Adoption

Introduction

An understanding of adoption is important if you are going to enjoy our Christ life to the fullest.

This week’s lesson will help us gain a understanding of the Big Word Adoption by asking three questions.

1. What is adoption?
2. What are the privileges of adoption?
3. How can we enjoy adoption now?

Question #1: What is adoption?

Adoption is the act God by which He give each of His children an adult standing in His family.

• Adoption is not the way you get into God’s family.
• The only way you get into God family is by regeneration.
• This is a future “Big Word”
• When a couple adopts a child, it is a beautiful experience. They can give that adopted child their name, their address, their home, their wealth. But they cannot give that adopted child their nature.
• The adopted child will always have the nature of their biological parents.
• The only way to get into God’s family is to have God’s nature and share God’s life.
• That can only come by regeneration, being born again.

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

• Adoption is not the way you get into God’s family; Adoption is the way you enjoy God’s family.
• Adoption is the act of God by which He give to each of His children an adult standing in His family.
• The instant you were saved, you received an adult standing, which means you have all the adult privileges .
• It also means that you also have all the responsibilities.
• This means that you cannot use the length of time we have been saved as an excuse for being poor Christians!
• Some might say “Well, I have only been saved for four or five years; you can’t expect too much of me.” God says, “No , I expect of you what I expect of every one on My children. I am going to give you adult privileges, and I expect from you adult conduct and the fulfilling of adult responsibilities.”
• That is what adoption is.
• Adoption means that the instant you were born into His family god gave you an adult standing.

Question #2: What are the privileges of adoption?

Many of these privileges are listed in Romans 8:14-17

For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

How many of these privileges have you been living out as adopted sons and daughters of the King!

1. Walking

Romans 8:14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

• The verb “led” means “willingly led.”
• You can’t lead a baby because a baby can’t walk.
• A baby needs to carried.
• But when you enter God’s family, you are adopted, and instantly you are able to walk.
• The unsaved person walks according to the course of this world.
• He walks according to the prince of the power of the air;
• He walks in disobedience.

Ephesians 2:2in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

• You have the privilege of walking in obedience, because we are led by the Spirit of God.
• God has a plan for your life.
• He tells to walk in the newness of life.

Romans 6:4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

• Romans 8:4 tells us to walk in the newness of life

Romans 8:4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

• So we have the freedom and the blessing and privilege of walking
• Freedom

That leads to our second privilege - Freedom

Romans 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

• Under the Law there was bondage.
• The Jewish nation had to obey, and if they did not obey, they would be judged.
• Consider what Galatians 4:1-7 says

Galatians 4:1-7 Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. 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.

• There is a contrast between being a servant and being a son
• The word “son” refers to a mature son, not just a little baby.
• When you are a child you are under all kinds of rules and regulations.
  • Don’t do this & don’t do that
  • Don’t touch this and don’t go there
• Sad to say, many Christ live like this
  • They live a life of legalistic bondage
• Paul informs us that the Holy Spirit who has come into our lives is the Spirit of adoption.
• We have not received “the spirit of bandage again to fear” (Romans 8:15)
• The words that may well best describe little children are fear and bondage
  • They are always afraid of something
  • They are in bondage, they must always obey others, they are under the control of parents and teachers.
• You, as God’s adopted children have freedom from the Law.
  • This does not mean that we are lawless
  • It does mean that our relationship to our Father is one of love and not of bondage.
• We have freedom; we are able to walk!
• Speaking

Romans 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

• According to Galatians 4, when the Holy Spirit comes into our heart , He cries Abba Father, and then we are able to cry Abba, Father.
• No baby is born speaking.
• That would be a remarkable thing if a child could instantly speak.
• When your wee born into God’s family, even though your were only one second old in the Lord, your were adopted and you had the privilege of speaking
• Speaking in prayer
• Speaking in praise
• Speaking in worship
• And speaking for God in witness
• Assurance

Romans 8:16The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,

• We know that we are God’s children
• Reread what the scripture says: The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.
• No little baby know it is a baby.
• It doesn’t even know it is a human being.
• It has to grow into this knowledge.
• No baby knows who his parents are
• A baby gets to know very early that certain people are very close to him and are very meaningful to him, but he doesn’t know how to call them father or mother.
• When you were born again adopted, instantly we knew we were God’s children.
• Instantly we knew who our Father was and were able to look up and say, “Abba, Father.”
• The word “Abba” is equivalent to our word “daddy.”
• “Abba” express our close intimate, loving relationship with our Heavenly Father.
• Inheritance

Romans 8:17and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

• A baby can’t inherit anything.
• If the parents die, and they leave their estate to their baby, then baby has to be under trustees until he can legally inherit the wealth.
• You do not have to wait to mature to inherit our wealth.
• If that were the case, we would never grow up.
• We need that spiritual wealth now in order to grow up.
• In Romans 8:17 we are told that we are now the heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.
• That means everything we inherit come through Christ.
• In banking terms that means that we have two names on the check
  • Our Lord Jesus Christ signs the check, and we have to sign the check.
• Suffering

Romans 8:17bif indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

• We do everything we can to shield babies form suffering.
• If a baby start to suffer, everybody drops everything to make that baby comfortable.
• But God allows His children to suffer, because we aren’t babies.
• God is treating us like adults
• We need suffering because it build character.
• We need suffering because it build spiritual muscle.
• Suffering teaches us much about the grace of God, and suffering prepares us for future glory
• if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified together
• God gives us the privileges of suffering because He want us to grow up.
• The ultimate privilege of life is to be entrusted with God’s glory.
• God puts us through suffering that he might be able to share His glory with us.

Question #3: How can we enjoy adoption now?

First: Believe that it is true

• Adoption is not a feeling it is a fact.
• Just believe that it is true.
• Look in the mirror and say:
• You being treated as an adult son, an adult daughter not as a little baby.
• God does not pamper His children because pampered children cannot be used for His glory.
• So just believe and say:
• Thank God I have been adopted: I have an adult standing before God and all these privileges are mine.

Second: Yieldto the Holy Spirit

• The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of adoption.
• He is the One who will make all of this real to you.

In Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

• The Spirit is called the Spirit of life.

In Romans 8:13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

• The Spirit is called the Spirit of death – He puts to death the deeds of the body
• Yield to the Holy Spirit and claim god’s promise by faith.
• The blessing is there; it is true, it is real.
• Start treating yourself the way God treats you.
• Look upon yourself the way God treats you.
• Look upon yourself as an adult son or daughter in His family.
• Stop pampering yourself, stop whimpering, stop asking God to give you toys.
• Ask Him to give you tolls and weapons, because there is a Church to build and battle to fight.