Initiative, Blessing, and Intimacy in God's Adoption
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COLUMN: FINAL PHASE
Initiative, Blessing, and Intimacy in God's Adoption
by J. Randal Matheny, editor
Adoption is an act of love and mercy. Parents who adopt
often go through great effort to express their
compassion in order to take on the responsibility of
welcoming a child into the family. Laws are becoming
tougher, the financial expenses are high, and social
workers probe deeply into the marital relationship.
Still, people are willing to submit themselves to such
rigors to be able to show love to a child that
otherwise would be destined to a life bereft of love
and joy.
Among the figures used to express God's act of
redemption is adoption. Though the social process and
significance of adoption today is far different than
that of ancient cultures, the Bible calls adoption that
loving act of God to welcome us into his family.
Adoption speaks of God's initiative, in whose mind the
design and plan was formed. The idea was his. The
execution depended entirely upon him. He bore its full
cost.
So Paul (who is the only on in the New Testament to
speak of redemption in terms of adoption) indicates in
Ephesians 1:4-5,
"For he chose us in Christ before the
foundation of the world that we may be
holy and unblemished in his sight in love.
He did this by predestining us to adoption
as his sons through Jesus Christ,
according to the pleasure of his will"
(NET).
A child does not get himself adopted; parents adopt.
Just so, God decided long before that he would bring
needy and lonely mankind into his home.
Adoption also speaks of privileges and blessings. "For
you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again
to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by
whom we cry, 'Abba, Father'" (Romans 8:15).
By mention of the Spirit, Paul indicates all God's good
gifts to his children (compare Luke 11:13; Matthew
7:11). Through the Spirit come the blessings of
salvation, sanctification, revelation, and empowerment
to do the Father's will. By the Spirit, we may appeal
to God and relate to him as Father.
Paul indicates much the same idea in Galatians 4:4-6,
"But when the appropriate time had come,
God sent out his Son, born of a woman,
born under the law, to redeem those who
were under the law, so that we may be
adopted as sons with full rights. And
because you are sons, God sent the Spirit
of his Son into our hearts, who calls
'Abba! Father!' So you are no longer a
slave but a son, and if you are a son,
then you are also an heir through God."
Being a child of God means hope of inheritance and
enjoying even now the rights and privileges of sonship.
Adoption also indicates love and intimacy, as the
Romans 8 passage above indicates, in the contrast it
makes with the "spirit of slavery leading again to
fear." The Spirit we have received is far different. He
acts in our benefit, on our behalf. "Abba" is an
intimate term. In Christ, God is close to us, and we to
God. We have him in our hearts. This Spirit is not
imposed or forced upon us, but we "receive" him,
welcoming him with joy for all he brings from the
Father.
To appreciate better the gift of God in Christ,
Scripture uses a number of metaphors to describe what
our Lord accomplished on the cross. Adoption is an
endearing term that speaks strongly of God's
initiative, blessing, and love.
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