8. Children of God - Adoption

Children of God by way of Adoption

Introduction: Last night we were working on a very large puzzle. This puzzle had sky, birds, horses, grass, a fence, and flowers. Each focused on a different part of the puzzle, separating individual pieces out that might fit on the part that we were working on. Exchanging pieces, as needed, to help the other, and all rejoicing when an elusive piece was found that helped us complete our part of the picture.

We are really just getting started in 1 Peter but we have already seen many doctrines presented. The doctrine of election, the doctrine of the Trinity, the doctrine of salvation. We tend to look at these doctrines as individual, stand alone doctrines, but they are not. They all fit together in this wondrous way to display the glory of our God, not in what He has done but in who He is. What He has done for us IS because of Who He is, stemming from His divine nature and character.

For the sake of context we will read verses 13-19. Our focus of this series will be in verses 14-16.

1Pe 1:13-19  Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;  (14)  as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;  (15)  but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,  (16)  because it is written, "BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."  (17)  And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;  (18)  knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,  (19)  but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

There are three main points.

Our relationship defined as the children of God

The defining characteristic of the Children of God is Obedience

The defining purpose of obedience is holiness

Reminder

In the midst of Peter’s instruction on being a child of God and our implied adoption; he places important reminders for us. Something we should always keep in mind in order to fully appreciate our adoption and that is from what have we been adopted out of. Our status before our adoption. We see this in verse 14 ‘not conforming yourselves to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance and our aimless conduct which we received by tradition from our fathers. The Greek word is translated in the NASB as inherited. This points to our sinful state outside of Christ, not only our actions but our condition. The outward action of sin and rebellion is merely a symptom of the inward corruption of our souls.

How do we know when we have been infected with the Covid virus? We only know we are infected when we display the symptoms of the virus. As a matter of course only those that display symptoms are tested to see if they have it. But the reality is that everyone displays the symptoms of the corruption of sin, in that we all sin. It is as the psalmist said in Psa 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.

It doesn’t matter what the world tells you. You can be physically beautiful, talented in business, be the top performer in whatever you put your hand to, there is absolutely nothing in you that would cause God to look upon you in favor. Apart from Christ we are dead, lost to our sin.

There is the reminder too of God’s salvation. The Triune work of God in the Father’s election, the Son’s procuring that salvation and the Spirit securing it. 1Pe 1:2  elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ…. It is in the blood of Christ alone that we have been purified of the stain of sin, it is by His blood that we have been included into the New Covenant, and it is by His blood that we qualify as royal priests in the work of service and worship to our God. It is the work of the Holy Spirit in applying it to those whom God has chosen before the foundation of the world. Sanctifying them, which means setting them apart or separating then, for obedience.

This is the blessing of salvation, being forgiven, justified, and reconciled through the finished work of Christ, adoption is the last blessing. Just as salvation and justification spring from the Triune God in the Father’s decree, the Son’s securing, and the Spirit’s application, so it is in adoption. But it goes so much deeper. Adoption brings us into a relationship with God as Father and child. It is the fulness and richness of this truth that is foundational to our faith.

Our relationship defined as the children of God – The doctrine of Adoption

Why is this so important? J.I. Packer in his book ‘Knowing God’ answers that question in this way: Our understanding of Christianity cannot be better than our grasp of adoption. . . . If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he or she makes of the thought of being God’s child, and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls their worship and prayers and whole outlook on life, it means that he does not understand Christianity very well at all.

Defined - Humanly speaking we understand adoption this way: Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting of another, usually a child, from that person's biological or legal parent or parents. Legal adoptions permanently transfer all rights and responsibilities, along with filiation, from the biological parent or parents. In ancient times it was usually a young man of good moral standing to take on the name of a childless couple. With God’s adoption it is not like that. What are the prerequisites of adoption?

The Prerequisites – there are parties involved.

The adoptive parent who does the choosing of the child to be adopted – God the Father. We see in verse 15 that He called us. He chose us before the foundation of the world and predestined us to adoptions as sons. Eph 1:4,5 And just as a side note. The NT only refers to believers when speaking of our relation to God as children and sons. Is this a slight against daughters or females? Does this mean that the Lord does not place the same value on all His children? Absolutely not! Sons, in ancient times, were the only ones who received and inheritance. God references all His children as sons because all His children inherit the blessings of adoption and all that it includes. We see from the context that the Father is holy. Holy meaning absolute purity from the stain of sin meaning that in all the He is and all that He does is absolute purity. Holiness is that attribute of God that clothes all His other attributes.

The second party involved is the children. And just as is often the case in human adoption, the child is rescued from a terrible situation, the same it is for us. We were in a sorry state. Sin is that harsh task master to which we are enslaved. It demands it’s quota just as Pharaoh demanded his quota of bricks while not providing the material to supple it. ‘Bricks and no straw’. And what’s more we stood under the penalty of death for our sin. But you may say my good works out weigh my bad, surely I may earn heaven based on that. But you would condemn the judge who set the murderer free because it was murders first offense, especially if it was a family member of yours that suffered at the murderer’s hand. For God to leave unpunished the guilty, He would not be the righteous judge. And if He is not righteous, He is not God. But He is the Righteous judge over all the heavens and the earth and He is God.

The third party involved – the fathers. V 18 from your aimless conduct received by tradition (or inheritance) from your fathers. What does Peter mean here? He could be referencing the idolatry prevalent in world. He could also be referencing the our natural state and our lineage. Joh 8:44  You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

In the process of adoption there is a permanent transfer of rights to the child from the natural parent to the adopting parent. What does that mean? In the case of our adoption it means that all the requirements of the law have been fulfilled. We have been justified, we have been declared not guilty, and made really and truly righteous. Rom 8:3-4  For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,  (4)  that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

We have been released from the slavery of bondage to sin and death into the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Sin and death no longer hold dominion over us. We are no longer children of the devil but we are now children of God.

The Cost involved in the process.

Gal 4:4-5  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.

To redeem means to obtain or to set free by paying a price. What was the price that God paid for our liberation and adoption? In Gal. 3, we heard the answer: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’” (Galatians 3:13). It cost God the price of his Son’s life.

You have heard me ask before, ‘How much is a soul worth?” God has given us the answer. Rom 8:32  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

The cost of our salvation? His own Son! The cost of justification? His own Son! The cost of our adoption? His own Son!

The Results

The question is when does adoption take place? It is at the time of salvation. God has appointed the day of our salvation and it then the Spirit applies the work of Christ to us in our salvation, justification, and adoption. Joh 1:12-13  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:  (13)  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

There are 4 results that occur in the transaction of our adoption.

There is a change in how God relates to us.

There is a change in how we relate to God.

There is a change in how we relate to one another.

There is a change in how we relate to the world.

How God relates to us:

Gal 4:7  Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. And as God is our Father, we come under His watch care.

He provides: Mat 6:31-33  "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'  (32)  For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  (33)  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

He protects: Joh 10:29  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.

2Pe 1:2-4  Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,  (3)  as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,  (4)  by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

He disciplines us for our good: Hebrews 12:3-6 "Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives."

1Pe 1:17  And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;

How we relate to God:

Rom 8:15-16  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,

No longer do we cringe in fear of God the judge, but we boldly come to the throne of grace. His commands are not burdensome to us but we longing hearts we desire to keep them.

How we relate to one another:

1 Timothy 5:1-2 "Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father. Treat younger men like brothers, older women like mothers, younger women like sisters, in all purity."

How we relate to the world:

Romans 8: 12 "So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

1Pe 1:14  as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;

2Co 5:17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Rom 12:2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Adoption Should Result in a Change in the Way We Present the Gospel

Sam Waldron said this "It is proper to offer men justification, adoption and gift of the Spirit, if they will bur embrace Christ as he is freely offered in the gospel. We may, therefore, tell men that they must not think that they are called upon to live the Christian life in their present resources. Rather, they must come to Christ as poor and helpless sinners and from him receive all they need for life and godliness."