When someone chooses to bring another person into a family relationship, or uses a legal process to make a fit subject into ones own child, they have "adoption." God has already chosen the people that he will adopt and we desire to be among them. Remember that there are conditions to be met before the redeemed leave this earth and go to live with God. None may earn their own way into God's family or by merely saying they accept His gift does not force God to save anyone. God will certainly no adopt people just because they claim He is obligated. We can tell when we have become part of god's family by the communication between our spirit and the Spirit of the Almighty. In Romans we read these words, The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Rom 8:16,17) You can see that suffering is prescribed here as one element of the life God expects us to find in His service.
During the Old Testament times adoption was very important legally. One generation after another were to maintain the family possessions and most important was the land. When a family had no male children, they were to adopt someone. This person would serve in all the duties of a son and on some future day he would receive the inheritance. Spiritually speaking this all began with Abraham and has been passed down to Christians today. In between the time of Abraham and today's Christians the Lord dealt with the Jews. here is what God tells us about them, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son and Let my son go, that he may serve me (Ex 4:22,23) We see here that all God's children are required to serve. Now look at how the Lord felt when his people did not respond correctly, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. (Is 1:2) and goes on to say that all sinners will be destroyed. It has always been a fact that God's grace requires a proper response from us.
In the first pillar we observed that Jesus Christ has made the sacrifice which provides the opportunity for our eternal life with God. It is possible for our adoption now that the wrath of God has been removed. The Scripture says that Jesus, Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past. (Rom 3:25) This tells us that all the legalities were met on behalf of God the Father when his son Jesus completed his work on the earth. Now everyone has an opportunity to get right with God the Father.
The fact that our adoption was planned long ago is a wonderful and kind act, although there are people who worry about election. We must believe that God's ways are above our understanding and we must, as the song says, "only obey" to have our destiny with God assured. There are times when we do not feel like a son of our heavenly father, but the Scripture assures us that God is a father of the fatherless (Ps 68:5) We become fatherless when we leave the family of this world who father is the Devil. Jesus is called "elect" (1 Peter 2:6) even though he is the natural son of God. We also have been elected to become a child of God and this means at least three things to us. First we believe that everything needed to be His child has been provided for us. Second, that Christians are safe and secure in Jesus, and thirdly that we find our gratitude so great that we give our lives in service to God.
Our creator loves and cares for us and His desire is to have a life with his children. Think what he is doing for us now, thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die and return to their dust. (Ps 104:29) Not only is he in control of each breath, but he knows every thought and feeling. When we become his servant there will be comfort and promises for the rest of our lives. A great peace will fill our heart just knowing that God has made us part of His family.
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