Adoption: The Heart of the Gospel

Galatians 4:4-8

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. 8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.

Romans 8:14-17

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.

The biblical foundation for the act of adopting children is primarily in the New Testament rather than the Old. There are only three adoptions in the Old Testament (Moses, Esther, and Genubath, 1 Kings 11:20). Israel is called God’s son (Exodus 4:22; Deuteronomy 14:1; 32:6; Jeremiah 31:9; Hosea 11:1) but not until the New Testament is this called adoption.

As I reflect on the Biblical Truths that the Triune God used to transform my mind with regard to adoption, I found the following teaching, which I commend to you and highly recommend you review, very effective in helping me understand the similarities between God’s adoption of us, through the life, death, and resuurection of our Lord Jesus Christ and our adoption of children.

Being a systematic thinker, I am drawn to "lists"; Brother John Piper centers his exegesis around the following foundation and then 8 points (with some highlights from each point):

The Foundation of Adoption

The deepest and strongest foundation of adoption is located not in the act of humans adopting humans, but in God adopting humans. And this act is not part of his ordinary providence in the world; it is at the heart of the gospel. Galatians 4:4-5 is as central a gospel statement as there is: “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.” God did not have to use the concept of adoption to explain how he saved us, or even how we become part of his family. He could have stayed with the language of new birth so that all his children were described as children by nature only (John 1:12-13, “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.”). But he chose to speak of us as adopted as well as being children by new birth. This is the most essential foundation of the practice of adoption.

1. Adoption was (for God) and is (for us) costly.

"To redeem means to obtain or to set free by paying a price. What was the price that God paid for our liberation and adoption? In the previous chapter, we heard the answer: “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). It cost God the price of his Son’s life.

There are huge costs in adopting children. Some are financial; some are emotional. There are costs in time and stress for the rest of your life. You never stop being a parent till you die. And the stresses of caring about adult children can be as great, or greater, than the stresses of caring for young children. There is something very deep and right about the embrace of this cost for the life of a child! "

2. Adoption did (for God) and does (for us) involve the legal status of the child.

"...the status of being a son legally preceded the experience of the Spirit coming to give us the affections of sons. We are legally sons before we experience the joy of sonship. The object work of our salvation (two thousand years ago at Calvary) precedes and grounds the subjective experience of our salvation by the Spirit today.

So it is with our adopting children today: The legal transactions precede and under gird the growth of family feelings. If the legal red tape seems long and hard, keep in mind that this tape is not yet red with your blood, but Jesus satisfied all the legal demands precisely by shedding his blood."

3. Adoption was blessed and is blessed with God’s pouring out a Spirit of sonship.

"God does not leave us in the condition of aliens when he adopts us. He does not leave us with no feelings of acceptance and love. Rather, he pours his Spirit into our hearts to give us the experience of being embraced in the family."

4. Adoption was (for God) and is (for us) marked by moral transformation through the Spirit.

"God does not leave his children without help to bear the moral image of the family. We may trust that his help will be there for our children as we bring them under the means of grace that God uses to awaken and transform his children. "

5. Adoption brought us, and brings our children, the rights of being heirs of the Father.

"in Romans 8:17, the context is that we, with Christ, are heirs of all that God has, namely, everything. “All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s” (1 Corinthians 3:21).

Just before we left for England on sabbatical, Noël and I went to a lawyer and updated our wills. All the boys are married, and Talitha is the only legal “dependent.” A lot had changed since the last time we made wills. This was a reminder to us that she will inherit like the sons. She is not in a lesser adoptive class. All inherit together. That is the way God did it. That is the way we do it. "

6. Adoption was (for God) and is (for us) seriously planned.

"Adoption in God’s mind was not Plan B. He predestined us for adoption before the creation of the world. Plan A was not lots of children who never sin and never need to be redeemed. Plan A was creation, fall, redemption, adoption so that the full range of God’s glory and mercy and grace could be known by his adopted children. Adoption was not second best. It was planned from the beginning.

In our lives, there is something uniquely precious about having children by birth. That is a good plan. There is also something different, but also uniquely precious, about adopting children. Each has its own uniqueness. Your choice to adopt children may be sequentially second. But does not have to be secondary. It can be as precious and significant as having children by birth. God is able to make adoption and A+ plan in our lives. "

7. Adoption was (for God) and often is now (for us) from very bad situations.

"God did not find us like an abandoned foundling bundled on the front step and irresistibly cute. He found us ugly and evil and rebellious. We were not attractive. We would not be easy children to deal with. And, what’s worse, God himself was angry with us. He hates sin and rebellion. We were then doubly 'children of wrath'.

These are the ones God pursued in adoption. Therefore, all of God’s adoptions crossed a greater moral and cultural divide than any of our adoptions could. The distance between what we are, and what God is, is infinitely greater than any distance between us and a child we might adopt. God crossed the greatest cultural barrier to redeem and adopt us. "


8. Adoption meant (for all Christians) and means (for Christian parents) that we suffer now and experience glory later.

"There is much groaning in the path of adoption on the way to full salvation. But the outcome is glorious. It is worth it all. “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).

This is especially relevant for parents of children with disabilities. They know the “groaning” of this life. All of us have children with some sort of disability, and some of us will live to get very old and watch our children age and die before we do. Others will see their children struck down in war or by accident or disease. Others will care for a disabled child till one of them dies. All of this groaning is groaning in hope because we are adopted by God and destined for a resurrection and an eternal future of health and wholeness and joy. It will be worth it all. "


Click here to read/listen to the full teaching

The Idol of Personal Peace and Affluence

Luke 18

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10"Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' 13But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' 14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

Let the Children Come to Me

15 Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16But Jesus called them to him, saying, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it."


My intention over my next several posts is to reflect a little deeper on "The orphan crisis: what can we do to help?" categories that my sister in Christ Sabrina let me use from her blog. These categories include: Learn, Pray, Adopt, Advocate, and Support.

Before I move forward with expanding on the "Learn" category, I believe it is important to establish a foundation for understanding what contributes to the Orphan crisis, and many other crises in the world.

Please make time to watch these video clips from Francis Schaeffer's "How Should We Then Live" series. As you watch and listen to the points made, try to apply them to how the world system, and dare I say many professing Christians, deal with orphan care...


PART 1:


PART 2:


PART 3:



I confess that what the late Francis Schaeffer describes in these videos is still a huge idol that my sinful flesh is drawn to. This is why what Stephanie and I are looking to do with regard to this adoption is not anything to do with how "noble" we are; it has everything to do with the Grace and Mercy bestowed upon us by the Triune God!

Abba! Father! Thank You for Your Sanctifying Grace and Mercy!

Nothing happens by chance

I am excited to say that so far our Home Study process has proceeded smoothly and quickly, and we haven't hit any bumps in collecting our paperwork.  We are so thankful for the Home Study Agency we are using.  The customer service has been excellent since the very first phone call, and our social worker is wonderful as well.  She is so kind, helpful, and prompt at returning phone calls/emails.  We are hoping for our home visit to be completed the last week of May.  PRAISE GOD!

A primary focus of prayer has been centered around who will care for our three boys during our travel time to the country where Kathleen is located.  We are hopeful that God is revealing his answer.  Several months ago, I met a new face as I was serving in our church nursery.  At that time, she shared that she worked as a nanny.  Her passion to care for children was very evident.  At the beginning of this year, I approached her about overseeing the children in our Home Fellowship group while we have Bible study.  She agreed, and has done a wonderful job.  Her service is such a blessing.  Anyway, yesterday I served in the church nursery with her again.  I shared our story about how God has called us to adopt Kathleen.  I also expressed our concern about what to do with our boys while we travel.  I almost burst into tears when she mentioned that she would be willing to help.  We are hoping to meet with her within the next couple of weeks to discuss a possible plan in more detail.  Our serving in the church nursery together, and meeting so many months ago wasn't because we just so happened to be scheduled on the same day.  I'm convinced that wasn't so.  It's amazing how God is at work in our lives when we're not even aware of it.

I'll close with this verse.  My oldest son learned this verse as a song, and it frequently crosses my thoughts as I read such amazing stories of sacrifice and rescue for these precious children through Reece's Rainbow.

Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

It's Friday! Come Awake!

We all carry various burdens and struggles that sometimes prevent us from living the life God intended. Christ's sacrifice, though, reminds us that he defeated every last thing that might encumber His people. Thus, the charge to us all is to come awake and be one with Christ again. Music by Matt Maher.





Matthew 11:20-30 (my emphasis added)

Woe to Unrepentant Cities

 ²⁰ Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. ²¹ "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ²² But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. ²³And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. ²⁴ But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you."

Come to Me, and I Will Give You Rest

 ²⁵ At that time Jesus declared, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; ²⁶yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. ²⁷ All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. ²⁸ Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Moving Forward

Tomorrow, Corey and I have our first appointment with the caseworker/social worker overseeing our home study.  After delivering our application and contract last week, the office manager gave me the required home study checklist and autobiography outline.  I remember looking at the checklist and feeling a little overwhelmed.  I called Corey and asked him if he was ready to put his roller skates on because we had a lot of work to do.  We are hoping to expedite our end of things as quickly as possible.  We have a new 9pm - 1am shift at our home.  I guess this is our information gathering, form filing, autobiography writing shift.  Ha Ha!  I love spending this time with my husband.  My sense of feeling overwhelmed has peeked, and I am now able to focus more on what we need to accomplish to get to Kathleen as quickly as possible.  She is worth it.  I'm thinking of how our lives have changed already.  I can't wrap my mind around the thought of actually seeing her, holding her, playing with her, telling her that she is worthy, and most importantly telling her about our Lord and Savior.

Thank you so much to all the people who have responded to us.  Whether it's through a comment on this blog, email, phone, or in person, we are blessed beyond words to know that so many people are already praying for Kathleen, the adoption process, our family, etc.. Also, thank you to those who have contributed to our Adoption fund to help bring her home.  It is very humbling.

 

Timeline (Igniter Media)

Throughout the course of his public ministry, Jesus knew both the adoration and desertion of the crowds. Today, just as 2,000 years ago, the gospel asks a question that demands an answer: Will we follow? This video illustrates this truth through the dynamic lens of a 21st-century social network.

Do You Suffer From Depraved Indifference?

Praise the Lord for His Sanctifying Grace which allows us to repent of this behavior in our pursuit of Holiness, for His Kingdom! Amen!