Adopted as His sons
"He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus
Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will - to the praise
of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He
loves" (Ephesians 1:5-6).
When Paul writes about adoption, he knows how seriously his readers take that subject. Roman law strictly controls the many steps in the adoption process. The person to be adopted must be purchased (the law's term is "ransomed") from the person's parents, guardians or slave-owners. Once the transaction is complete, the adopted person loses all ties with his past. Even his former debts are cancelled. He begins a completely new life. Whether a child or an adult, he comes under the full authority of his adoptive father. There is no legal difference between a natural son and an adopted son. As the Gospel unfolds, we realize that God, too, is completely serious. He too follows all the steps that ensure a true and correct adoption.
- A Corinthian statue of Caesar Augustus illustrates the power of adoption. Rome's greatest ruler, Julius Caesar, adopted Gaius Octavius and renamed him Octavianus Caesar. He became, as Julius' heir, Rome's first emperor. He later received the honorary title "Augustus" thus the name "Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1.) A greater adoption by a greater Father gives us a greater name and a greater inheritance.
STEPS FOR ADOPTION
First, He knows exactly what He is doing. He "predestines" this adoption, planning it far in advance. All of this arises from His own "pleasure and will." [Ephesians 1:5]
Second, He prepares throughout Old Testament history. He uses Israel for lessons about adoption, and He places Israelites first in line for sonship.
- Israel and sonship: Exodus 4:22; Isaiah 63:16; Jeremiah 31:9; Hosea 11:1; Romans 9:4; Acts 3:25-26; 13:46
Third, He sends Jesus who speaks in family terms: "our Father," "My brothers," and therefore "sons of God." [Matthew 5:9,45; 6:9; 12:48-49; 13:37; 28:10; Luke 6:35; 8:21; 11:11; John 20:17; Hebrews 2:11-12]
Fourth, He gives His Son as the "ransom" that permits us to be "adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ." [Ephesians 1:5; Hebrews 2:9-10]
Fifth, He calls all sinners through the Gospel, which includes the call to "turn to God in repentance" (Acts 20:21). [Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30; 20:21; 26:20].
"'Therefore come out from them and be separate,' says the Lord.
'Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.' 'I will be a
Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters,' says the
Lord Almighty" (2Corinthians 6:17-18). M
Sixth, Those who believe and repent are baptized. They enter Christ, and so become "sons of God."
"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all
of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with
Christ" (Galatians 3:26-27). M
Do you see the divine logic?
****Jesus is the Son of God; therefore every believer baptized into Christ becomes a son of God.****
As if all this is not enough, God adds yet another step. As the seventh, it has to do with the completeness of adoption now, and the completion of our final welcome home.
Seventh, at baptism God sends His Spirit to dwell in us. [Galatians 3:26-27; 4:6-7; Acts 2:38; 5:32; 1Corinthians 12:13] He marks us as true sons (Ephesians 1:13-14) [2Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Romans 8:14-17; 1John 3:24; 4:13] The Spirit will also raise our bodies from death, or mortality, when Christ returns. In that resurrection, the Spirit finalizes forever "our adoption as sons" (Romans 8:23).
"But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a
woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might
receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent
the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out,
"Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and
since you are a son, God has made you also an heir" (Galatians
4:4-7).
God's adoption of us "in Christ" is legally binding. As Galatians 4:5 shows, it now gives us "the full rights of sons." Yet, since God's grace keeps overflowing, this heavenly adoption goes further than earthly adoptions can. After taking the legal step of adoption, the Father then takes the amazing step of sharing His own Spirit with us. Notice the order of events: first the adoption, then the gift of the Spirit. "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts."
Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will - to the praise
of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He
loves" (Ephesians 1:5-6).
When Paul writes about adoption, he knows how seriously his readers take that subject. Roman law strictly controls the many steps in the adoption process. The person to be adopted must be purchased (the law's term is "ransomed") from the person's parents, guardians or slave-owners. Once the transaction is complete, the adopted person loses all ties with his past. Even his former debts are cancelled. He begins a completely new life. Whether a child or an adult, he comes under the full authority of his adoptive father. There is no legal difference between a natural son and an adopted son. As the Gospel unfolds, we realize that God, too, is completely serious. He too follows all the steps that ensure a true and correct adoption.
- A Corinthian statue of Caesar Augustus illustrates the power of adoption. Rome's greatest ruler, Julius Caesar, adopted Gaius Octavius and renamed him Octavianus Caesar. He became, as Julius' heir, Rome's first emperor. He later received the honorary title "Augustus" thus the name "Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1.) A greater adoption by a greater Father gives us a greater name and a greater inheritance.
STEPS FOR ADOPTION
First, He knows exactly what He is doing. He "predestines" this adoption, planning it far in advance. All of this arises from His own "pleasure and will." [Ephesians 1:5]
Second, He prepares throughout Old Testament history. He uses Israel for lessons about adoption, and He places Israelites first in line for sonship.
- Israel and sonship: Exodus 4:22; Isaiah 63:16; Jeremiah 31:9; Hosea 11:1; Romans 9:4; Acts 3:25-26; 13:46
Third, He sends Jesus who speaks in family terms: "our Father," "My brothers," and therefore "sons of God." [Matthew 5:9,45; 6:9; 12:48-49; 13:37; 28:10; Luke 6:35; 8:21; 11:11; John 20:17; Hebrews 2:11-12]
Fourth, He gives His Son as the "ransom" that permits us to be "adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ." [Ephesians 1:5; Hebrews 2:9-10]
Fifth, He calls all sinners through the Gospel, which includes the call to "turn to God in repentance" (Acts 20:21). [Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30; 20:21; 26:20].
"'Therefore come out from them and be separate,' says the Lord.
'Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.' 'I will be a
Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters,' says the
Lord Almighty" (2Corinthians 6:17-18). M
Sixth, Those who believe and repent are baptized. They enter Christ, and so become "sons of God."
"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all
of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with
Christ" (Galatians 3:26-27). M
Do you see the divine logic?
****Jesus is the Son of God; therefore every believer baptized into Christ becomes a son of God.****
As if all this is not enough, God adds yet another step. As the seventh, it has to do with the completeness of adoption now, and the completion of our final welcome home.
Seventh, at baptism God sends His Spirit to dwell in us. [Galatians 3:26-27; 4:6-7; Acts 2:38; 5:32; 1Corinthians 12:13] He marks us as true sons (Ephesians 1:13-14) [2Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Romans 8:14-17; 1John 3:24; 4:13] The Spirit will also raise our bodies from death, or mortality, when Christ returns. In that resurrection, the Spirit finalizes forever "our adoption as sons" (Romans 8:23).
"But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a
woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might
receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent
the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out,
"Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and
since you are a son, God has made you also an heir" (Galatians
4:4-7).
God's adoption of us "in Christ" is legally binding. As Galatians 4:5 shows, it now gives us "the full rights of sons." Yet, since God's grace keeps overflowing, this heavenly adoption goes further than earthly adoptions can. After taking the legal step of adoption, the Father then takes the amazing step of sharing His own Spirit with us. Notice the order of events: first the adoption, then the gift of the Spirit. "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts."
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