Receive the Adoption as Sons - Galatians 4:4-5 - 123RF Photo - Used under license
"But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God." (Galatians 4:4-7)
This lesson is the fourth and final lesson in the series about the "Children of God" (Ref. 1, Ref. 2, Ref. 3). This article explains the nature and benefits of our adoption as children of God. This article also describes the Roman adoption process. If you are not sure that you are a child of God, please refer first to the article, "Becoming a Child of God" (John 1:12-13, Ref. 1).
Consider. As an adopted child of God, how would you describe your relationship with your heavenly Father? What do you consider to be the benefits of being a child of God?
Definition of Adoption
Let's begin by examining the definition of adoption. The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary defines adopt as "to take by choice into a relationship, especially: to take voluntarily (a child of other parents) as one's own child" (Ref. 4).
The Greek word for adoption in the New Testament is huiothesia (Ref. 5). The word huiothesia is a combination of two words, hyiós ("son") and títhēmi ("to place") – "properly, sonship (legally made a son); adoption" (Ref. 5). The word adoption (huiothesia) occurs five times in the New Testament (Romans 8:15, Romans 8:23, Romans 9:4, Galatians 4:5, Ephesians 1:5, Ref. 5). Roman Adoption - Process
In ancient Rome, adoption of boys was a fairly common procedure, particularly in the upper senatorial class (Ref. 6). Every senator's duty was to produce sons to inherit the estate, family name, and political tradition. Roman families typically restricted their families to three children. For families with too many sons and the ones with no boys at all, adoption was the only solution (Ref. 6). Augustus, the first emperor of the Roman Empire, is possibly the most famous example of an adopted son in ancient Rome (Ref. 6, Luke 2:1).
In Roman society, accomplishing an adoption began with the process where the father sold his child to the adopting father twice and bought back his child twice. On the third sale of the child, the "selling" father did not buy back the child. The adopting father went to the Roman magistrate and made the case for the child to become part of his family and to be under his protection. When the magistrate approved, the adoption was complete (Ref. 7). Roman Adoption - Benefits
William Barclay's Daily Study Bible (Ref. 7) describes below the benefits for the adopted person in ancient Rome.
Now let's turn our attention to the scriptures that the Apostle Paul wrote about the nature and benefits of our adoption as children of God.
God Planned in Advance for Our Adoption
Our adoption as God's children was God's idea and God's initiative. Paul wrote about God the Father, "He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will ..." (Ephesians 1:4-5, italics added). The Greek word for predestine is proorizó, which means to pre-establish boundaries or to mark out beforehand (Ref. 10).
Our Adoption as God's Children is Made Possible through the Redeeming Work of God's Son, Jesus Christ
"But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons" (Galatians 4:4-5, italics added). The Greek word for redeem is exagorazó, which means buy away from, purchase out from, or rescue from (Ref. 11).
The redeeming work of Christ has provided us (who believe in him) these benefits:
Apply. In prayer, thank God for planning for your adoption and reaching out to redeem you through the saving work of His Son, Jesus Christ. Thank God for giving you his blessings and favor as a child of God. Thank God for providing you an inheritance - eternal life.
Related Topics
"Becoming a Child of God" (John 1:12-13) "Characteristics of a Child of God - Part 1" (Matthew 7:16) "Characteristics of a Child of God - Part 2" (Matthew 5:16)
References
1. http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/becoming-a-child-of-god 2. http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/characteristics-of-a-child-of-god-part-1 3. http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/characteristics-of-a-child-of-god-part-2 4. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adopt 5. https://biblehub.com/greek/5206.htm 6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adoption_in_ancient_Rome 7. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/dsb/romans-8.html (public domain) 8. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/cambridge/galatians/4.htm 9. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1322384?seq=4#metadata_info_tab_contents 10. https://biblehub.com/greek/4309.htm 11. https://biblehub.com/greek/1805.htm 12. https://biblehub.com/greek/5.htm 13. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/galatians/4.htm 14. http://www.ScriptureWay/home/what-is-eternal-life
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Let Your Light Shine Before Men - Matthew 5:16 - 123RF Photo - Used under license
"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)
"Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him." (1 John 5:1)
This lesson is the third lesson in the series, "The Children of God" (Ref. 1, Ref. 2). This lesson is the second of two lessons on the Characteristics of a Child of God (Ref. 2). To learn more about "Becoming a Child of God," please review Ref. 1.
Consider. If someone asked you to describe the characteristics of a child of God, what would you say?
A Child of God Illumines Others with the Light of Christ
Jesus Christ himself is the light of the world (John 1:9, John 8:12). When Jesus said to his disciples, "You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14), Jesus described their (our) role to shine with his light, the light of Christ, upon the world. The light of Christ that we shine enlightens people and leads them to salvation and eternal life. When we are a child of God, we share the light of Christ upon the world effectively because the Holy Spirit indwells us and empowers us (John 14:16-17, Acts 1:8, Ref. 3).
A Child of God Should Have the Proper Motive in Doing Good Works
Jesus said, "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16, italics added). We are to avoid doing good deeds for ostentatious ("look at me") purposes. Jesus criticized people who do good works to bring praise to themselves rather than to God (Matthew 6:1-6). Our motive as a child of God should always be to glorify God, not ourselves.
A Child of God Must Love All People
A child of God must love all people:
The Greek word for love in these verses above is agapaó, which means to have a preference for, wish well to, regard the welfare of (Thayer's Greek Lexicon, Ref. 4).
A Child of God Has the Witness of the Spirit
The Apostle Paul writes, "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God" (Romans 8:16). The Greek word for bears witness with is summartureó which means to testify jointly, i.e. corroborate by (concurrent) evidence (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, Ref. 5). When we are born of God, the Holy Spirit jointly testifies with our human spirit that God is our heavenly Father and that we are his child (Romans 8:15, Ref. 6 below).
A Child of God Should Be Alert (Watchful) and Sober (Free from Illusion)
The Apostle Paul begins 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 with "Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night" (1 Thessalonians 5:1-2). Then Paul says, "But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day ..." (1 Thessalonians 5:4-5, italics added).
Paul then states a characteristic of children of God, "so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober" (1 Thessalonians 5:6, italics added.) As a child of God:
Apply. In self-examination, consider each of the characteristics of a child of God covered in this lesson.
In the next, and final, lesson in this series, we will discuss the nature and benefits of our adoption as children of God.
Related Topics
"Becoming a Child of God" (John 1:12-13) "Characteristics of a Child of God - Part 1" (Matthew 7:16) "Our Adoption as God's Children" (Galatians 4:4-5)
References
1. http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/becoming-a-child-of-god 2. http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/characteristics-of-a-child-of-god-part-1 3. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/jfb/matthew/5.htm 4. https://biblehub.com/greek/25.htm 5. https://biblehub.com/greek/4828.htm 6. Kenneth S. Wuest, "Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament," Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1973 7. https://biblehub.com/greek/1127.htm 8. https://biblehub.com/greek/3525.htm |
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