ADOPTED INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD

4/1/01

Rom 8:13-23

13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 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. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 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. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 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.

 

   THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT BEFORE WE ACCEPTED CHRIST AS OUR SAVIOR WE WERE ALL THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE, THE CHILDREN OF WRATH AND THE CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL AND IN DESPERATE NEED OF GOD’S LOVE TO REDEEM US AND RESCUE US.

 

Eph 2:3

3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

 

Eph 5:6

6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

 

Col 3:6

6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

 

   THESE VERSES TELL US THAT WE WERE BY NATURE CHILDREN APPOINTED AND DESTINED TO RECEIVE GOD’S WRATH BECAUSE OF OUR PERSONAL SIN.   YOU SEE, SIN IS AN ATTACK ON GOD’S HONOR AND HOLINESS.  IT IS A REBELLION AGAINST GOD.  SHOULD GOD PERMIT HIS HONOR TO BE ATTACK HE WOULD THEN CEASE TO BE GOD.  HIS HONOR CALLS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ONE RESISTING HIM; HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS DEMANDS STAISFACTION OF THE VIOLATED LAW, AND HIS HOLINESS REACTS AGAINST SIN IN THE FORM OF WRATH.  GOD’S WRATH IS NOT AUTOMATIC IT IS GOVERNED BY SOME PERSONAL CONSIDERATIONS, PRIMARILY HIS LONGSUFFERING AND UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.  GOD IN HIS GREAT MERCY PROVIDED A MEANS BY WHICH HE COULD RESCUE US BECAUSE HE HAS LOVED US HAS MADE US ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED.  OUR SALVATION HAS TWO PARTS: 1. FIRST OF ALL IT LEGALLY SATISFIES DIVINE JURISPRUDENCE AND 2. SECONDLY, SALVATION IS PERSONAL, GOD LOVES US AND ADOPTS US INTO HIS FAMILY.

Gal 4:4-7

4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because

ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

 

   HERE WE SEE GOD INITIATING THE FIRST ASPECT OF HIS PLAN OF SALVATION.  IN ORDER TO SATISFY THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW IT WAS NECESSARY THAT CHRIST BE MADE OF A WOMAN AND MADE UNDER THE LAW.  HAVING BECOME FLESH, JESUS HAS BEEN MADE LIKE US AND QUALIFIES TO BECOME OUR KINSMAN REDEEMER.  JESUS WAS THE INCARNATE SON OF GOD AND WAS EVERY PART OF A REAL MAN AND EVERY PART REAL IN HIS DIETY.  AS A MAN HE WAS SUBJECT TO THE LAW OF GOD JUST LIKE YOU AND ME. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT JESUS NEVER YIELDED TO TEMPTATION.  BY SO DOING HE QUALIFIED TO BECOME OUR REDEEMER AS WE READ IN:

 

Gal 4:4-5

4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.

 

   ONCE JESUS HAD SATISFIED THE LEGAL REQUIRMENT TO REDEEM US HE OPENED THE WAY FOR GOD TO ADOPT US INTO HIS FAMILY.  YOU SEE, ONCE JESUS DEALT WITH THE PROBLEM OF SINS POWER TO SEPARATE US FROM GOD, HE COULD THEN LEGALLY RECEIVE US AND ADOPT US INTO HIS FAMILY.

 

Isa 59:1-2

59:1 Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

 

   THE ONLY WAY THAT HE COULD ACCOPMPLISH THIS WAS TO BECOME OUR SUBSTITUTE AND TAKE OUR PLACE ON THE CROSS AND BECOME THE OBJECT OF GOD’S WRATH BY BEING MADE SIN WHO KNEW NO SIN.  WE CAN CLEARLY SEE THIS IN ISA.53.

 

Isa 53:1-12

53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

 

   WHAT A POWER PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE.  VERSE 10 TELLS US EXPLICITLY THAT IT PLEASED THE LORD TO BRUISE HIM WHICH MEANS THAT HIS WRATH FOR THE AGGRGEGATE SIN OF MANKIND HAS BEEN SATISFIED AT CLAVARY’S CROSS.

 

2 Cor 5:21

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

 

   REMEMBER NOW THAT WE WERE BY NATURE THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE AND APPOINTED TO RECEIVE GOD’S ANGER AND WRATH BECAUSE OF OUR PERSONAL SIN.  JESUS HAS BECOME SIN FOR US AND HAS TAKEN OUR PLACE ON THE CROSS AND SATISFIED ALL OF GOD’S ANGER AND WRATH SO THAT WE DON’T HAVE TO.   NOW THAT SIN HAS BEEN LEGALLY DEALT WITH GOD IS FREE TO ADOPT US INTO HIS FAMILY.  HE DOES THIS BECAUSE HE LOVES US AND WANTS US TO BECOME A PART OF HIS FAMILY.

 

Eph 3:14-19

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

 

   YES, GOD HAS POURED OUT HIS IMMEASURABLE LOVE TOWARDS US AND HAS ADOPTED US INTO HIS FAMILY.  YOU SEE, GOD HAS A SPIRITUAL FAMILY, BUT NOT EVERYONE BELONGS TO IT.  REMEMBER WE WERE BY NATURE OR BY OUR NATURAL BIRTH THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE, THE CHILDREN OF WRATH AND THE CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL.  THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO BELONG TO THE FAMILY OF GOD ARE THOSE WHO ARE BORN OF THE SPIRIT AND HAVE BEEN ADOPTED INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD.  THE ESSENTIAL PREREQUISITE FOR BEING A PART OF THE FAMILY OF GOD IS RECEIVING JESUS CHRIST BY FAITH.  THAT MEANS RECOGNIZING THAT WE CAN NEVER GET RIGHT WITH GOD ON OUR OWN, BUT SINCE JESUS, THE PERFECT SON OF GOD, DIED TO PAY THE PENALTY FOR OUR SIN WE CAN GET RIGHT WITH GOD IF WE RETAIN JESUS AS OUR ATTORNEY.  YOU SEE, THERE’S ONLY ONE MEDIATOR BETWEEN MAN AND GOD AND THAT IS THE MAN JESUS CHRIST. 

 

1 John 2:1-2

2:1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

 

   ENTRANCE INTO GOD’S SPIRITUAL FAMILY IS BY ADOPTION.  Webster's Dictionary defines adoption FROM THE LATIN adapature which lit. means to choose and hence to bring into a specific relationship; to take unto ones own family by legal process and raise as ones own child.  The greek word  for adoption is as follows: huiothesia (hwee-oth-es-ee'-ah); from a presumed compound of NT:5207 and a derivative of NT:5087; the placing as a son, i.e. adoption (figuratively, Christian sonship in respect to God): By New Testament times, Roman customs exercised a great deal of influence on Jewish family life. One custom is particularly significant in relation to adoption. Roman law required that the adopter be a male and childless; the one to be adopted had to be an independent adult, able to agree to be adopted. In the eyes of the law, the adopted one became a new creature; he was regarded as being born again into the new family which is an illustra-tion of what happens to the believer at conversion. this Roman law of adoption required a due legal form which resulted in that the adopted child was entitled to the father's name, possessions, and family sacred rights, as his heir at law. The father also was entitled to his son's property, and was his absolute owner. Generally Gratuitous love was the ground of the selection and Often times it was a slave who was adopted as a son.  I think its interesting that we were once slaves to sin but god in his great love and mercy has adopted us into his family as sons and daughters.

 

15 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.

 

 

   LET ME READ SOMETHING FROM CHARLES Spurgeon's Sermon: “The spirit of bondage made us fear, but the Spirit of adoption gives us full assurance.Thus it is clear that the Spirit of adoption is a spirit of liberty, and a spirit of confidence. As a child is sure that its father will love him, feed him, clothe him, teach him, and do all that is good for him, so are we sure that "No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly" Ps 84:11; but he will make all things to "work together for good to them that love God" Rom 8:28.  YES, The spirit of bondage made us fear, but the Spirit of adoption gives us full assurance. That fear which distrusts God-that fear which doubts whether He will remain a loving and merciful God-that fear which makes us think that all his love will come to an end-that is gone, for we cry, "Abba, Father," and that cry is the death of doubting and fearing.

 

Eph 1:3-7

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

 

   GOD’S ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO HAVE A FAMILY OF OBEDIENT SONS AND DAUGHTERS WHO WOULD DELIGHT IN HIS LOVE AND DESIRE TO SEE HIS FAMILY AND HIS DOMINION INCREASE.  THERE IS A CERTAIN PRIVILEGE THAT BELONGS EXCLUSIVELY TO FAMILY AND GOD IN HIS GREAT LOVE HAS GIVEN US THAT PRIVILEGE, THAT RANK AND HONOR TO BE CALLED THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD. 

John 1:12

12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-

 

   YES, IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO BE LEGALLY ADOPTED INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD.  ADOPTION IS A LEGAL PROCESS BUT IT MUST ALSO HAVE A PERSONAL APPLICATION SO THAT WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE BONAFIDE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD.  THAT’S WHY PAUL CALLS IT THE “SPIRIT OF ADOPTION” IN:

 

ROM. 8:15-16

15 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. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;

 

   THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD’S ADOPTION AGENT.  A PARAPHRASE OF THIS VERSE WOULD SOUND SOMETHING LIKE THIS: “ WHEN WE RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE DID NOT RECEIVE A SPIRIT WHOSE GOAL WAS TO ENSLAVE US, BUT RATHER WHOSE JOB IT WAS TO ADOPT US INTO GOD’S FAMILY.”  WE NEED TO KNOW FOR SURE THAT ADOPTION IS A LEGAL ACTION WITH EXPERIENTIAL RESULTS.  THERE ARE MANY CHILDREN IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY WHO ARE LEGALLY ADOPTED BUT DON’T FEEL LIKE THEY REALLY BELONG.  BUT WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT BRINGS ABOUT ADOPTION INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD, HE ALSO GOES BEYOND THE LEGAL AND DOES SOMETHING EXPERIENTIAL FOR US.  HE HELPS US SUBSTITUTE THE OLD FEELINGS OF FEAR WITH A QUIET CONFIDENCE THAT THINGS ARE “ALL RIGHT” BETWEEN US AND GOD.  THAT OLD SPIRIT OF BONDAGE LEADING TO FEAR IS WHAT WE ALL EXPERIENCED BEFORE WE RECEIVED CHRIST.  THERE WAS A BONDAGE TO SIN AND A PARALYZING FEAR OF CONDEMNATION.  BUT THERE IS NO NEED FOR THAT KNOW, BECAUSE IN THE PLACE OF THAT FEAR THE HOLY SPIRIT IMPARTS IN OUR HEARTS A SENSE OF SECURITY LIKE THAT OF A FAVORITE SON, TO THE POINT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO CRY OUT TO GOD AS “ABBA FATHER” OR DADDY.

 

  THE NEXT THING I SEE IN PAULS NARRATIVE IN ROM.8:16 IS THAT 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.  YOU SEE, IT’S THE HOLY SPIRIT’S JOB TO MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE ACTUALLY THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD.  THE SPIRIT HIMSELF TESTIFIES WITH OUR SPIRIT THAT WE ARE IN FACT GOD’S CHILDREN.  I THINK THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACET OF ADOPTION.  IT IS ONE THING FOR US TO HAVE A LEGAL CONTRACT WITH GOD BUT ITS QUITE ANOTHER THING TO RECEIVE THE LOVE OF GOD AND FEEL LIKE WE BELONG TO THE FAMILY OF GOD.  THAT FEELING OF BELONGING HAS THE POWER TO HEAL US FROM THE WORLD’S REJECTION AND GIVE US A SENSE OF BOLDNESS AND CONFIDENCE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT GOD IS OUR FATHER AND THAT ALL OF HIS RESOURCES BECOMES LEGALLY OURS BY VIRTUE OF ADOPTION. 

 

   DID YOU KNOW THAT A CHILD’S BEHAVIOR IS LARGELY DICTATED BY HIS PERCEPTION OF WHETHER HE “BELONGS” IN THE FAMILY.  IF A CHILD IS NOT SECURE IN HIS PARENTS LOVE HE WILL SHOW IT IN HIS BEHAVIOR, IN HIS ATTITUDES AND IN HIS ACHIEVEMENTS.  SO LIKEWISE A CHRISTIAN’S VICTORY OVER SIN IN HIS LIFE IS LARGELY RELATED TO HIS ASSURANCE OF “BELONG” TO GOD’S FAMILY.  YOU SEE, THE HOLY SPIRIT INDWELLS EVERY BELIEVER: HE LEADS US; HE HAS ADOPTED US ENABLING US TO REPLACE FEAR WITH WARMTH, PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND HE WITNESSES WITH OUR SPIRIT AS TO THE REALITY OF OUR STATUS AS GOD’S CHILDREN.  BY SO DOING WE HAVE A DESIRE TO PLEASE GOD AND WALK IN HIS COMMANDS... IT’S LOVE THAT IS MOTIVATING US, NOT FEAR:

 

John 14:20-21

 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

 

   LAST WEEK, MY MAIN EMPHASIS IN PREPARATION FOR COMMUNION WAS THE IMMEASURABLE LOVE THAT GOD HAS FOR US.  WE LOVE HIM BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US.  LOVE RECEIVED HAS AN IMMEDIATE CONSEQUENCE, A DESIRE TO LOVE IN RETURN.  JESUS STATED IN THIS VERSE THAT OUR LOVE FOR GOD WILL BE THE DIRECT RESULT OF OUR OBEYING HIS WILL AND FULFILLING HIS DESTINY FOR OUR LIVES.  DO YOU SEE THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED BY FEAR BUT ONLY BY GOD’S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.  WON’T YOU OPEN YOUR HEART TO GOD’S LOVE TODAY AND RECEIVE THAT SPIRIT OF ADOPTION WHEREBY WE CRY OUT TO GOD, ABBA FATHER.