You may be thinking: What do you mean adopted by God? Well, adopted by God are those who have been redeemed from their sins by the work of Jesus Christ. These are those regenerated by the Holy Spirit and justified by God through the merits of Christ. Those declared righteous by God are also adopted by Him as sons, members of His heavenly family.
In Romans 8:13-17, the apostle Paul writes that believers have received the spirit of worship, and are now led by the Spirit of God. This means that it is the Holy Spirit who bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
But isn’t everyone already a child of God first?
Having asked this question, I want to bring the reflection that, in fact, fallen man is a “child of wrath” due to his sinful state (Ephesians 2:3). Therefore, not everyone is adopted by the Lord, of course these people can be used, because when God wants to act, He uses people and situations. He has used even a donkey in the Bible. But to be adopted we must first recognize our salvation in Christ Jesus. (Matthew 13:38; John 8:44; Acts 13:10; 1 John 3:8-12).
The apostle Paul, also wrote that God sent his Son, Jesus, to redeem those who were under the Law. These receive the adoption as sons (Galatians 4:5). Thus, the doctrine of adoption is a wonderful truth for some, and a terrible truth for others. This is because it destroys that popular belief that everyone is a child of God.
We can say, that this truth reveals even more clearly the greatness of God’s love. He raised us up when we were dead (regeneration). He declared us righteous without merit (justification), and received us legally into his family (adoption). This truth expresses something wonderful about God, his goodness, for he took those who deserved hell and made them his heirs (Romans 8:7).
A is part of God’s eternal decree. As it is written, “God has chosen us to be holy and blameless before him, in love God predestined us to him, for the adoption of sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will” (Ephesians 1:4-6).
This means that the basis of adoption is not in us. God did not choose us because we were holy and blameless, worthy to be his children. He chose us to be holy and blameless, and so that by the work of Christ and our union with Him, we could be His children.
The benefit of adoption
Those who are adopted by God have access to the throne of grace, and cry out to God saying “Abba, Father.” Those adopted by God are instructed, corrected, protected, and preserved by Him. They will never be cast away, never become bastards, for they have been made heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). And so, I believe that God has a beautiful work in the life of every child adopted by him!
God bless you!
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