ADOPTION 

“Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:”   (Exodus 4:22) 

“When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.”   (Hosea 11:1)   

Israel's sonship was not the natural relationship between the Creator and all of fallen, sinful mankind.  It was a special relationship made by God's Covenant with His chosen people. 

In the Holy Scriptures, a clear distinction is made between the “offspring” of God by creation and the children of God by ADOPTION into the obedience of faith.  All mankind are the offspring of God by creation.  But God adopts only the elect as His children. 

As one devout Jew clearly explained, Israel's Messiah came “to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the ADOPTION of SONS.”   (Galatians 4:5)  (Emphasis mine) 

The elect (both Jew and Gentile) were not just children that needed to grow up.  We were slaves of sin that needed to be redeemed.  ADOPTION brings us from slavery to sonship.  This involves chastisement by our Heavenly Father as well as inheritance with our Redeemer. 

“And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.”   (Hebrews 12:5-6) 

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”   (Romans 8:16-17) 

ADOPTION NOW 

When the elect are born of the Spirit, they repent of sin and savingly believe in Christ.  God then justifies them, solely on the basis of the obedience of Christ their Representative. 

“For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”   (Romans 5:19)   

When the elect are justified by faith in Christ, God then ADOPTS them as His children.  They are taken into the family of God.  They receive the Spirit of ADOPTION, have access to the Throne of Grace and are enabled to cry “ABBA, Father” -- to the Lord God Almighty. 

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of ADOPTION, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”   (Romans 8:14-15)  (Emphasis mine) 

God pities, protects, and provides for every true child of God.  He chastens them as needed. But He never casts them off.  Rather He seals them with the Holy Spirit until the Day of Redemption.  We inherit the promises as heirs of everlasting salvation. 

ADOPTION THEN 

The Bible tells us that the whole creation is groaning under bondage.  This is due to God's curse on sin.  Everywhere around us there is corruption, decay and death.  But the return of Jesus the Messiah will mean a Resurrection of the Just -- a manifestation of the sons of God. 

This will result in all things being made new.  No more sin.  No more curse.  No more corruption, decay and death.  We will have a glorious freedom to love God and enjoy Him forever.  A New Heavens and a New Earth, wherein dwells righteousness.  Joy and peace will abound.   

This resurrection of the sons of God is referred to as ”the redemption” of our body.  Redemption usually means to “buy back”.  But a different Greek word is used for “redemption of the body”.  It is transliterated “apolutrosis” and means “release”. 

Redemption of the body means a “release” -- a loosing from all restraints that the mortal body was in bondage to under the curse.  This is the final result of our ADOPTION into the family of God, by faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.   

“And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the ADOPTION, to wit, the REDEMPTION of our BODY.”   (Romans 8:23)   (Emphasis mine)   Hallelujah, what a Saviour!!!

(From MY TESTIMONY Copyright © 2002 by George R. Theiss)

George Theiss is a combat veteran of Vietnam who now follows the Lamb of God.  He is editor of Tulip Gems.  His articles have appeared in several online “ezines” including Christian Online, Daily Watch, Filling up Space for Christ, Sand Dollar and The Write Way.    He and Christy have been married 26 years.  They have 8 children.

Author's Web Site: www.tulipgems.com

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