Biblical Adoption

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him in love. He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.” “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12

“For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ,” Romans 8:15-17

As children of God, believers in the name of Jesus Christ and faithful followers through the Holy Spirit, the Bible tells us that we have been adopted into God's kingdom. This brings great joy into our hearts. Have you ever been to an orphanage? Have you seen commercials on your television that ask you to donate $1 per day to help feed a hungry child? The imagery we are often shown of orphans from around the world give us a picture of hopelessness and helplessness. This is how the Bible describes our state of deprivation apart from Jesus Christ. We are hopeless and helpless without the Father extending His mercy unto us to bring us into His family.

For His glory, we have been adopted through Christ! We come from different parts of the world, we look different, we talk different, we act different, we think different; and yet God the Father scoops us into His hands and brings us together in one family, the family of God.

In days of old, families often gave an inheritance to their children. Many times these external inheritances were given when the children reached an appropriate age to receive them. This still happens today in some parts of the world but not often enough that we have a clear understanding of it taking place. However, there are also some internal inheritances that are received from even the moment of birth. Great blessings such as love, care, safety, protection and so much more are given out of love and grace. These we take for granted; parents should love unconditionally, and yet this again is often overlooked in today's society made up of reward and instant gratification.

"But God," as the Bible tells us, "Being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace and kindness toard us in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:4-7

When we become part of the family of God, we are given the same spiritual blessings as any other. God gives us an inheritance that is equal to all His family members, and seats us in the heavenly places in Christ. He does it out of love, graciousness, and kindness. We have been given a spirit of adoption, and as children of God we become inheritors of His great blessings. It is a gift of God.

I'm so glad that God has adopted me into his family. Me! Of all the people, He chose me. Why? I don't know. It wasn't because I was good enough. It wasn't because there was something special about me. It must have been because of His great love and mercy. I was helpless and hopeless; lost in the darkness without a glimmer of rescue. And then came our Savior. He paid the ultimate price for me; He paid it for us. No cost was too great, Jesus paid it all. I'm so glad I have a Father that loved me so much, that He chose me before I knew Him.

Love,
The Waits Bunch