Adoption

What is Christian Adoption?

• The act of God bringing those He saves into familial relationship for the purpose of fellowship, discipline, and an inheritance.

Examples:

• Moses - The book of Exodus tells the story of a Hebrew woman named Jochebed who bore a son during a time when Pharaoh had ordered all Hebrew male infants to be put to death (Exodus 1:15-22). Jochebed took a basket, waterproofed it, and placed the baby in the river in the basket among the reeds. One of Pharaoh’s daughters spotted the basket and retrieved the child. She eventually adopted him into the royal family and gave him the name Moses. He went on to become a faithful and blessed servant of God (Exodus 2:1-10).

• Ester - In the book of Esther, a beautiful girl named Esther, who was adopted by her cousin after her parents' death, became a queen, and God used her to bring deliverance to the Jewish people.

• Jesus - In the New Testament, Jesus Christ was conceived through the Holy Spirit instead of through the seed of a man (Matthew 1:18). He was “adopted” and raised by His mother’s husband, Joseph, who took Jesus as his own child.

Lexicon :: Strong's G5206 – yhiothesia

• adoption, adoption as sons

  • That relationship which God was pleased to establish between himself and the Israelites in preference to all other nations.

  • the nature and condition of the true disciples in Christ, who by receiving the Spirit of God into their souls become sons of God.

  • the blessed state looked for in the future life after the visible return of Christ from heaven.

Lexicon :: Strong's G5043 – teknon

• offspring, children

• child

  • a male child, a son

• metaph.

  • the name transferred to that intimate and reciprocal relationship formed between men by the bonds of love, friendship, trust, just as between parents and children

  • in affectionate address, such as patrons, helpers, teachers and the like employ: my child

  • in the NT, pupils or disciples are called children of their teachers, because the latter by their instruction nourish the minds of their pupils and mould their characters

  • children of God: in the OT of "the people of Israel" as especially dear to God, in the NT, in Paul's writings, all who are led by the Spirit of God and thus closely related to God

  • children of the devil: those who in thought and action are prompted by the devil, and so reflect his character

• metaph.

  • of anything who depends upon it, is possessed by a desire or affection for it, is addicted to it

  • one who is liable to any fate

  • thus children of a city: it citizens and inhabitants

  • the votaries of wisdom, those souls who have, as it were, been nurtured and moulded by wisdom

  • cursed children, exposed to a curse and doomed to God's wrath or penalty

Lexicon :: Strong's G2316 – theos

• a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities

• the Godhead, trinity

  • God the Father, the first person in the trinity

  • Christ, the second person of the trinity

  • Holy Spirit, the third person in the trinity

• spoken of the only and true God

  • refers to the things of God

  • his counsels, interests, things due to him

• whatever can in any respect be likened unto God, or resemble him in any way

  • God's representative or viceregent

    • of magistrates and judges

Roman Context

• In the Roman world, adoption was a significant and common practice. Today, we can write a will and leave our wealth and property to anyone we want, male or female. In the Roman world, with few exceptions, a man had to pass his wealth on to his son(s). If a man had no sons or if he felt that his sons were incapable of managing his wealth or were unworthy of it, he would have to adopt someone who would make a worthy son. These adoptions were not infant adoptions as is common today. Older boys and adult men were normally adopted. In some cases, the adoptee might even be older than the man who was adopting him. When the adoption was legally approved, the adoptee would have all his debts cancelled and he would receive a new name. He would be the legal son of his adoptive father and entitled to all the rights and benefits of a son. A father could disown his natural-born son, but an adoption was irreversible.

God does the adopting.

• Ephesians 1:4c-8a “In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons[G5206] through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us,”

• Romans 8:14-17 “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons[G5206], by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

  • We can approach Him as slaves in bondage, or we can approach Him as adopted children. The Bible presents a high view of adoption and uses it to parallel the relationship God wants to have with us. The spirit of slavery views God has a slave owner and we His trembling subjects. The spirit of adoption views God as a loving Father and we His beloved sons and daughters.

  • Do you sense the Holy Spirit within you bearing witness with your spirit that you are a child of God? Can you describe what that sense is like?

Israel first, then the Gentiles

• John 1:11-13 “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children[G5403] of God[G2316], who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

• John 11:49-52 “But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.”

• Romans 9:4-8 “They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption[G5206], the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children[G5043] of God[G2316], but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.”

• Galatians 3:24-29 “So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”

Now, but not yet.

• Galatians 4:3-7 “In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons[G5206]. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”

• Jesus invited believers to address God as “our Father” (Matthew 6:8–9). God explained His desire to treat His people as sons and daughters (2 Corinthians 6:18). God has made this spiritual adoption possible through faith in His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16–18; 1:12; 14:6; Romans 8:14). Based on our faith and confession of allegiance (Romans 10:9–10), God adopts us into His eternal family. He makes us joint heirs together with Jesus Christ (Romans 8:17). We receive the Spirit of adoption when we accept, by faith, the grace that has been offered to us in Christ (Ephesians 1:5; Romans 8:23; Luke 10:27). It is the Spirit of adoption who teaches us to call out to God as our “Abba, Father.”

• Romans 8:23-25 “And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons[G5206], the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

“Born Again”

• John 3:3 “Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

  • 3:5 is used by the Catholic church to support their view of baptism as a necessity for salvation.

• 1 Peter 1:3-5 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Children of God.

• 1 John 3:1-3 “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children[G5043] of God[G2316]; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s[G2316] children[G5043] now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”

  • The unbeliever simply does not have, and cannot experience, the type of filial relationship that believer experiences.

• 1 John 5:1-5 “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children[G5043] of God[G2316], when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

  • There is a vast difference between the way sons serve their fathers and the way slaves serve their masters. Slaves may perform duties; sons perform acts of love. Slaves dutifully obey; sons gladly obey. Slaves are motivated by fear of punishment; sons are motivated by love of relationship. Slaves ask, “What is required?” Sons ask, “What else can I do for you?” The Spirit of adoption changes us from fearful slaves to joyful sons and daughters. The Spirit of adoption allows us to “come boldly before the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16) as a beloved child runs to his father in times of trouble. Because of the Spirit of adoption, we can enjoy serving God without fear or obligation. Serving in our Father’s kingdom becomes life’s highest ambition (2 Corinthians 5:20).

• Philippians 2:14-16 “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children[G5043] of God[G2316] without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.”

Privileges that come with our adoption

• Being able to speak to God and relate to him as a good and loving father.

  • “Our father in heaven” Matthew 6:9

  • “no longer a slave, but a son” Galatians 4:7

• He shows very clearly that he loves us.

• He shows that he understands us.

  • “as a father shows compassion to his children so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust” Psalm 103:13-14

• He shows that he takes care of our needs.

  • “for the gentile seek after all these things, and your heavenly father knows that you need them all” Matthew 6:32

• God gives us many good gifts.

  • “if you then, who is evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:11

• He gives us a great inheritance in heaven.

  • “inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” 1 Peter 1:4

• Angels are even now sent to minister to us and serve us. Hebrews 1:14

Discussion questions:

• Looking over the list of privileges that come with our adoption as God's children. Had you previously thought of these as automatically yours because you have been born again?

• Can you describe what our eternal life would be like if we had regeneration and justification and many of the other pledges that come with salvation but no adoption into God's family?

• Has your relationship with your own family become better or more difficult as a result of your becoming a Christian? If your relationship with your earthly family has become more difficult how have you found Mark 10:29-30 to be true in your life as a Christian?

• Sometimes people who have had unloving or cruel earthly fathers have found that their background creates difficulty and they're thinking about God and relating to him as their heavenly father. How can Hebrews 12:10; Matthew 7:11; and Luke 11:13, which contrast sinful earthly fathers with our perfect father in heaven be of help in that situation? Might one Peter one: 18 be helpful in this situation as well?

• Think of the people who are members of your church. Has this topic helped you to think of them more as your brothers and sisters?

• Does your church have any sense of competition with other churches that might be overcome by greater appreciation of the doctrine of adoption?

• In a family when one of the children commits a crime and is publicly punished for it, the entire family suffers shame. On the other hand when a family member is honored for an outstanding achievement, the entire family is proud and rejoices. How does this analogy of events in the human family make you feel about your own personal level of holiness in life, and the way it reflects on the other members of your spiritual family? How does it make you feel about the need for personal holiness among your brothers and sisters in the church? Do you personally have a strong inward desire to imitate your heavenly father in your conduct Ephesians 5:1; 1 Peter 1:14-16?

• Do you sense any discrimination against Christians of other races or other social or economic positions? Can you understand how the doctrine of adoption should obliterate such distinctions in the church?

Additional Thoughts

• Clearly adoption—both in the physical sense and in the spiritual sense—is shown in a favorable light in Scripture. Both those who adopt and those who are adopted are receiving a tremendous blessing, a privilege exemplified by our adoption into God’s family.

Additional resources:

• https://www.gotquestions.org/adoption.html

• https://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-adoption.html

• Hymn “Children of the Heavenly Father” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1Le7-y9xVI

• Contemporary song “All I have is Christ” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugGucoYMmKg