The doctrine of adoption is one of the most beautiful and comforting truths of the gospel. While justification declares sinners righteous before God, adoption takes a step further, bringing them into the family of God as His beloved children. It magnifies the grace of God, assures believers of their identity in Christ, and shapes their lives in profound ways. Adoption reveals that the gospel is not merely about being forgiven; it is about being embraced by a heavenly Father who loves us as His own.
For believers in Greenville, South Carolina, this truth is deeply relevant. Understanding adoption leads to greater worship, deeper assurance, and a more fervent commitment to living as children of God. It also equips us to proclaim the hope of reconciliation with the Father to a world fractured by sin.
The Meaning of Adoption
Adoption is the act of God’s grace by which believers, having been justified, are brought into His family and given the rights and privileges of children. The Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF 12.1) defines adoption succinctly:
“All those that are justified, God vouchsafeth, in and for His only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption: by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God, have His name put upon them, receive the Spirit of adoption, have access to the throne of grace with boldness, are enabled to cry, Abba, Father, are pitied, protected, provided for, and chastened by Him as by a Father; yet never cast off, but sealed to the day of redemption, and inherit the promises, as heirs of everlasting salvation.”
This definition emphasizes the grace-filled nature of adoption and the profound privileges it bestows on believers. It also distinguishes adoption from justification, showing how God’s grace not only pardons but also embraces sinners as His children.
The Biblical Basis for Adoption
1. Adoption in the Old Testament
Adoption is prefigured in God’s relationship with Israel. In Exodus 4:22, God declares, “Israel is my son, even my firstborn.” This language reflects a special covenantal relationship, where God treated Israel as His child, providing for, protecting, and disciplining the nation.
Deuteronomy 32:6 describes God as Israel’s Father, and Hosea 11:1 speaks tenderly of this relationship: “When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.” However, this corporate adoption of Israel foreshadowed the fuller reality of individual adoption in Christ. Israel, as a “disobedient son,” highlighted the need for the perfect Son of God to secure true adoption for God’s people.
2. Adoption in the New Testament
The New Testament reveals the fullness of adoption as a blessing secured by Christ and applied to believers by the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:5 proclaims, “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.”
This verse shows that adoption is part of God’s eternal plan, accomplished through Christ and grounded in His sovereign grace. Romans 8:15-17 expands on this theme, “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. 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.”
These passages emphasize the intimate relationship believers have with God and the inheritance they share as His children.
Adoption Through Christ
1. Christ as the Basis of Adoption
Adoption is made possible through the work of Jesus Christ. John 1:12 declares, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”
Christ, as the eternal Son of God, secures adoption for believers through His redemptive work. Galatians 4:4-5 explains, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”
Through His incarnation, obedience, and atoning death, Christ removes the barriers of sin and estrangement, enabling believers to be reconciled to God and adopted as His children.
2. Union with Christ
Adoption is inseparably linked to union with Christ. As believers are united to Christ by faith, they share in His sonship and are welcomed into God’s family. Romans 8:29 describes this reality: “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
Union with Christ is the foundation of all spiritual blessings, including adoption, justification, and sanctification. Ephesians 1:3-14 highlights this connection, showing how believers are chosen, redeemed, and adopted “in Christ.”
The Privileges of Adoption
The blessings of adoption are profound and transformative. The Larger Catechism (LC 74) summarizes these privileges:
“Adoption is an act of the free grace of God, in and for His only Son Jesus Christ, whereby all those that are justified are received into the number of His children, have His name put upon them, the Spirit of His Son given to them, are under His fatherly care and dispensations, admitted to all the liberties and privileges of the sons of God, made heirs of all the promises, and fellow heirs with Christ in glory.”
1. God as Father
Through adoption, believers have the privilege of addressing God as “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15). This intimate relationship reflects the care, love, and provision of a perfect Father.
2. The Spirit of Adoption
Believers receive the Holy Spirit, who testifies to their status as God’s children and empowers them to live as such (Romans 8:16). The Spirit comforts, sanctifies, and guides believers in their daily walk.
3. Access to God
Adoption grants believers access to God’s throne of grace with boldness and confidence (Hebrews 4:16). This access is not based on merit but on their status as children of God.
4. Heirs of Glory
Adoption makes believers heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). This inheritance includes eternal life, the promises of Scripture, and the glory of the new creation.
The Responsibilities of Adoption
Adoption is a gift of grace, but it also carries responsibilities for believers as members of God’s family.
1. Living as Children of God
Adoption calls believers to live in a manner worthy of their status as God’s children. 1 John 3:1-2 exhorts, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God.”
This includes reflecting God’s character, loving one another, and pursuing holiness.
2. Bearing the Family Name
As children of God, believers bear His name and represent Him in the world. This responsibility calls for integrity, faithfulness, and a commitment to glorifying God in all areas of life (Matthew 5:16).
3. Discipline and Obedience
God, as a loving Father, disciplines His children for their good. Hebrews 12:5-11 teaches that this discipline is part of their sanctification, shaping them into the image of Christ.
In a society that often devalues familial relationships, the doctrine of adoption restores a biblical vision of God as a loving Father. It provides a model of unconditional love, discipline, and care, countering distorted views of authority and family.
The Hope of Adoption
Adoption not only assures believers of their present status as God’s children but also points to their future inheritance. Romans 8:23 speaks of the “adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body,” connecting adoption to the final resurrection and glorification. This eschatological hope inspires perseverance and joy, even in the midst of suffering.
The doctrine of adoption profoundly impacts how believers live and relate to God, others, and the world.
1. Assurance and Comfort
Adoption assures believers of their identity in Christ and their secure place in God’s family. This assurance provides comfort in trials, knowing that God’s love is unchanging and His care is constant.
2. Worship and Gratitude
The grace of adoption should lead believers to worship and gratitude, marveling at the love of God that makes them His children. Ephesians 1:6 declares that adoption is “to the praise of the glory of his grace.”
3. Unity in the Church
Adoption unites believers as brothers and sisters in Christ. This truth calls the church to love, support, and encourage one another as members of God’s family.
4. Evangelism and Mission
Adoption motivates believers to proclaim the gospel, offering the hope of reconciliation with God to others. Knowing they are children of God, believers can boldly invite others to share in the blessings of His family.
Conclusion
The doctrine of adoption reveals the depths of God’s grace and the richness of His love for His people. Through Christ, believers are not only justified but also brought into the family of God as His beloved children, with all the privileges and responsibilities that status entails.
For the church in Greenville, South Carolina, this truth is a source of profound comfort and inspiration. As adopted children of God, we are called to live in gratitude, worship, and obedience, proclaiming the gospel of adoption to a world in need of reconciliation with the Father.
May we rejoice in the grace of adoption and live as sons and daughters of the King, glorifying Him in all that we do. As 1 John 3:1 reminds us, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.”