure ourselves by a standard. What standard do we use? The world’s? Our own opinions? Or the Word of God? There is no other true measure or standard other than God’s. God’s standard is revealed in Scripture alone—by it, all creation will be judged. You either believe, or you do not. There is no middle ground. Any standard outside of God’s Word is of the adversary, and those who live by it are his children.
We stumble, yes. We forget. We fall. We fail. But the child of God rises again, driven by a heart set toward the Father. Growth comes through discipleship—through teaching, correction, and the humble training of the soul. Without this, there can be no understanding, no transformation. See my blog on “Everyone is your Teacher”. Click here.
To begin this walk, one must first believe that God is. Many look upon the suffering of the world and declare, “There is no God,” or “If He were good, these things would not happen.” But this is the very deception of Satan—to blind the heart into denying its Creator.
Not all have heard the Gospel, it is true, yet creation itself proclaims His existence. Abraham, and many others before the written Word, looked upon the heavens and the order of all things and knew: There is one God who rules over all.
Creation itself testifies. Every sunrise, every star, every breath declares a divine order beyond chance. To believe in “happenstance” is to deny reason itself. Faith is not born of sight; it is sight that is born of faith. The world says, “Seeing is believing.” But God says, “Believe, and you shall see.”
This is the great divide—the mark between the children of light and the children of darkness. The worldly, humanistic mind lives by the visible and denies the invisible, but the child of God walks by faith in what cannot yet be seen. The child of Satan trusts only in himself.
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.” Psalm 19:1–4 ESV
“For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” Romans 1:20–23 ESV
“By faith we understand that the universe was created by the Word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” Hebrews 11:3 ESV
Conclusion
Now we must ask ourselves: Are we children of God, or children of Satan? Do not answer hastily. Pause and reflect, for the destiny of your soul rests upon your response. The answer you give will set you on a sacred journey—a pilgrimage where the reality of your salvation will be proven through the course of your life.
Along the way, there will be setbacks, for all have sinned and fallen short of His glory. Yet when you stumble, do not remain fallen. Rise again. Be forgiven—again, and again, and again. Press onward.
For the victor in this race is not the one who never falters, but the one who never forsakes the path of Christ. The finish line is our blessed hope—our glorification in Him.
Pray
I cannot let a message such as this conclude without prayer. If you have never surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, I urge you—do it now. If you have once made that commitment but find yourself uncertain of where you stand with Him, renew it today.
This prayer is not a formula for salvation, but a beginning—a step toward a living, growing relationship with the Lord. True salvation is born of the heart’s surrender and the continual deepening of your walk with Him through prayer, study, and discipleship.
Let us pray:
Father in Heaven, I come before You in humility and awe. I offer You all that I am—my past, my present, and my future. I lay before You my failures and my victories alike, that I may walk more closely with You and grow in steadfast commitment to Your will. I receive, though I cannot fully comprehend, the redeeming work of Jesus Christ upon the cross. I welcome the guidance of Your Holy Spirit to lead, correct, and sustain me in my daily walk. And when I stumble, Father, forgive me and draw me back to You.
By Your grace, I now resolve to live as Your child forever. A Child of God—to glorify Your Name in all I say and do. I pray in the precious name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Enough Said
“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:16 ESV
