Several weeks ago we began a discussion about the
results of personal salvation in Christ and why it might be associated with
enhanced wellbeing as found through Teleios’ research.1 The current
blog series is describing what happens, as taught in the Bible, at the time of
salvation results in wonderful changes for a believer.
We have discussed already several fantastic promises
associated with salvation. This week let us consider adoption, another marvelous
biblical promise.
Adoption is important in our society because when
a family legally adopts a child the new family member gains all the rights and
privileges of a natural child. In other words, their new status in the family
is permanent and cannot be overturned. What a great promise of security to the
child!
Likewise, in the ancient Greek and Roman world, as
in our own society (with some differences), adoption provided permanent legal
status for a child that could not be overturned (ISBE). The Apostle Paul states
our status as adopted children into God’s family in four separate places in his
epistles, indicating the importance of our new position as a believer following
accepting Christ as Savior through faith (Romans 8:15 and 23, Ephesians 1:5,
Galatians 4:5). Consequently, we are children of God, adopted into His family
with legal protection and a permanent status. What a great promise!
How interesting that Paul describes adoption as one
of our positions before God as New Testament Christians. It was not an image used
of Old Testament believers. Adoption apparently was not common in the Hebrew
world and is noted only in the Old Testament three times, all occurring outside
of Israel. God appeared to handle the issue of orphaned children in Israel by
the use of a kinsman redeemer as provided in the Hebrew law.
Israel also is not noted to be adopted until Paul
mentions it retroactively to the mixed audience of Greeks and the Jews in Rome
(the Jews were probably Hellenized and so would relate to the image) to explain
God's relationship to Israel in the Old Testament (Romans 9:4).
Adoption is the fourth of the great promises of
our position as a believer because of Christ’s redemptive work on the cross,
resulting in either legal or morphological irreversible changes. These changes
indicate our eternal security including: spiritual baptism, membership in the
universal church, sealing by the Spirit and now adoption as children of God.
Indeed, God has given us a marvelous salvation
and the promise of a wonderful secure eternity with Him (Romans 10:9-10). Come
back again next week and we'll talk about justification, a supposition from
Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. As always, thank you for visiting.
WC Stewart
1.
MacIlvaine, W.R., Nelson, L.A.,
Stewart, J.A., Stewart, W.C. (2013). Association of strength of religious
adherence to quality of life measures. Complement Ther Clin Pract, 19:251-255.
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