New City Churchs Summer 2012 Online Book Club

JI Packers Knowing God ~ Chapter 19, Sons of God (Sections 1-3) Before reading: How prominent of a place does your adoption as a son or daughter of God hold in your day-today life?

Purpose: To grasp the tremendous significance of adoption in the Christian life

Outline: I. II. III. Sons of God Adoption: The Highest Privilege Adoption: The Basis for Life

Key Quotes: What is a Christian? The question can be answered in many ways, but the richest answer I know is that a Christian is one who has God for his Father. If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being Gods child, and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means that he does not understand Christianity very well at all. Father is the Christian name for God. To those who are Christ's, the holy God is a loving Father; they belong to His family; they may approach Him without fear, and always be sure of his Fatherly concern and care. This is the heart of the New Testament message. Our first point about adoption is that it is the highest privilege of the gospel offers: higher even the justification. That justification by which we need Gods forgiveness of the past together with His acceptance for the future is the primary and fundamental blessing of the gospel is not in question. Justification is the primary blessing because it meets our primary spiritual need.And as justification is the primary blessing, so it is the fundamental, in the sense that everything else in our salvation assumes it, and rests on itadoption included. But this is not to say that justification is the highest blessing of the gospel. Adoption is higher, because of the richer relationship with God that it involves. Adoption is a family idea, conceived in terms of love, and viewing God as father. In adoption, God takes us into His family and fellowship, and establishes us as His children and heirs. Closeness, affection and generosity are at the heart of the relationship. To be right with God the judge is a great thing, but to be loved and cared for by God the Father is a greater. The entire Christian life has to be understood in terms of it [i.e., adoption.] Sonship must be the controlling thoughtthe normative category, if you likeat every point.. Reflection Questions: 1. Someone says that God is the Father of all people. How would you respond? 2. What does the author mean when he says that adoption is the highest privilege that the gospel offers? 3. Why does the author contend that the entire life must be understood in terms of adoption? Review these questions & quotes, and let them direct your thoughts, prayer, and praise.