ARTICLE 12 ADOPTION. (ROM 8:15 –8:23- 9:4 GAL 4:5 – EPH 1:5)
ADOPTION IS A WONDERFUL ACT ISN’T IT... WHEN A HUMAN BEING ADOPTS A CHILD - ESPECIALLY WHEN WE CONSIDER THAT THE CHILD’S OWN BIOLOGICAL FAMILY HAVE DISCARDED AND ABANDONED THAT CHILD FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER IS PLACED INTO THE STATES CARE AND IS INSTITUTIONALISED. AND THEN SOMEONE COMES ALONG AND ADOPTS THAT CHILD GIVING THEM A FAMILY WHERE THEY CAN BELONG GIVING THEM A NEW IDENTITY –SECURITY-PURPOSE AND A FUTURE INHERITANCE.
IT TAKES SPECIAL INDIVIDUALS TO ADOPT ESPECIALLY WHEN THAT PERSON HAS GOT A CHILD OR CHILDREN ALREADY THEY ADOPT THEM AS THEIR OWN – IT DEMONSTRATES HUGE LOVE AND CARE.
GOD IS BIG ON ADOPTION - HE IS FILLED WITH COMPASSION WHEN HE SEES OUR PLIGHT (PSALM 103:13), HE HAS GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO ADOPT US INTO HIS FAMILY THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. THE ADOPTION PAPERS WERE DRAWN UP AND PREPARED WELL IN ADVANCE TO ADOPT US EPH 1:3. HE PREDESTINED US TO BE ADOPTED AS HIS SONS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. THIS WORK OF ADOPTION ISN’T FORCED OR COERCED EITHER OUR ADOPTION IS A MUTUAL RESPONSE - COMING TOGETHER AS NEW FAMILY MEMBERS JOHN 1:12 TO ALL THOSE WHO RECEIVE HIM HE GIVES US THEM THE RIGHT TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD .
ARTICLE 12: GOD HAS VOUCHSAFED, THAT IN CHRIST, HIS ONLY SON, AND FOR HIS SAKE, ALL THOSE WHO ARE JUSTIFIED SHALL BE MADE PARTAKERS OF THE GRACE OF ADOPTION, BY WHICH THEY ARE TAKEN INTO THE NUMBER OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD AND ENJOY THEIR LIBERTIES AND PRIVILEGES. THEY HAVE HIS NAME PUT UPON THEM, AND RECEIVE THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION. THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE THRONE OF GRACE WITH BOLDNESS, AND ARE ENABLED TO CRY, ’ABBA, FATHER!’ THEY ARE PITIED, PROTECTED, PROVIDED FOR, AND CHASTENED BY HIM AS BY A FATHER, YET THEY ARE NEVER CAST OFF, BUT ARE SEALED TO THE DAY OF REDEMPTION, WHEN THEY INHERIT THE PROMISES AS HEIRS OF EVERLASTING SALVATION.
• IN ROMAN LAW, ADOPTION WAS A VERY SERIOUS UNDERTAKING. ‘THE ADOPTED SON COULD HAVE OFTEN BEEN A SLAVE WHO BECOMES A FULL MEMBER OF THE FAMILY, JUST AS IF HE HAD BEEN BORN OF THE BLOOD OF THE ADOPTER; HE RECEIVES A NEW IDENTITY HIS NAME IS CHANGED HE WOULD RECEIVE NEW PURPOSE AND SECURITY AND WAS INVESTED WITH ALL THE PRIVILEGES OF THAT FAMILY AFFORDS WITH EQUAL INHERITANCE RIGHTS. TODAY I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU A NUMBER OF BENEFITS AS A RESULT OF OUR ADOPTION INTO GOD’S FAMILY.
1. WE RECEIVE A NEW IDENTITY. JOHN 1:12 TO ALL THOSE WHO RECEIVE HIM HE GIVES US THEM THE RIGHT TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD - CHILDREN NOT BORN OF NATURAL DESCENT, NOR OF HUMAN DECISION OR A HUSBANDS WILL, BUT BORN OF GOD.
THERE ARE MANY BIG QUESTIONS TO LIFE, “WHERE HAVE I COME FROM?” “WHERE AM I GOING? “ “WHY AM I HERE?” BUT ONE OF THE BIG QUESTIONS HAS TO BE “WHO AM I?” IT’S A QUESTION OF IDENTITY..... OUR IDENTITY COMES FROM OUR FAMILIES WHICH WE WERE BORN INTO WHICH WE BELONG TOO AND ARE GIVEN FAMILY NAMES ( RIDDING TONS, VAUGHAN’S, WARBURTON’S THE JOHNSONS AND SO ON ) SO ITS HERE IS WHERE WE GET OUR REAL SENSE OF IDENTITY – IMAGINE FOR A MOMENT YOU TOOK YOUR NAME AWAY .... OR YOU WEREN’T BORN INTO A FAMILY - WHO WOULD YOU BE?
WHERE WOULD YOU GET YOUR SENSE OF ID FROM? FROM YOUR CAREER - YOUR FRIENDS – YOU PURSUITS – YOUR PLEASURES – YOUR INTELLECT – ALL OF THESE THINGS WILL FORM SOMETHING OF AN IDENTITY FOR YOU.
1. TO THE GOVERNMENT YOU MIGHT BE A NUMBER, A COMPUTER A STATISTIC NH60 44 20 D.
2. TO YOU EMPLOYER YOU MIGHT BE A COG IN THE WHEEL - WHO MAKES THE BUSINESS TICK.
3. TO SOCIETY AT LARGE YOUR JUST ANOTHER FACE AMONG THE MULTITUDE.
BUT OUR REAL IDENTITY GOES FAR DEEPER THAN A NAME UPON A BIRTH CERTIFICATE - IN REALITY OUR TRUE IDENTITY IS NOT FOUND IN OUR PARENTS, FAMILIES OR IN OUR EXPLOITS BUT IT IS FOUND IN GOD ALONE. GEN 2:16 HUMAN BEING MADE IN HIS IMAGE AND OF INFINITE VALUE AND WORTH TO GOD.
BUT SADLY IDENTITY THEFT HAS TAKEN PLACE (‘THE FALL’ GEN 3) - WE NO LONGER BELONG TO GOD BUT TO SATAN. ALL OF HUMANITY AS A RESULT OF THE FALL HAS A MARRED AND DISTORTED IDENTITY. NO LONGER BELONGING TO GOD BUT TO THE DEVIL - BORN IN SIN - WE HAVE AN IDENTITY CRISIS - OUR FATHER IS SATAN - WHO DESIRE TO CONTINUE TO DEFACE OUR TRUE IDENTITY. (JOHN8:31 -47) JESUS SPEAKS ABOUT GODS TRUE CHILDREN
THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT THROUGH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WE CAN BECOME THE CHILDREN OF GOD AND RECEIVE A NEW IDENTIFY JOHN 1:12 TO ALL THOSE WHO RECEIVE HIM HE GIVES US THEM THE RIGHT TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD - CHILDREN NOT BORN OF NATURAL DESCENT, NOR OF HUMAN DECISION OR A HUSBANDS WILL , BUT BORN OF GOD. THROUGH ADOPTION WE RECEIVE NEW IDENTITY AS CHILDREN OF GOD......
2. WE HAVE A NEW PURPOSE (EPH 1: 6, 12, 14). TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE? ? IF YOU COULD SUM UP THE PURPOSE OF OUR CURRENT CULTURE IN THE 21ST CENTURY WHAT WOULD IT BE? THE ME CULTURE! ..... MY PERSONAL FULFILMENT.
BUT THE BIBLE REVEALS TO US THAT IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU. THE PURPOSE OF YOUR LIFE IS FAR GREATER THAN YOUR OWN PERSONAL FULFILMENT, YOUR PEACE OF MIND, OR EVEN YOU’RE HAPPINESS. IT’S FAR GREATER THAN YOUR FAMILY, YOUR CAREER, OR EVEN YOUR WILDEST DREAMS AND AMBITIONS. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY YOU WERE PLACED ON THIS PLANET, YOU MUST BEGIN WITH GOD.
WHEN A PERSON IS ADOPTED INTO GODS FAMILY AND RECEIVES A NEW IDENTITY THEY WILL LEARN OVER TIME THEIR NEW PURPOSE IN THE FAMILY AND ITS NO LONGER ABOUT THEMSELVES BUT ITS ABOUT GOD....OUR LIVES ARE TO BRING GLORY TO GOD: ‘WE ARE DESIGNED TO REFLECT HIM’.
IN WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL THERE ARE MIRRORS TO ENABLE VISITORS TO ADMIRE THE MAGNIFICENT CARVINGS IN THE ROOF WITHOUT STRAINING THEIR NECKS. THE TOURISTS WILL HAVE MISSED THE POINT IF THEY LEAVE THE CATHEDRAL SAY “WHAT WONDERFUL MIRRORS!” THEY ARE DESIGNED NOT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THEMSELVES, BUT RATHER TO POINT UPWARDS TO THE CEILING. WE, TOO, ARE DESIGNED TO POINT AWAY FROM OURSELVES. OUR PURPOSE IS NOT TO BRING GLORY TO THE HUMAN RACE , BUT RATHER TO REFLECT GOD, IN WHOSE IMAGE WE ARE MADE..’ VAUGHAN ROBERTS LIFE’S BIG QUESTIONS P44 .
THIS IS OUR PURPOSE, A LIFE DRIVEN BY GOD TO LIVE OUT FOR HIS GLORY. SATAN WANTS TO ROB US OF OUR PURPOSE - AS GODS ADOPTED CHILDREN - AND HE TRIES TO BLIND OUR MINDS - DON’T LET THE OLD NATURE, DECEIVE YOU OF YOUR TRUE POTENTIAL AND PURPOSE IN CHRIST.
IN “THE MATRIX,” KEANU REEVES PLAYS A CHARACTER NAMED THOMAS ANDERSON. HE IS ALSO A COMPUTER HACKER THAT GOES BY THE NAME “NEO.” HE IS INTRODUCED TO THE MATRIX AND MORPHEUS TRIES TO CONVINCE NEO THAT HE IS “THE ONE.” NEO SPENDS THE ENTIRE MOVIE DENYING THAT HE IS THE ONE, A DENIAL THAT IS FUELLED BY THE ‘AGENTS’ WHO REFER TO HIM AS MR. ANDERSON. FINALLY, AT THE END OF THE MOVIE, IT APPEARS THAT AGENT SMITH HAS FINALLY OVERCOME NEO AND HE WILL DIE. AGENT SMITH SAYS, “GOODBYE, MR. ANDERSON.” AS A SUBWAY TRAIN APPROACHES. NEO REPLIES, “MY NAME IS NEO” – THE FIRST TIME THAT HE EVER USES THAT NAME HIMSELF IN THE ENTIRE MOVIE. WHEN HE FINALLY OWNS UP TO HIS TRUE IDENTITY, HE IS ABLE TO OVERCOME THE AGENTS.
IN THE SAME WAY, YOU AND I HAVE BEEN DECEIVED BY SATAN. HE WOULD HAVE US BELIEVE THAT WE ARE UST ORDINARY PEOPLE WITHOUT ANYTHING OF VALUE TO OFFER TO THE REST OF THE WORLD, ESPECIALLY ANYTHING WORTHY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. BUT THE REALITY IS WE ARE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD AND WE HAVE REAL PURPOSE IN MAKING HIM KNOWN THROUGH OUR LIVES. (GAL. 4:4-5. ROM. 8:14-15).
3. WE HAVE A NEW SECURITY AS ADOPTED CHILDREN EPH 1:13
HAVE YOU NOTICED THESE DAYS WHEN YOU GO SHOPPING AND GO INTO STORES WHERE THERE ARE PRODUCTS OF HIGH VALUE ON DISPLAY THAT THESE PRODUCTS ARE OFTEN SEALED AND SECURITY TAGGED - WHO HAS EVER WALKED OUT OF A STORE AND THE ALARM HAS GONE OFF BECAUSE THE TAG HAS NOT BEEN REMOVED? IT SO EMBARRASSING – BUT THESE ARE SECURITY MEASURES TO PROTECT THEIR INVESTMENTS FROM DAMAGE OR THEFT.
A. WE ARE PROTECTED: AS ADOPTED CHILDREN OF GOD WE ARE SEALED THIS MEANS WE TOO ARE PROTECTED AND TAGGED AS IT WERE BY THE HOLY SPIRIT (EPH 1:13, 1PET 1:5 REV 7:2-3) MEANING WE ARE OF HIGH VALUE TO GOD AND THAT OUR GOD IS ACTUALLY GUARDING AND PROTECTING US - UNTIL WE REACH OUR FUTURE INHERITANCE.
THE SEAL ALSO MEANS WE ARE THE REAL DEAL - WE ARE GODS AUTHENTIC CHILDREN OF GOD. I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT THESE DAYS YOU CAN GET LOADS OF FAKE GOODS WHETHER ITS ARMANI SUIT A ROLEX WATCH TO NIKE TRAINERS ON THE SURFACE THEY LOOK LIKE THE REAL THING BUT ON A CLOSE INSPECTION THEIR MERELY COPIES AND NOT AUTHENTIC.
B. WE ARE AUTHENTIC: SO THE SEAL IS ALSO A SIGN OF AUTHENTICITY OF OWNERSHIP - IF A KING WAS WRITING A NEW DECREE UPON A DOCUMENT IT WOULD BE SEALED WITH HIS SIGNET RING GIVING IT AUTHENTICITY MEANING THIS WAS THE GENUINE ARTICLE .
A TRUE CHILD OF GOD MUST BE SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT - JESUS SAID, YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN JHN3:3 - JOHN THE BAPTIST SAID, MATT 3:11. I BAPTISE YOU WITH WATER FOR REPENTANCE. BUT AFTER ME WILL COME ONE WHO IS MORE POWERFUL THAN I, WHOSE SANDALS I M NOT FIT TO UNTIE HE WILL BAPTISE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND WITH FIRE (PENTECOST). THE HOLY SPIRIT MUST BE POURED OUT UPON US THIS AUTHENTICATES US AS THE REAL DEAL ACTS 2:4 , 38,10:44, 47.
THERE ARE MANY INDIVIDUALS TODAY WHO WOULD CONSIDER THEMSELVES AS CHRISTIANS AND ARE STRIVING TO BE RIGHT WITH GOD IN THE FLESH - THEY ARE NOT AUTHENTIC AS THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN SEALED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT – THEY HAVE NO INNER ASSURANCE OF ALL THAT THEY BELONG TO GOD. ROM 8:9.
C. CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE: ON THE OTHER HAND A TRUE CHILD OF GOD WILL HAVE THE INNER TESTIMONY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT WE BELONG. ROM 8:16 THE SPIRIT HIMSELF TESTIFIES WITH OUR SPIRIT THAT WE ARE GODS CHILDREN. DO YOU HAVE THE INNER WITNESS IN YOUR LIFE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT? THE SPIRIT AGAIN BEARS TESTIMONY WITH OUR HEART CRY TO OUR FATHER ABBA – ARAMAIC TERM OF ENDEARMENT FOR FATHER - DADDY ROM 8:14 -16 FOR YOU DID NOT RECEIVE A SPIRIT THAT MAKES YOU A SLAVE AGAIN TO FEAR BUT RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF SON SHIP . AND BY HIM WE CRY “ABBA FATHER.” MUCH ASSURANCE IS DERIVED IN OUR CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE - THAT WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD.
• THE HYMN WRITER ALFRED ACKLEY WROTE, HE LIVES! “YOU ASK ME HOW I KNOW HE LIVES, HE LIVES WITHIN MY HEART. THEIR IS A SUBJECTIVE WITNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD THAT WE ARE THE REAL DEAL THIS AGAIN IS FURTHER SECURITY.
D. THE SECURITY OF BEING RELEASED - WE HAVE BEEN SET FREE BY THE SPIRIT : ADPTED CHILD HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM HIS OLD LIFE AND BEEN BROUGHT INTO A NEW CHANGED LIFE - BEFORE WE WERE ADOPTED WE WERE SLAVES TO SIN - IN SERVITUDE TO IT - UNDER LAW AND UNDER CONDEMNATION - BUT WITH OUR ADOPTION COMES FREEDOM FROM THE OLD WAY - SET FREE FROM SIN ROM 8:1-2 FOR THERE IS NOW NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS. FOR THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE HAS SET YOU FREE IN CHRIST JESUS FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH.
4. WE ARE AWAITING OUR FULL ADOPTION INHERITANCE. ROM 8:23 NOT ONLY SO BUT WE OURSELVES GROAN INWARDLY AS WE WAIT EAGERLY FOR OUR ADOPTION AS SONS, THE REDEMPTION OF OUR BODIES.
EARLIER I SPOKE OF THE ROMAN ADOPTION PROCESS WHERE THE ADOPTED CHILD WOULD BE TREATED AS HIS OWN CHILD. WITH THE FULL RIGHTS OF A NATURAL HEIR.
BUT THERE WAS ALSO A SECOND ADOPTION PROCESS OFTEN UNDERTAKEN IN ROMAN CULTURE. THIS PROCESS WAS UNDERTAKEN IN PUBLIC; THE CHILD WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THE AUTHORITIES AND IN THE PRESENCE OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THE ORDINARY GARMENTS OF THE ADOPTED INDIVIDUAL WERE TO BE TAKEN OFF IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY, AND THE ADOPTING FATHER WOULD PUT ON HIM NEW GARMENTS THAT SUITED HIS NEW WAY OF LIFE.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT IT MEANS ‘TO BE WAITING FOR OUR ADOPTION’. IN A REAL SENSE - WE‘VE NOT FULLY ENTERED INTO OUR FULL INHERITANCE AS ADOPTED CHILDREN OF GOD. WE HAVE THE FIRST FRUITS OF OUR ADOPTION THROUGH THE SPIRIT BUT OUR FULL ADOPTION STILL AWAITS.
AT THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT THERE IS NOTHING THAT EXTERNALLY DISTINGUISHES A BELIEVER FROM THE NON-BELIEVER; LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE WE HAVE WEAKNESS, WE SUFFER IN THIS WORLD, WE ARE BORN AND WE DIE. BUT WHEN THE RIGHT DAY COMES, BEFORE A WATCHING WORLD WE SHALL BE DIFFERENT AND EVERYBODY WILL KNOW IT!
BEFORE A WATCHING WORLD JESUS WILL RETURN TO PUBLICLY OWN US AS HIS CHILDREN - AND OUR ORDINARY GARMENTS (OUR BODIES) WILL BE RESURRECTED AND BE GLORIFIED WITH IMMORTALITY LIKE OUR SAVIOURS WHO IS IN HEAVEN. 2COR5: 2 - 5
A MOST GLORIOUS INHERITANCE WAITS FULLY ADOPTED – CLOTHED IN GLORY UTTERLY PERFECTED WITH THE FATHER THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE NEW HEAVENS AND EARTH.
CONCLUSION: ADOPTION GIVES US REAL IDENTITY – PURPOSE – SECURITY AND A FUTURE INHERITANCE.
HAVE YOU BEEN ADOPTED BY GOD? .... MAYBE YOU RE UNSURE AND YOU DOUBT, YOU FEEL UNSURE THEN HE CALLS YOU TO RECEIVE HIM AS YOU SAVIOUR AND LORD. FOR ALL THOSE WHO RECEIVE HIM HE WILL GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO BECOME A CHILD OF GOD FULLY ADOPTED INTO HIS FAMILY SEALED WITH THE SECURITY OF HIS SPIRIT AND GIVEN ASSURANCE AND EAGER EXPECTATION OF YOUR FUTURE INHERITANCE.
