Quotes: Adoption

1. c. AD 56 — Paul the Apostle

   “You have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’”

   Significance: Adoption grants believers a new family identity and intimate access to God.

   
   

2. c. AD 56 — Paul the Apostle

   “In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ.”

   Significance: Adoption is God’s loving, predetermined plan to make sinners His children.

   
   

3. c. AD 90 — John the Apostle

   “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God.”

   Significance: Adoption is a display of God’s lavish love.

   
   

4. c. AD 96 — Clement of Rome

   “We are called children of the covenant, whom He has loved from the beginning.”

   Significance: Adoption roots believers in God’s covenantal fatherhood.

   
   

5. AD 185 — Irenaeus of Lyons

   “Through the Word, we receive adoption, becoming sons of God.”

   Significance: Adoption comes through union with Christ, the eternal Son.

   
   

6. AD 325 — Athanasius of Alexandria

   “The Son of God became man so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

   Significance: Adoption is possible only because Christ shares His sonship with us.

   
   

7. AD 386 — Augustine of Hippo

   “He who was Son by nature made us sons by grace.”

   Significance: Adoption is a gracious gift, not a natural right.

   
   

8. AD 418 — Augustine of Hippo

   “By His mercy we are made children of God, who were children of wrath.”

   Significance: Adoption transforms our status from judgment to belonging.

   
   

9. AD 451 — Council of Chalcedon

   “Through the incarnation, we are adopted into the family of God.”

   Significance: Adoption flows from Christ’s true humanity and divinity.

   
   

10. AD 1095 — Anselm of Canterbury

    “By the Son’s obedience, we are adopted as sons of the Father.”

    Significance: Adoption is grounded in Christ’s obedient life.

    
    

11. AD 1274 — Thomas Aquinas

    “Adoption is the communication of a likeness of natural sonship by grace.”

    Significance: Adoption gives believers a real share in Christ’s sonship.

    
    

12. AD 1517 — Martin Luther

    “Through faith we become the children of God and heirs with Christ.”

    Significance: Adoption grants believers full inheritance rights.

    
    

13. AD 1536 — John Calvin

    “God gives us the Spirit of adoption, sealing our sonship in Christ.”

    Significance: Adoption is confirmed inwardly by the Spirit’s witness.

    
    

14. AD 1647 — Westminster Confession

    “All those justified, God vouchsafes to make partakers of the grace of adoption.”

    Significance: Adoption is a distinct blessing following justification.

    
    

15. AD 1678 — John Bunyan

    “The adopted child of God may call Him Father with boldness.”

    Significance: Adoption grants confident access to God in prayer.

    
    

16. AD 1741 — Jonathan Edwards

    “By adoption, God brings sinners into His family and gives them His name.”

    Significance: Adoption bestows identity, belonging, and divine favor.

    
    

17. AD 1765 — John Wesley

    “The Spirit of adoption is the inward testimony that we are God’s children.”

    Significance: Adoption is experienced through the Spirit’s assurance.

    
    

18. AD 1857 — Charles Spurgeon

    “Adoption gives us the rights of children, but regeneration gives us the nature of children.”

    Significance: Adoption is a legal act distinct from the new birth.

    
    

19. AD 1957 — Martyn Lloyd‑Jones

    “Adoption is the highest privilege of the gospel.”

    Significance: Adoption surpasses even justification in relational intimacy.

    
    

20. AD 2009 — John Piper

    “Adoption is God making enemies into sons and daughters with full inheritance.”

    Significance: Adoption is the climactic expression of God’s redeeming love.

See also: Bible Verses