Adoption (theology)

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The Favorite, by Georgios Iakovidis, 1890.

Adoption, in Christian theology, is the admission of a believer into the family of God. In the Reformed ordo salutis ("order of salvation"), adoption is usually regarded as a step immediately subsequent to justification. As a theological word, adoption has similar connotations to the act of legally placing a child with a parent or parents other than those to whom they were born. There are three references in the New Testament to God "adopting" Christians as his own children (Galatians 4:5, Romans 8:15 and Ephesians 1:5) and one reference to the adoption by God, of the "people of Israel" (Romans 9:4). Adoption as a theological term introduces a relational dimension to the consequences of salvation.[1]

Adoption as a theological concept is also another consequence of the 'legal' act of justification, alongside redemption and reconciliation.[2] The Old Testament precedent for this term comes from the story of Mephibosheth, who despite not being part of Davidic family was included in the Royal inheritance (2 Samuel 9:7-13).[3] Adoption was an important feature of Reformation theology as demonstrated by article 12 of the Westminster Confession of Faith:[4]

All those that are justified, God vouchsafes, in and for His only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption, by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God.

In biblical times, the word adoption had a two-fold meaning:

  1. The private act of receiving a stranger into the family as a son
  2. A public, legal ceremony (act) of recognizing the son as the heir

Until the ceremony was performed, the child did not differ from the servants of the home. The word ‘adoption’ then deals not with a Christian's relationship to God but their position before God. Adoption is an act of God whereby He accepts the justified believer as an adult son who can enjoy the privileges and responsibilities of a son of God.[5][6]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Philip Ryken, Salvation BST (Leicester:IVP, 2001): 206.
  2. ^ Ryken, Salvation, 207.
  3. ^ Ryken, Salvation, 213-214
  4. ^ 'The Westminster Confession of Faith' Center for Reformed Theology and Apologetics, http://www.reformed.org/documents/wcf_with_proofs/ Retrieved 15 June 2009.
  5. ^ "What Does the Bible Say About Adoption?". Adoption.org.
  6. ^ "Beginner's Discipleship Class 35a : Adoption". Real Bible Believers. 11 April 2020.
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