Adoption into the Family of God
Welcome to the family of God where all believers are referred affectionately by family titles. We are all seen as “children“ or “little children“. John 1:12-13 states, “ 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.” Believers are referred to as “children of God” or “sons of God” over 30 times in the Bible between Genesis chapter 6 and 1 John chapter 5. So, we can clearly see evidence that scripture considers all Christians as God’s children. If we are “children of God” then we must also be “sons and daughters of God” which are synonymous. Galatians 3:26 states, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” If “sons and daughters of God”, then also heirs of the Father. These familial titles express a close and intimate vertical relationship. In being referred to as “sons and daughters of God”, this relationship expresses not only the vertical relationship with the Father but also the horizontal catholic (universal) relationship of all believers. We are all included regardless of race, age, or nationality as brothers and sisters. Because we are all brothers and sisters, we should have love, respect, and closeness with one another. There is an implied unity in the body of Christ. We are considered part of one big family. We are accepted into the family of God through the imputed righteousness of Christ. In other words, when God sees us, he sees the covering of the blood of Jesus Christ. He no longer sees sin separating us from him. Instead, he sees unifying sacrificial atonement. Through Christ’s propitiation, we have become and will eternally remain acceptable in the sight of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 states, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” We will always be family. God is our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ is referred to as our brother. Romans 8:29 states, “For those whom he for knew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” In this verse, it implies that many were predestined or chosen by God. It also states that in time each of us will begin to be transformed into the likeness of our brother Jesus Christ through a process we call sanctification. We become more like our preeminent brother each day that we may reflect more of our Father’s light. Jesus only does what he sees the father doing; moreover, we should do likewise. If Jesus is our high priest and son of the King then he functions in a dual role of a royal priest. Like his siblings, we too serve our Father in what I like to call, “the family business” as part of a royal priesthood. As priests, we are chosen, sanctified, consecrated family members, set aside exclusively for a holy purpose. We are created for the purpose of glorifying our Father.
Let’s
look at the process of sonship, the process of being adopted into God’s family.
It all starts with the Holy Spirit regenerating our heart and our mind bringing
us new spiritual awakening, a sort of enlightenment or understanding of
spiritual things previously impossible to understand. At this point, we are
finally capable of basic reasoning in truth. The Holy Spirit then convicts our
heart and causes us to make a decision. An
effective calling prompts this decision. Calvinists will debate that we
are without a choice and guided by the Holy Spirit to accept Christ. Armenians
will argue an opposing viewpoint, insisting that we accept Christ completely through
free-will. Whichever way the process works, we know that it is only through the
promptings of the Holy Spirit that we are able
to comprehend and accept truth. Accepting
the message of truth, we accept
Jesus Christ. Accepting Christ, we
receive salvation through his redeeming work. Then, we are considered
“born-again” or “saved”. The Holy Spirit at this point indwells us. At the
same time, we also experience
justification through faith in Christ which gives us the legal right to stand
righteously before God. Christ righteousness is
imputed upon us through the substitutionary
atonement. 2 Corinthians 5:18–19 “All this is from
God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of
reconciliation; that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not
counting people sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of
reconciliation.” Christ, in love for His creation, paid the debt for our sins
and reconciled us to him. In essence, the
complete work of salvation is accomplished
through the collaboration of the Trinity. It is not a single part acting alone. God sent his son to save us then Jesus sent
the Holy Spirit to indwell us. We can consider ourselves truly in the family of
God. Hebrews 10:10 tells us “…We have been made holy through the sacrifice
of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
How do we recognize our brothers and sisters in Christ? How can we definitively distinguish between a child of God and a child of Satan? The Bible tells us that we will recognize those who are children of God by their fruit. This is no average fruit; it is the fruit of salvation. This fruit is the offshoot physical actions resulting from the presence of the Holy Spirit indwelling us. We are given a new heart and mind. We have new desires and new goals. The old things of the world no longer have the appeal that they once did. As we begin to respond to the Holy Spirit we experience sanctification or as Romans 12:2 refers to it, a “renewing of the mind”. Thus, we become more Christlike each day. We become more like our brother. Our hearts are transformed as we obediently read God’s Word. The Holy Spirit uses the inspired Word of God in a unique way to accomplish this. As we grow in knowledge and apply it to our lives, we become wise. The Word performs the transformational process of sanctification in our lives. Then, through application of wisdom we begin to exhibit family traits.
I find it fascinating that we are adopted into Christ family consistent with ancient Hebrew adoption tradition. As an adopted son or daughter of Christ, we have full rights in the family equal to that of a blood son. We also receive the full inheritance. We are not a second level citizen in God’s family. We are also a new creation in Christ’s name. 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, and things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Because we are a new creation and the old has passed away, all prior debt is erased. When a boy was adopted into a Jewish family, he took on a new name and all the prior debt inherited from his old family was forgotten as if it never existed. Psalm 103:12 says, “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.” So, a new identity emerged. Do you know your new role in God’s family? If you do, you are likely to live and respond differently to your Father than before you were adopted into God’s family.
Is it solely the Jews, or are other people called to be part of the family, my God? The Bible tells us that all ethnicities, races, and both sexes were included. Romans 11:11-31 speaks of us being grafted into God‘s family through faith in Christ. We are instantly included or “adopted”. God is still waiting for many more to join his family. The Bible tells us in 2 Peter 3:9 that God is “…patient with you, not wishing that anyone should perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” John 1:12 explains, “Yet to all who receive him, who believe in his name, he gave the power to become children of God.” This statement is all inclusive of humanity. Romans 8:14–17 “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God… The Spirit of sonship… children of God, and if children then heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, providing we suffer with him in order that we may be glorified with him.” We come into this family in legal recognition, full justification, through faith. Romans 9:8-8 states we are, “… not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise (those who accept the promised Messiah) reckoned as descendants.” Galatians 3:26 resolves any doubt by stating, “… in Christ Jesus, you are all sons of God, through faith.”
As children of God, he disciplines us for our benefit. He, like an earthly father, has plans and a purpose that is intended for our life. In order for us to reach our maximum mature potential, he applies to discipline. Hebrews 12:7–8 states “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.” This discipline often comes in the form of trials. Trails are difficult to move through. People often say, “I am going through something.” That is because when you are in the middle of a difficult time in your life is nearly impossible to see past or imagine moving through this. You feel as if you are inside the problem. Hebrews 12:11 tells us that this momentary pain is worthwhile by stating, “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
What does it look like to be in the family of God? Like any other family, there are a few rules and things to expect. We are commanded to have fellowship with other believers, our brothers, and sisters in Christ. We are told to encourage, correct, instruct, and rebuke family members. We are told to help one another and to extend a hand to pick each other up when needed. We are told that we should imitate the father and be holy as he is holy in Ephesians 5:1. We are commanded to love one another. We are told to act as witnesses of Christ, as family representatives to a lost and dying world perishing in sin. We are told to encourage spiritual growth and aid in family advancement. Finally, we are told to except all new family members.
Is your name listed in God’s family album? Is your name listed in the book of life? I found an unlikely illustration of God’s book of life while visiting a Confucianist temple in Hanoi, Vietnam. I would like to share this illustration with you so that you can better understand the concept of a “book of life”. While standing in this temple on a blisteringly hot summer afternoon, I noticed many rows of what appeared to be immense tombstones resting on turtles backs. I asked my guide, “What are these many large stones for? I can tell by the turtles which symbolize learning in Southeast Asia that this has something to do with education.” My guide, a small kind Vietnamese woman smiled, and said, “Yes, it does relate to education. You see each of the stones has names engraved on them. In fact, there are hundreds of names engraved on these stones. Each of these names written in Chinese represents a man who had distinguished himself through scholarly endeavors during his lifetime. Although this is a Confucianist temple now, when it was built in 1070 AD, it was originally a college.” Looking at the stones I asked, “Can you tell me what these smooth, blank spots are on some of the stones?” She said, “I’m glad you noticed those. Those spaces originally had names and were included among the honored; however, during their lifetime each of these men chose to dishonor themselves through their choices and resulting actions. Now these spaces are polished smooth as if they never existed. It is the same with each of us. God chooses to include all people that He created in His family. We decide whether we want to be included. Then we reap the results of that choice.” I stood there in amazement looking at the stones, realizing how important that single choice is to our eternal inclusion in the book of life, to our eternal salvation. The choice is each of ours to make. We all must choose whether to accept the free offer of adoption or to dishonor our Father and ourselves by refusal. To quote Joshua 24:15, “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living in. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
How do we recognize our brothers and sisters in Christ? How can we definitively distinguish between a child of God and a child of Satan? The Bible tells us that we will recognize those who are children of God by their fruit. This is no average fruit; it is the fruit of salvation. This fruit is the offshoot physical actions resulting from the presence of the Holy Spirit indwelling us. We are given a new heart and mind. We have new desires and new goals. The old things of the world no longer have the appeal that they once did. As we begin to respond to the Holy Spirit we experience sanctification or as Romans 12:2 refers to it, a “renewing of the mind”. Thus, we become more Christlike each day. We become more like our brother. Our hearts are transformed as we obediently read God’s Word. The Holy Spirit uses the inspired Word of God in a unique way to accomplish this. As we grow in knowledge and apply it to our lives, we become wise. The Word performs the transformational process of sanctification in our lives. Then, through application of wisdom we begin to exhibit family traits.
I find it fascinating that we are adopted into Christ family consistent with ancient Hebrew adoption tradition. As an adopted son or daughter of Christ, we have full rights in the family equal to that of a blood son. We also receive the full inheritance. We are not a second level citizen in God’s family. We are also a new creation in Christ’s name. 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, and things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Because we are a new creation and the old has passed away, all prior debt is erased. When a boy was adopted into a Jewish family, he took on a new name and all the prior debt inherited from his old family was forgotten as if it never existed. Psalm 103:12 says, “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.” So, a new identity emerged. Do you know your new role in God’s family? If you do, you are likely to live and respond differently to your Father than before you were adopted into God’s family.
Is it solely the Jews, or are other people called to be part of the family, my God? The Bible tells us that all ethnicities, races, and both sexes were included. Romans 11:11-31 speaks of us being grafted into God‘s family through faith in Christ. We are instantly included or “adopted”. God is still waiting for many more to join his family. The Bible tells us in 2 Peter 3:9 that God is “…patient with you, not wishing that anyone should perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” John 1:12 explains, “Yet to all who receive him, who believe in his name, he gave the power to become children of God.” This statement is all inclusive of humanity. Romans 8:14–17 “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God… The Spirit of sonship… children of God, and if children then heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, providing we suffer with him in order that we may be glorified with him.” We come into this family in legal recognition, full justification, through faith. Romans 9:8-8 states we are, “… not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise (those who accept the promised Messiah) reckoned as descendants.” Galatians 3:26 resolves any doubt by stating, “… in Christ Jesus, you are all sons of God, through faith.”
As children of God, he disciplines us for our benefit. He, like an earthly father, has plans and a purpose that is intended for our life. In order for us to reach our maximum mature potential, he applies to discipline. Hebrews 12:7–8 states “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.” This discipline often comes in the form of trials. Trails are difficult to move through. People often say, “I am going through something.” That is because when you are in the middle of a difficult time in your life is nearly impossible to see past or imagine moving through this. You feel as if you are inside the problem. Hebrews 12:11 tells us that this momentary pain is worthwhile by stating, “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
What does it look like to be in the family of God? Like any other family, there are a few rules and things to expect. We are commanded to have fellowship with other believers, our brothers, and sisters in Christ. We are told to encourage, correct, instruct, and rebuke family members. We are told to help one another and to extend a hand to pick each other up when needed. We are told that we should imitate the father and be holy as he is holy in Ephesians 5:1. We are commanded to love one another. We are told to act as witnesses of Christ, as family representatives to a lost and dying world perishing in sin. We are told to encourage spiritual growth and aid in family advancement. Finally, we are told to except all new family members.
Is your name listed in God’s family album? Is your name listed in the book of life? I found an unlikely illustration of God’s book of life while visiting a Confucianist temple in Hanoi, Vietnam. I would like to share this illustration with you so that you can better understand the concept of a “book of life”. While standing in this temple on a blisteringly hot summer afternoon, I noticed many rows of what appeared to be immense tombstones resting on turtles backs. I asked my guide, “What are these many large stones for? I can tell by the turtles which symbolize learning in Southeast Asia that this has something to do with education.” My guide, a small kind Vietnamese woman smiled, and said, “Yes, it does relate to education. You see each of the stones has names engraved on them. In fact, there are hundreds of names engraved on these stones. Each of these names written in Chinese represents a man who had distinguished himself through scholarly endeavors during his lifetime. Although this is a Confucianist temple now, when it was built in 1070 AD, it was originally a college.” Looking at the stones I asked, “Can you tell me what these smooth, blank spots are on some of the stones?” She said, “I’m glad you noticed those. Those spaces originally had names and were included among the honored; however, during their lifetime each of these men chose to dishonor themselves through their choices and resulting actions. Now these spaces are polished smooth as if they never existed. It is the same with each of us. God chooses to include all people that He created in His family. We decide whether we want to be included. Then we reap the results of that choice.” I stood there in amazement looking at the stones, realizing how important that single choice is to our eternal inclusion in the book of life, to our eternal salvation. The choice is each of ours to make. We all must choose whether to accept the free offer of adoption or to dishonor our Father and ourselves by refusal. To quote Joshua 24:15, “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living in. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Works Cited
“Chapter 37/Adoption (Membership in God's
Family).” Systematic Theology, by Wayne A. Grudem, Zondervan, 1994,
pp. 736–745.
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