Adoption – Ephesians 1:5

A Note from our Pastor:

“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,” ~ Ephesians 1:5

Good Morning Dearly Beloved,

In this verse, the Apostle presents us with the concept of adoption. We are all likely familiar with the idea of adoption — which from the parent’s point of view is the legal action of taking another’s child and raising the child as your own. However, in this verse, the Apostle does not present adoption from the parents’ standpoint but rather from the child’s. In other words, the legal action of being taken from one family and being fully integrated into another.

This is the experience of grace for the elect Child of God. By nature, we are part of the family of Adam. He is our federal head (a fancy way of saying we all descend from Adam). As such, we inherit his nature (meaning we are sinners by nature and by action). However, through and by Jesus Christ we are removed from that family (legally) and placed fully in the family of God by adoption.

The impact on the child of God being: 1) our sin nature which we inherited from our fathers all the way back to Adam is replaced with the righteousness of Jesus Christ. That doesn’t mean we are not going to sin during this lifetime, but it means it changes by which standard we are viewed. Just as a child that is adopted will legally take on the name of their adopted family. That legal name change doesn’t mean they don’t have the genetics of their biological family, it just means that they will be viewed by the name given them in the adoption.

2) It changes our eternal inheritance. As a member of Adam’s family we did not have an inheritance to look forward to. If based on both our nature and our actions our inheritance would be eternity in hell. We are by nature opposed and enemies with God. However, through our adoption, through the righteousness of Jesus Christ, we are given an inheritance by adoption which is located in heaven and immortal glory. Our destination has been changed by being predestinated to adoption.

Finally, let me point out that the child is not the legal driver of adoption. There is a reason why adoption defined in virtually any dictionary is defined from the parent’s view point. The parents, or the ones adopting, are the drivers of the action. The same is true for you and I in being adopted into the family of God. The Godhead, the three in one, in perfect unity were the planners and executors of our adoption. Thank God we were loved in that way.

Our Prayers are with you daily,

Brother Jeremiah