The Greek word “uihothesia” translated “adoption,” occurs five times in the New Testament, all in Paul’s epistles (Rom. 8:15, 23; 9:4; Gal. 4:5; Eph. 1:5). It means “son placing,” signifying the position of a son being given to someone to whom it does not naturally belong.1 Four occurrences refer to the individual believer in the Body of Christ, whereas the other refers to the nation of Israel. In both cases, God grants both blessings and responsibilities.
The Believer’s Adoption and Regeneration
In life, no one is both born into and adopted by the same family. A father never adopts his own child. However, for the believer, it is different. Regeneration and adoption occur simultaneously and inseparably at salvation, though they are not the same.
All people are born spiritually dead. When a person trusts Christ as Savior, the Holy Spirit regenerates, or imparts spiritual life, to the human spirit (Eph. 2:1). The individual is thereby born again (John 3:3–7; Titus 3:5; Jas. 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:3; 1 John 3:9; 4:7; 5:1), brought from death to life (John 5:24), and made a partaker of the divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:23). This does not imply that the believer becomes divine, but rather that he or she becomes a member of God’s family. This divine nature, implanted within the inner being of the believing sinner, provides both the desire and the capacity to do God’s will (Phil. 2:13) and to commune with Him in prayer. Having been made spiritually alive, the believer is a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17) and a child of God (John 1:12; 1 John 3:2).
Conversely, adoption signifies the believer’s new legal status as a mature son in God’s family. By this, God grants them the same standing as His eternal, unique, only-begotten Son (Gal. 4:5; Eph. 1:5). Furthermore, God welcomes them into His household as stewards of His grace, a position that entails many blessings and responsibilities.
Regeneration concerns new spiritual life and a relationship with God, whereas adoption concerns a new position within God’s family. Regeneration makes a person a child of God, while adoption makes that person a son of God. Regeneration signifies “Christ in you,” whereas adoption refers to the believer as being “in Christ.” Thus, regeneration emphasizes a new nature, while adoption underscores a change in legal status.
Blessings of Adoption
One of the blessings of adoption is that the Holy Spirit permanently indwells the believer. We have “…received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Rom. 8:15-16).
Through our fellowship with Christ (1 Cor. 1:9), there is nearness, communion, and fellowship with God our Father (Eph. 2:13; 1 John 1:3). We also have the fellowship of the Holy Spirit (Phil. 2:1). One of the comforting ministries of the Holy Spirit is to bear joint witness with our own spirits that we are part of God’s family and can address God as our Father (Gal. 4:6). We may come confidently before the throne of grace knowing we are always welcome to seek His wisdom, strength, and grace for the need of the hour (Heb. 4:16). He convicts us of sin, burdens us to pray, teaches us the things of Christ through God’s Word, prompts us to testify of Christ, and empowers us to build up the Body of Christ.
Another blessing is fellowship in and with the Body of Christ, the Church. Living in a world that hates Christ and in view of the Lord’s approaching return, God’s Word exhorts us to, “consider one another in order to stir up love and good works…exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Heb. 10:24-25). Our fellowship is not with the world but with the triune God and the Body of Christ. Sharing in the very life of Christ, we take part in family life—God’s family.
Responsibilities of Adoption
There are also responsibilities that come with belonging to God’s household. Yet serving Christ by fulfilling our family duties is itself a blessing, because we serve the greatest of masters. The indwelling Holy Spirit gives each believer one or more spiritual gifts, suited and chosen specifically for that person (Rom. 12:3–8; 1 Cor. 12:4–11; Eph. 4:11–12; 1 Pet. 4:10–11). He also empowers, guides, and helps us carry out the Lord’s tasks (Zech. 4:6; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8; Eph. 6:10).
Our responsibilities fall under three main categories. First, in our local church and in our everyday lives, we are a holy priesthood, called to worship and praise Him as we “offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 2:5). Second, we are a royal priesthood, called to carry out the Great Commission by making disciples of all nations as Christ’s witnesses (Matt. 28:16–20; 1 Pet. 2:9). Third, we are to fellowship with other believers, using our gifts to encourage, build up, and promote growth in the Body of Christ (Eph. 4:16; Heb. 10:24–25). The ultimate goal of all these activities is to glorify Christ (1 Cor. 6:20; Col. 3:17; 2 Thess. 1:12).
Our Future Inheritance
The adoption is both a present and future reality. In the present, believers have already received the “Spirit of adoption” (Rom. 8:15), which immediately grants us family standing along with enduring blessings as a downpayment; the remainder will be realized after the redemption of the body (Eph. 1:11-14; 1 Pet. 1:4). Romans 8:23 notes that we are “waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body,” which points to a future fulfillment. This will occur at the rapture with the completion of our redemption and glorification (Rom. 8:30; 1 Thess. 4:13–18; 1 John 3:2). It is the final stage of salvation, when we will be fully delivered from sin and perfected in character. Only then will we be eternally freed from our fallen, sinful nature and fully transformed into the image of Christ.
Manifestation of the Sons of God
The sons of God will be revealed to the world when Christ returns with us to the earth to set up His thousand year kingdom (Rom. 8:19; Col. 3:4; Rev. 19:11–21). We will have the responsibility of reigning with Christ and, in our glorified state, a greater capacity to enjoy our inheritance: the riches of His glory and the unsearchable riches of Christ (Eph. 1:18; 3:8). Then, throughout eternity, God will demonstrate “the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus,” by bestowing upon us manifold blessings and responsibilities (Eph. 2:7).
Romans 8:17 says we are “heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.” Our present lives and eternal destiny are securely linked to Christ, the heir of all things (John 3:35; Eph. 1:22; Heb. 1:2; 2:8). As the Bride of Christ, our identity and union with Him mean that we share all things with Him (Cor. 3:21-23; Gal. 3:29; Eph. 1:3).
One commentator writes, “In law there is a difference between an heir and a joint heir…If a man dies, leaving a large farm to four heirs, the estate is divided evenly and each heir receives twenty-five per cent of the whole. But if a man leaves a farm to four of his sons as joint-heirs, then each one owns the whole farm. Each one can say, “That house is mine; those barns are mine; those fields are mine.” Thus when the Lord tells us that we are heirs of God and joint heirs of Christ, we are being informed that everything that God the Father has given to the Lord Jesus Christ has been given to us also. If we read the Word of God to discover all that God has planned for Christ, we shall discover that there is not one promise that is given to Him that is not also given to us. When He came forth from the empty tomb in His resurrection we were joined to Him in the thought of God, and everything was planned for us together with Christ, for all eternity.”2
Eternally adopted into God’s family. Amazing grace!
Endnotes
- W.E. Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words, e-Sword software version
- Donald Grey Barnhouse, Romans Volume 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1994), p.113-114