Baptist Theological College 08 September 2017

TH23 Christ and Salvation

ADOPTION

Defintions
Adoption is when God changes our status from alienation and hostility to a position of acceptance and
favour in relation to himself (Erickson 2001, 321).

Adoption is an act of God whereby he makes us members of his family (Grudem 1994, 736).

The Doctrine of Adoption in Scripture

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And
that is what we are! (1 John 3:1).

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children
of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of
God (John 1:12-13).

Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that
makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba,
Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are
children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his
sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory (Rom. 8:14-17).

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 (Gal. 4:4-7).

 The doctrine of adoption is mainly expressed in Scripture that God is now our “Father” and that we
are now his “children” because we are in Christ.
 Just as Christ called God using the intimate name abba in Mark 14:36, we can now call God the same
way because of our relationship with Christ and the Holy Spirit’s presence in us (Rom. 8:15; Gal.
4:6).
 Those who have faith in Christ have become children of God while those who do not have faith are
not (John 1:12; Eph. 2:2-3; 5:6; John 8:42-44).
 Through adoption we became members of God’s family and we are now one family with the
believing Jews of the Old Testament (John 11:52; Rom. 9:7-8; Gal. 4:28, 31; 1 Peter 3:6).
 The full benefits and privileges of membership in God’s family, and the full realization of that
membership, did not come until Christ came and the Spirit of God’s Son was poured into our hearts
(Gal. 3:23-26; John 1:12).
 Our adoption now guarantees that we will inherit the kingdom of God (Matt 25:34), that we will
receive resurrection bodies (Rom. 8:23), and that we will share with the glory of Christ as his co-heirs
(Rom. 8:17).

Evidence/s in our Lives that we are God’s Children

1. The Holy Spirit bears witness in our hearts that we are God’s children (Gal. 4:4-7; 1 John 3:1-2). The
presence and work of the Holy Spirit in our lives gives us assurance of our adoption (Eph. 1:13;
4:30).
2. Jesus calls us “brothers” (and sisters) as part of God’s family (Heb. 2:12, 14) and he is the “firstborn
among many brothers” (Rom. 8:29; John 20:17).
3. Through regeneration, our change of character and attitude towards sin is an evidence that we are
children of God (1 John 5:18-20; 1 John 3:10).

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Baptist Theological College 08 September 2017
TH23 Christ and Salvation

4. Our inner longing and hope for the future aspect of our salvation is evidence that we are children of
God (Rom. 8:22-25).

Adoption in Relation to Our Faith

 Our adoption occurs at the same time with our conversion (faith + repentance), regeneration,
justification (through faith), and union with Christ.
 God has adopted us into his family because we have faith and trust in Christ (Gal. 3:23-26; John
1:12).
 Although both adoption and justification come to us through faith, the two are distinct from each
other. Justification was God’s action as a judge, but adoption was God’s action as a loving Father.
Without adoption, we are only justified before God but not members of his family. It was through
adoption that God’s love is expressed more fully (1 John 3:1).

The Privileges and Benefits of our Adoption

1. We are able to speak to God and relate to him as a good and loving Father.
 He loves us (1 John 3:1)
 He understands us (Ps. 103:13-14)
 He takes care of our needs (Matt. 6:32)
 He gives us many good gifts, especially the Spirit (Luke 11:13)
 He gives us a great inheritance in heaven (Gal. 4:7)
 He forgives our sins (Deut. 5:10; Matt. 6:9-12; Eph. 4:32)
 He reconciles us to himself (Rom. 5:8, 10)
2. We have liberty as children of God (Rom. 8:14-16)
 We are free from the curse of sin (Gal. 3:10-11)
 We are free to serve one another in love (Gal. 5:13)
3. We have the moral benefit of being led by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:14)
4. We have the privilege of being disciplined by God as his children when we do wrong (Heb. 12:5-6)
5. We will have the privilege of sharing both in Jesus’ sufferings and his subsequent glory (Rom. 8:16-
17, 18-21; 1 John 3:2)
6. We have the privilege of having relationship with each other that is far deeper and more intimate than
other kinds of relationships—“brothers and sisters in the Lord” (Rom. 1:13; 1 Cor. 1:10; James 1:2;
Matt. 12:50; James 2:15; 1 Tim. 5:1-2).
7. We have the benefit of imitating our Father in our conduct (Eph. 5:1; 1 Pet. 1:14-16).
8. We have the privilege of honoring our heavenly Father when we walk in paths of righteousness
(Matt. 5:16; Phil. 2:14-15; 1 John 3:10).