chapter 52 - Adoption

V. ADOPTION

Our adoption into the family of God is another benefit of the death of Christ.

A. The Meaning of Adoption

Adoption is the act of God that places the believer in His family as an adult. In contrast, being born again emphasizes the idea of coming into God’s family as a babe with the attendant need for growth and development (; ). But adoption teaches the ideas of adulthood and full privileges in the family of God. Concomitant with adoption is the divesting of all relationships and responsibilities of the previous family relationship. Both being adopted and being born occur at the moment of saving faith, but they indicate different aspects of our relation to the family of God.

B. The Background of Adoption

Most cultures had some practice akin to adoption. Moses, a slave, was adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter in Egypt. The Nuzu tablets reveal a custom whereby a childless couple could adopt a son who would serve them in life and be their heir in death. Hebrew laws did not include one that concerned adoption, and the Greek word for adoption does not occur in the Septuagint. This was probably due to the law of levirate marriage, which provided a way for a family to have heirs to inherit the family property. Polygamy may also have been another way to overcome the problems of childlessness.

Adoption was a very common aspect of Greco-Roman life, and this is the background of the New Testament concept. Childless couples would often adopt a son, who then became their heir. Even if the adopted son had living biological parents, they had no more claim over him after the adoption had taken place. Often parents were willing to let their sons be adopted by another family if it meant a better lot in life.

C. The Pauline Doctrine of Adoption

The doctrine is exclusively Pauline, and he used the term five times (, ; ; ; ).

Romans 8:15 ESV

15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Romans 8:23 ESV

23 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.

Romans 9:4 ESV

4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.

Galatians 4:5 ESV

5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Ephesians 1:5 ESV

5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

1. The adoption of Israel as a nation (). See also .

Romans 9:4 ESV

4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.

Exodus 4:22 ESV

22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son,

2. The adoption of believers as individuals. This act of God was predestined () so that it may be said that God’s predetermined plan included our destiny as adopted sons. It was made possible by the death of Christ (). It happened when we believed and became part of the family of God (), yet it awaits its full realization until we receive resurrection bodies ().

Ephesians 1:5 ESV

5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

Galatians 4:5 ESV

5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Romans 8:15 ESV

15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Romans 8:23 ESV

23 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.

D. The Ramifications of Adoption

1. Adoption means placing us in a family to which we did not naturally belong (cf. ). Children of wrath become sons of God.

Ephesians 2:3 ESV

3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

2. Adoption means complete freedom from former relationships, particularly to the Law (). In other words, the other side of adoption is freedom from the Law.

Galatians 4:5 ESV

5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

3. Adoption is possible only because of a voluntary act of the One doing the adopting. Before the foundation of the world God’s plan included our adoption ().

Ephesians 1:5 ESV

5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

4. Adoption means we have full rights to all the privileges of being in God’s family (). Spiritual growth may be involved in the enjoyment of those privileges, but every believer has the right to them from the moment of salvation on.

Romans 8:15 ESV

15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

And this is all true because of Christ’s redemption ().

Galatians 4:5 ESV

5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Ryrie, C. C. (1999). Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth (pp. 352–353). Chicago, IL: Moody Press.