Adoption and Jesus

One of the phrases we have learned to use about adoption when speaking about our child is that our child "was adopted," not "is adopted."  I hadn't previously thought about the importance of that distinction, but it does make quite a difference.  To say that my child "is adopted" is to put a label on him/her.  It might single the child out as different, especially if he/she is the only adopted child among biological siblings.  However, to say the child "was adopted" is to say, "This is how you were received into our family.  While the others were born into the family, you were adopted."  The child who "was adopted" has all of the legal, social, familial rights and privileges as biological children.  This is a great image of how we relate to God through Christ.

Until we started the adoption process, I didn't realize how frequently the Bible uses the term "adoption" to describe the change in our lives because of Jesus.  The word "adoption" is used five times in the New Testament:

"For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as [sons and daughters] by which we cry out, 'Abba!  Father!'" (Romans 8:15, NASB)

 "And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as [sons and daughters], the redemption of our body." (Romans 8:23, NASB)

 "For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as [sons and daughters], and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever.  Amen." (Romans 9:3-4, NASB)

 "But when the fullness of the time came, God sent for His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive adoption as [sons and daughters]." (Galatians 4:4-5, NASB)

 "He predestined us to adoption as [sons and daughters] 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." (Ephesians 1:5-6, NASB)

Paul wrote that we were "by nature children of wrath" (Eph. 2:3).  Before faith in Christ, people literally belong to the "family of disobedience."  But, if your faith is in Jesus Christ, you have been adopted into the family of God.  You can run with arms wide open to your "Abba!  Father!"  He didn't adopt only your "spirit," but your entire being was adopted through Christ.  You have been adopted into God's family just as those under the Law, receiving the full rights and privileges as a child of God.  It was His plan to adopt you into His family and He did it freely and for His glory. 

God doesn't look at you and say, "This child is adopted," causing you to feel inferior.  Rather, He smiles at you and says, "This child was adopted into my family."  Your adoption into the family of God is complete because of your faith in Jesus Christ.  You are no longer a child of wrath, but you are a child of God with your eyes fixed on the hope of a glorious future.