Adopted

Our family dog, Reggie, was described to us by an adoption agency as a COVID causality. Our understanding is that he was originally purchased by folks who wanted to add to their family when life was slow. But once the speed of life picked up again, he became an inconvenience to them. At six months old, and nearly 40 pounds already, he was given up for adoption. His age and size made him far less attractive to people seeking a puppy, but we sensed that he would be a good fit for us. So, on July 23, 2022, we “adopted” him into our family.

On a much different level, I’ve also had the privilege of witnessing the legal adoption of foster children into a Christian family. I was not prepared for the emotions I would feel in that courtroom! These children are now part of a family who wanted them, loves them unconditionally, and supports them completely. The day they were dedicated to the Lord by their parents in one of our church services was a very special day! 

Ephesians 1:3-5 reads, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as 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 the adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will” (emphasis mine).

There is a lot that we could try to unpack in this passage, but I don’t want us to miss the forest for the trees. Instead, I want us to focus intently on the truth that God wanted us to be part of His family. In His love and according to His will, those of us who are in Christ have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places including our adoption to Himself. As His children, we hold a special position in life – which should impact how we live and how we view ourselves.

In the Old Testament, there are numerous occasions when God referred to the chosen people of Israel as His “sons” or children. The literal translation in the New Testament of “sons” carries significance because of the historical reference to adoption in the Bible. But the meaning is clear: Now those in Christ – men and women – are children of God. “He chose us in him before the foundation of the world” (v. 4).

Now let’s dive a little deeper. In the first century AD, the concept of adoption would have had a Greco-Roman background to Paul’s readers. According to the Greco-Roman customs of adoption, a man could adopt a son and then pass on to him all the legal rights and privileges that would have been given to one of his own children. In many cases, this was done to secure a male heir. If a man did not have a male child born to him yet, or he wasn’t overly confident in the future status or capabilities of the male children in his household, he could go out and find a male child that suited him and adopt him as his very own. 

I believe the legal ceremony for adoption in the Greco-Roman culture has significance for us as God’s adopted children. Here’s what it entailed: Firstly, the reason for a biological father to put his son up for adoption was often to pay off a debt. Secondly, the adopting father would offer to make a payment to the biological father for the adoption. Finally, once a price was agreed upon and the transaction took place, the adopted son would transition from the rule of one father to the rule of another and all the legal rights and privileges of the new father would be his at that point.

Take a minute to ponder the weight of that moment in the lives of the two fathers and the life of the son. Think about what it would be like to be either of the two fathers. Then think about what it would be like to be the son. It’s hard to imagine, isn’t it? From that moment on, this boy’s life would never be the same.

This is what God did for us through the gospel. There was a debt that needed to be paid to redeem us from the consequences of sin and death. As the adopting Father, He paid the price for us by handing over His One and Only Son on the cross. As the Son, He served as the payment itself. Once that transaction took place, and we put our trust in Jesus and His finished work, we became children of God. We are in a new family, with a new father. All the privileges and promises that come with being His child are ours!
None of this is an accident. This all happened because God wanted you to be a part of His family; He chose you then blessed you with every spiritual blessing. So don’t for one second be tempted to think that God’s love and divine purposes are true for others but not for you. Instead, spend some time relishing in God’s great love and purpose for you today and always. You are God’s child!