ADOPTED INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD

4/22/01

 

   OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS WE HAVE BEEN STUDYING ABOUT THE BIBLICAL TEACHING OF ADOPTION.  THIS MORNING I WOULD LIKE TO CONCLUDE MY COMMENTS ABOUT THIS SUBJECT MATTER OF ADOPTION BY LOOKING AT SOME OF THE PRIVILEGES AND BLESSINGS OF ADOPTION AS WELL AS SOME OF THE LIABILITIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF ADOPTION.  TO BEGIN WITH LET’S READ THREE PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE WHICH TALK ABOUT ADOPTION.

 

Eph 1:3-7

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

 

   THERE ARE TWO ASPECTS TO BIBLICAL SONSHIP: ONE IS BY REGENERATION AND THE OTHER IS BY ADOPTION.   I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THIS MORNING WHY BOTH ARE NECESSARY BUT FIRST LET ME DEFINE THIS BIBLICAL CONCEPT OF 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 huiothesia (hwee-oth-es-ee'-ah); the LEAGAL PROCESS OF placing as a son TO ONE TO WHOM IT DID NOT NATURALLY BELONG. NOW, 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 illustration 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.

 

Rom 8:12-17

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors--not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

 

   SO Adoption was the legal action by which a person takes into his family a child not his own with the purpose of treating him as and giving him all the privileges of his own natural child. An adopted child was legally entitled to all THE rights and privileges of a natural-born child.

 

Barclay observes, "The adopted person lost all rights in his old family and gained all the rights of a legitimate son in his new family . . . He got a new father. He became heir to his new father’s estate. Even if other sons were afterwards born it did not affect his rights. He was inalienably co-heir with them. In law, the old life of the adopted person was completely wiped out; for instance all debts were canceled. He was regarded as a new person entering into a new life with which the past had nothing to do. In the eyes of the law he was absolutely the son of his new father." They even had an adoption ceremony that was carried out in the presence of seven witnesses.  WHAT A BLESSING IT IS TO BE ADOPTED INTO THE FAMILY OR GOD.  NOW LET’S LOOK AT ANOTHER N.T. PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE THAT SPEAKS ABOUT ADOPTION.

 

Gal 4:1-7

4:1 Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, 2 but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in

bondage under the elements of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

 

   HERE PAUL IS TELLING US THAT A CHILD IS NO DIFFERENT FROM A SLAVE EVEN THOUGH HE IS A LEGITIMATE HEIR BY BIRTH.  HE IS STILL UNDER TUTORS UNTIL HE CAN BE MENTORED TO THE POSITION AS A MATRUE, RESPONSIBLE ADULT.  NO FATHER IS GOING TO GIVE THEIR ENTIRE ESTATE TO A NEW BORN BABY AND YET WHEN WE ARE BORN AGAIN INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD BY REGENERATION WE ARE DESCRIBED AS NEW BORN BABIES WHO DESIRE THE SINCERE MILK OF GOD’S WORD.

 

John 3:1-8

3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." 3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." 4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" 5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of  water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

 

Titus 3:3-7

3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified

by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

 

   THE BIBLICAL TERMS, ‘BORN AGAIN’ AND ‘REGENERATION’ ARE SYNONOMOUS AND DESCIRBE ANOTHER ASPECT OF SONSHIP.  HERE WERE ARE BORN INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD AS NEW BORN BABES WITH THE INHERENT NATURE AND DISPOSITION OF OUR SPIRITUAL FATHER, WHO IS GOD HIMSELF.  THE KEY DISTINCTION AND NECESSITY OF ADOPTION IN ADDITION TO REGENERATION IS THAT IN REGENREATION WE ARE CHILDREN WHO NEED TO GROW AND MATURE BUT IN ADOPTION WE ARE REGARDED AS FULLY GROWN AND MATURE ADULTS.  NOW WHY IS THAT SO IMPORTANT?  IT’S A MATTER OF LEGAL CONSEQUENCE.  YOU SEE A CHILD IS NOT IN THE POSITION TO RECEIVE THE BENEFITS OF HIS INHERITANCE UNTIL HE GROWS AND MATURES BUT AND ADOPTED SON HAS IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO THE RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES OF SONSHIP AS AN ADULT HEIR.

 

Gal 3:26

26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,

 

SO AT THE MOMENT OF SALVATION THE BELIEVER RECEIVES ADOPTION AND IS placed as an adult son in the family of God. Two things happened in our relationship to God’s family the moment we believed on Christ as our Savior. The believing sinner, who is not a natural son or daughter of God, is positioned as an adult son in the family of God. This is a legal action and position. It is like a formal adoption or the legal placing of a child in a new family. Please keep in mind this is not the same as regeneration. It is the act of God, which places the believer in His family as an adult son. At the same time we are told in the Scriptures the believer is spiritually born into the family of God. This is the new birth or regeneration. In this sense we are as a child who needs to grow and develop. The believing sinner in his LEGAL position BEFORE GOD is one of full privilege in the family of God; his practice OR ACTUAL EXPERIENCE, however, involves growth in grace and knowledge of Christ.

 

1 Peter 2:1-3

2:1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

 

When the Apostle Paul speaks of our spiritual adoption by God he uses the word huiosthesia - (huios - a son) (thesis: a placing), to place as a son, the place given to one to whom it does not belong. A believer under grace is placed as an adopted son in the family of God. He is an adult son of God. It is used only in reference to a believer in this age of grace. Adoption puts the emphasis on the position we have with God as His full-grown children. This spiritual adoption takes place at the time one is saved and thus becomes a child of God. The one thus placed has at once all the privilege and liberty of a full-grown person. Moreover, it also imposes on the believer the responsibilities of belonging to full maturity. Whatever God declares true of any believer, He addresses to all believers. Because we have all been adopted God expects all believers to behave accordingly. Every believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit and has the same enabling. Our position as a full-grown child of God enables us to live the Christian life. There is no other way to live it. God doesn't just save us and turn us lose on the world to live however we want. He saves us and indwells us with His presence and power so He can live His life through us.

 

Acts 17:28

28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

 

Eph 2:19-22

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens

with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation

 of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy t

emple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to

become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

 

When a lost sinner becomes a Christian he enters into the family of God. He does not deserve it. God in His amazing love, grace and mercy has taken the lost, helpless, poverty-stricken, debt-laden sinner and adopted him into His own family, so that the debts are canceled and the glory inherited. Jesus told Nicodemus a Jewish religious leader, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." There are no exceptions. We all must be born into the family of God.

 

The actual placement of the believer into the family of God is by this spiritual birth. This is the work of regeneration by the Holy Spirit. As a result of our spiritual birth we become "little children" (teknion). The believer's relation to God as a child results from the new birth (John 1:12, 13). "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." Because of this spiritual birth we are to grow and become mature in our spiritual life. What then does adoption teach us? God, in His mercy, has brought us into His absolute possession. The old life has no more rights over us; God has an absolute right to us. The past is canceled and its debts are wiped out; we began a new life with God and become heirs of all His riches. Since that is true, we become joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, God’s unique Son. That which Christ inherits, we also inherit. Since Christ was raised to life and glory, we also inherit that life and glory.

 

You see, We are no longer members of Adam's family. We have a new father. We have a new head of the family. God the Father loves us and wants us to become members of His family. All of our inheritance from Adam with its sin and death has been cancelled out and we are now members of another family. God is now our Father and Jesus is our big brother! What a privilege and honor to be members of His family.

 

Now, in order for us to be able to grow into mature, responsible adult heirs of god we need all the help god can give us.  That help is immediately given to every new born child of god because he has a legal right to it and all the provisions of his inheritance by virtue of adoption.  We grow in grace and the knowledge of jesus christ.  Grace is a provision of our inheritance and is the means by which we grow in god.  So, We have a legal right to grace and the opportunity to grow and mature into responsible adults by virture of adoption.

 

Now this brings us to the second aspect of adotion and that is the liabilities and obligaions of adopted sons.

 

Luke 9:23-24

23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

 

Rom 12:1-2

12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.

 

The first obligation we have as a christian is to live in absolute surrender to god and to his will and purpose for our lives.  As an adopted son we must surrender our whole life to god from beginning to end which means that our surrender must be a constant decision that is renewed daily.   Whereas once we acted independent of god now we must make adjustments to work in harmony and unison with god.  The christian life is described as a partnetship with god of which he is the head and the leading partner.  We must follow him and his leading.  This brings us to the second obligation of adoption.

 

Eph 4:11-32

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. 17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.  25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.

 

   this, and many other passages of scripture point out the need for new born babies in christ to grow up. The second obligation we have as a christian is to always be in a position where we are open and willing to change and grow in adjustments to our character and behavior.

 

Rom 8:28-30

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

 

   after regeneration and adoption god has a pre-determined plan for your life.  He will cause everything to work together towards our conformity to the image and likeness of christ.  The word image in the greek is the english word character.  After we have been adopted into the family of god we have an obligation to become like christ in our conduct, character and behavior.

 

Heb 12:5-11

"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."  7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

 

   THIS PASSAGE IN HEBREWS DESCRIBES THE THIRD OBLIGATION WE HAVE AS THE ADOPTED CHILDREN OF GOD.  GOD HAS AN ABSOLUTE RIGHT TO FATHER US INTO MATURE, RESPONSIBLE ADULTHOOD.  GOD HAS GONE TO GREAT PAINS TO BECOME OUR FATHER AND NOW HE HAS THE RIGHT TO BECOME OUR FATHER AND WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION NOT TO ALIENATE OURSELVES FROM HIM BY PURSUING OUR OWN AGENDA IN LIFE.  WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT IS THE OBLIGATION OF SUBMITTING TO THE FATHER’S DISCIPLINE.  THE SCRIPTURE TELLS US THAT EVERY SON THE FATHERS LOVES, IS DISCIPLINED.  NOW THAT DOESN’T MEAN WE ARE PUNISHED FOR OUR SINS BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT WE MUST LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES SO THAT THEY ARE NOT ENDLESSLY REPEATED IN OUR LIFE.  AS AN ADOPTED SON WE HAVE THE OBLIGATION TO SUBMIT TO THE FATHER’S DISCIPLINE, CORRECTION AND TRAINING.

 

   WE MUST CONCLUDE THAT THE RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES OF ADOPTION FAR OUT WEIGH THE OBLIGATIONS OF ADOPTION OR WE WOULD NOT CONTINUE AS THE CHILDREN OF GOD.  YES, GOD DOES HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO BE OUR FATHER BUT HE DOES THIS WILLINGING AND ACCEPTS ALL OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES AS A FATHER TO PROVIDE FOR OUR PROTECTION AND NOURISHMENT IN THIS LIFE.  WE CAN LIVE FREE FROM WORRY AND STRESS BECAUSE WE CAN CALL GOD OUR FATHER.

 

Matt 6:31-33

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

 

   WHAT IS STRESS?  STRESS IS REALLY FEAR, FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN.  PAUL TELLS US THAT WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF BONDAGE ABAIN TO FEAR BUT WE HAVE RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION WHEREBY WE ACKNOWLEDGE DEEP IN OUR BEING THAT GOD IS ACTUALLY OUR FATHER.  WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT IS TO BE A REGENERATED AND ADOPTED CHILD OF GOD.