Adoption
Making Sense of Salvation • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
Good evening, Gentlemen.
Pull up the slide with the order of salvation.
Last week, we went in deeper details about what is necessary for conversation.
What is something that you remember from last week’s discussion?
We talked about the difference between knowing, approval and personal trust.
We talked about belief, faith and trust.
We talked about faith and repentance being two side of the same coin. Its the same action.
To turn to Christ is to turn away from your old life.
To ask for your sins to be forgiven is to turn away from the sins that He forgave.
Two weeks ago, jumped ahead a chapter into a couple of chapters that describe a couple of things that God does automatically at the moment of your salvation.
Actions taken by God on your behalf at you put your faith in Christ that you have no work in accomplishing in your life.
Two weeks ago, we talked about the term Justification.
What is something that you remember about justification?
(Justification definition slide)
This evening we are studying another action that God takes on your behalf at the moment of conversion.
Adoption.
Adoption is an act of God whereby He makes us a member of His family.
Adoption is an act of God whereby He makes us a member of His family.
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
So when we receive Christ and believe in His name, He gives us the right to become children of God,
Before we discuss what being adopted by God means to us, let us better understand what are were children of before that?
in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Why are those passages so hard to swallow?
We like to think about ourselves as not that bad before Christ right?
You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
So, this is not God going to an orphanage and picking out the most healthy, best looking and easiest kid. God went into enemy territory and adopted the broken child of wrath, son of disobedience, enemy of God.
Its vital to our understanding and appreciation of the amazing gift of adoption that we understand who we were when God chose you to become His son.
Does that make sense? How does that make you feel?
This adoption is something that only happens through Jesus Christ.
Paul makes the case that the law could not make us or the Jews adopted sons and daughters of God.
Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
This is not disputing that they were God’s chosen people, but the action of adoption is only available through faith in Jesus Christ.
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
What is the Holy Spirit’s role in this adoption?
What else does that passage say that we become when we are adopted by the Father?
Heir.
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Jesus, Himself, calls us brothers.
“I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”
Paul Washer often calls Jesus our Elder Brother.
Does it feel odd to refer to Jesus as our Elder Brother or Co-heir?
What is the danger of that implication?
In theology there is a phrase called Already but not yet. Another way of saying it is “Now, but not fully”.
Grudem points out that the doctrine of adoption falls into the category.
We are adopted but some of the full benefits of that adoption will be fully recieved when we get to heaven with Him.
And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
The redemption of our bodies into resurrected bodies along with many of the benefits and joys of heaven will be fully recieved one we leave this life.
How is adoption different from regeneration and justification? Are they not the same things?
No.
Regeneration is when the Spirit of God brings us from being spiritually dead to being spiritually alive.
Regeneration makes us able to pray, worship and hear His word.
But is it possible for a created being to be spiritually alive and yet not adopted into God’s family as His child? Yes. That describes the angels.
What about justification? Could God justified you in His sight and not adopt you into His family?
Sure, He could have.
Justification is the legal statement from God declaring you not longer guilty of sin but holy and righteous in His sight.
He could have done that and not adopted you.
Grudem says,
Read #1 on page 109
The Privileges of Adoption
The Privileges of Adoption
So, we are going to read the scriptures that I handed out.
We are going to read them and specifically call out.
Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
What a priviledge it is to pray to God as a Father!?
So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
You don’t have to address Him as a slave would his master. But as a son to his Father.
“This relationship to God as our Father is the foundation of many other blessings of the Christian life, and it becomes the primary way in which we relate to God. Certainly God is our Creator, our Judge and Master. But the role that is the most intimate, and the role the role that conveys the highest privileges of fellowship with God for eternity, is His role as our heavenly Father.”
“This relationship to God as our Father is the foundation of many other blessings of the Christian life, and it becomes the primary way in which we relate to God. Certainly God is our Creator, our Judge and Master. But the role that is the most intimate, and the role the role that conveys the highest privileges of fellowship with God for eternity, is His role as our heavenly Father.”
So, how does the Father relate to us?
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
He loves us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.
He has compassion and understands us.
For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
He takes care of our needs.
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
He gives us good gifts and He gives us His Holy Spirit when we receive Christ and when we need His gifts and comforts.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
What do you think this inheritance is?
The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father.
The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
Grudem says All the privileges and blessings if heaven are laid up for us and put at our disposal because we are children of the King, members of the royal family, princes and princesses who will reign with Christ over the new heaven and new earth.
Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?
Angels are now sent as ministering spirits for us!
Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
This daily prayer for the forgiveness of our sins is not an appeal to God the Judge, but God our Father. We are not seeking re-justification, that is a one-time action taken by God at our salvation. We are asking our heavenly Father for the forgiveness of our sins so that we can be in right standing with Him every single day!
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
As sons of God not only can be have the benefits of the Holy Spirit as our comfort, guide and peace. We have the Holy Spirit to led us through this life daily into eternal life. Into situations that He can work or produce gifts through us.
Here are a couple that are not as exciting at face value but so important to our lives.
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.”
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
How is it loving to discipline your children?
Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”
and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Being co-heirs with Christ, means sharing in suffering, so that we may also be glorified with Him!
How do or how could we suffer as Christ did?
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
What priviledge of adoption do these verses describe?
How does that effect how we should treat each other within the church?
My sister and I never got along when we were kids and it broke my mom’s heart. How do you think God views it when we are not in unity in His family?
We as God’s children should all desire to imitate our Father.
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
When our conduct imitates our Father,
It glorifies our Father.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
It reflects our Father into this world.
that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
Lastly, our imitation of the Father will invite others into the family.
Looking back, how many of you had thought about all of this being available to you automatically at the moment of salvation?
