What is Adoption?

What is Adoption?

According to the Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897), the word Adoption is: The giving to any one the name and place and privileges of a son/daughter who is not a son/daughter by birth. Adoption can be understood in terms of the natural, such as when Pharaoh’s daughter adopted Moses (Ex. 2:10), and Mordecai, Esther (Esther 2:7). Adoption is also national, like when God adopted Israel (Ex. 4:22; Deut. 7:6; Hos. 11:1; Rom. 9:4). Lastly, Adoption is Spiritual as well. It is an act of God’s Grace by which He brings men into the number of His redeemed family, and makes them partakers of all the blessings He has provided for them. Adoption represents the new relations into which the believer is introduced by justification, and the privileges connected therewith. When you experience the over whelming joys of Adoption into the family of God, you begin to have an interest in God’s love (John 17:23; Rom. 5:5-8), an ever growing spiritual/divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4; John 1:13), better understanding of what a child of God is (1 Pet. 1:14; 2 John 4; Rom. 8:15-21; Gal. 5:1; Heb. 2:15), the present protection, consolation, supplies (Luke 12:27-32; John 14:18; 1 Cor. 3:21-23; 2 Cor. 1:4), fatherly chastisements (Heb. 12:5-11), and a future glorious inheritance (Rom. 8:17, 23; James 2:5; Phil. 3:21). (Note: Please look up all of the scripture references above to get the most out of what has been presented thus far).

Key Scriptures:

1 John 3:1 “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.”

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, ¹³ who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

1 Peter 1: 14-16 “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, ¹⁵ but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; ¹⁶ because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

John 14:18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”

Be Encouraged:

Brothers and Sisters, how marvelous it is to be a part of the family of God and to have Him as our Father! This is why we are brothers and sisters in Christ. It is because we have been adopted into God’s glorious family. If you are a believer in Christ and you have been saved, you are not an orphan, you are not abandoned by God. He is a loving Father and only does what is best for His children. You are His child and He will take care of you. He will provide for your needs, He will direct your paths, and He will discipline you when necessary. This is the Good news of the Gospel; you can be a part of the family of God by adoption when you put your faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. Brothers and Sisters as you may know, the word Adoption and its meaning among many other things is what separates us as Christians from the other world religions out there. God is our Father and we are His Adopted Sons and Daughters whom He loves. This is a powerful truth that must be present in some form or another when you tell unbelievers the Gospel. They need to know the true heart of our God and that He is a loving Father to His children. If you have fallen into any patterns of sin, run to Him. His Grace will forgive you and His Word will renew your mind (Romans 12:1-2, Philippians 4:8).

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