The Body of Christ: The God of Life, Adopts

Why would God need to adopt us? Are we not God's Child already? Is there something that separates us from God? Why doesn't God just snap his fingers and make everything right? Is everyone going to be adopted by God? All these questions hit to the heart of how God is the God of Life and does what even most people are unwilling to do; adopt rebellious orphaned children. This article addresses all these questions with what God himself reveals.

Foundational Adoptionism

Paul makes very bold statements in Galatians 4:4-5 and Romans 8:14-17. This was not an entirely new concept in Jewish culture. There are a couple instances in scripture where an outsider (non Jew) was brought into the Jewish nation and 'adopted' by Jewish families giving them legal rights as heirs (Moses, Esther, and Genubath, 1 Kings 11:20). But Paul reveals something grander than being adopted into the Jewish nation. That we are actually adopted, by God himself, into the Kingdom of God without even becoming a Jew.

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons." (Galatians 4:4-5)

"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him" (Romans 8:14-17)

God's Glory and Christ's Work Alone

Jesus himself elaborates this revelation of Holy Adoption in John 1:12-13. But Jesus' revelation of God's adoption differs from Jewish traditional and customary laws.

"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:12-13)

We are NOT born children of God by default. Our family blood line does not make us children of God. Our actions, lifestyles, governmental laws, court rulings, or regulations do not make us children of God. We do NOT will ourselves into adoption. We do NOT perform an alter call, say a emotional prayer, and choose within our selves to become a child of God. Jesus' key words are monumental; "HE GAVE". We do not take, claim, buy, earn, or merit. He gave.

Realistically, when an infant is adopted, did that infant choose it? Did they work hard and earn it? NO. That infant has no idea what is going on. Everything is done on their behalf. Now, applying to us, we are in a worse state than that of an orphan infant. We are DEAD in our sin. We haven't even been spiritually born yet!

We CANNOT buy, earn, or merit our adoption by God in the first place. Jesus had to REDEEM us from ourselves! We had to be redeemed by Christ before we can even receive God's adoption. To put it more plainly, Paul states:

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’” (Galatians 3:13)

All those (not everyone) who are "led by the Spirit of God" have been "redeemed" by Christ and because they are redeemed, they have been adopted and thus, will be led by God himself, just as a father leads his children. This how all those who are redeemed can call him “Abba! Father!” Which, in English would better be rendered "daddy" or an intimate child-father name.

The Legality

The adoption process to claim a child, who is not of your own, as your own, takes a lengthy, costly, process. Consider the lengthy costly process of God? He sacrificed His Only Begotten Son to pay the ransom of the spiritually dead, MADE them born again, and adopted them, and GAVE them the rights of His Only Begotten Son; righteousness and heirs to eternal life with Him in eternal perfection.

Once Christ has redeemed us, GOD gives us THE RIGHT to be a Child of God and His Spirit is our witness with us before the throne of God. This RIGHT, proven by the witness of The Holy Spirit and our NEW born again spirit, gives us legal justification to inherit what is Christ's.

The Family Identity

Each and every family has their own personal traits, traditions, and characteristics whether your see it or not. When we say Son Of something, it can be literal or symbolic of that characteristic. Before we are adopted by God our familial characteristic is "son(s) of perdition" which actually means "who is doomed to destruction" (John 17:12; 2 Thess. 2:3). BUT once we have been born again, redeemed, and adopted, our NEW family characteristic is "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God". We are lead by The Holy Spirit and grow into reflecting the very natures of our heavenly father; gracious, selfless sacrificial love, forgiving, merciful, compassionate, justice seeking, truth seeking, and so on.

BUT WHY?

God doesn't have to do any of this. He already has a perfect Son who lives with him in eternity. He has a perfect Triune relationship within himself. Why go out of his way to redeem and restore the "sons of perdition" and his corrupted infected creation? Why pay the price he paid with Jesus for a creation that are dead in their hatred and disobedience toward him? The answer is more simple than everyone thinks. He is The God of Life. LIFE is part of his nature. Why did he create anything at all? He is a life creator. Why keep Adam and Eve alive after their rejection of him or keep all those who hate God alive everyday? He is a life sustainer. Why make all those who are dead in their sin born again and spiritual alive? He is a life giver. He is the God of LIFE. Even those who will never accept him, who will always hate him, are not annihilated from existence. They too will eternally live, just apart from Him as they desired, for all eternity. Thus, he is the God of Life in every way.

People may ask, how does he let babies be aborted, infants die, or innocent children get killed? These people often forget that this life is not it. There is still a continued existence after this life. Babies who were aborted, infants who died, and innocent children that got killed have just moved on into the next life and rightly perfectly judged by the absolute just God; their creator. They are still living.

God's Plan

God planned to adopt his lost rebellious wicked children and redeem them; from before the foundation of the world!

"He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved." (Ephesians 1:4-6)

Just as Jesus stated in John 1:12-13, The Holy Spirit stated (through Paul) that He, God The Father, CHOSE his Children before the world was formed. He literally "predestined" his children "for adoption"!! Right here is when a lot of simple minded Christians cringe when they read the word "predestined".

So lets look deeper at this word. "προορίζω" translated 'proorizō', which literally means "to predetermine, decided beforehand; to foreordain, appoint beforehand". Same word is also used in Acts 4:28, Romans 8:29-30, 1 Cor. 2:7, and Eph. 1:11. There is no other way to understand that word other than "predestined: something predetermined beforehand, foreordained, and appointed beforehand". With that said, his children were chosen before creation and he already knew who he was going to adopt as his own before creation was created. Period. That is what HE, himself, reveals in Holy Scripture. That was his plan from before creation. His plan for all those who have been adopted before they were born. That is his plan for all those who will be adopted before they were born and while they are lost, rebellious, wicked, and spiritually dead in their sin.

God desires all sinners to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4) and is wishing that no one should perish (2 Peter 3:9). He takes NO pleasure in killing the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23). But, he is a loving and Just God. Therefore, he gives people exactly what they ultimately desire; separation from himself (Romans 1:21-32). Which he would also already have knowledge of before the foundation of the world. Making them just objects of his wrath and proof of his righteousness and justice (Eph. 2:3).

Abortion

Abortion is the most contrary action, desire, and concept in absolute opposition to the very nature of the God who creates, sustains, gives, and keeps life eternally. Adoption is the most accurate and godly action, desire, and concept to the very nature of a God who adopts to himself those who he has redeemed through his Son. The God of Life redeems and adopts the most rebellious, troubled, and needy; sinful wicked self-righteous humanity. Christians that support abortion degrade, belittle, and even reject the adoption of God. They don't know if that child was chosen by God, and they don't care.

Orphans and Adoption

Children are extremely valuable and important to God (Luke 18:15-17; Matthew 18:4-5, 19:14; Mark 7:27, 10:14). Caring for and protecting the most in need is part of our duty as sons of God. The Holy Spirit, through James stated:

"Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world." (James 1:27)

We can dive into the Old Testament and see what God feels about the orphans.

"He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing." (Deuteronomy 10:18)

'doing justice for the fatherless and the oppressed so that men of the earth may terrify them no more." (Ps 10:18)

"Provide justice for the needy and the fatherless; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute." (Ps. 82:3)

"Learn to do what is good. Seek justice. Correct the oppressor. Defend the rights of the fatherless. Plead the widow’s cause." (Isaiah 1:17)

We can go on and on in scripture where God makes it absolutely clear what he calls his chosen children to do for the orphans. Abortion is direct disobedience and contrary to what God calls for Christians to do. Abortion is oppressive and unjust where as adoption is freedom from oppression and offers justice to the orphan. Abortion strips the child of any rights, even a right to life, while adoption gives children rights and inheritance. Gives them the opportunity to come to Christ Jesus!

Adoption Agencies

The world will tell all kinds of horror stories about adoption. They will use real life sinful examples. But they fail to see that the whole world is full of sin and abortion is a far greater devastation than terrible adoptive families. The damaged or abused child from wicked adoptive parents, still get to live, breath, and hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and come to Christ and be a child of God himself. THIS ALONE makes the worst adoptive experience greater than abortion. With that bias ignorance hateful propaganda pushed by pro-choice supporters and advocates, let us look at actual God Glorifying adoption organizations!

Bethany Christian Services, https://www.bethany.org/

Infant adoption, International adoption, Foster Care adoption, and post-abortion support!
Family Counseling, refugee services and foster care.
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