2004-02-10 - A: Adoption

Encore 1999-01-26 The Holy Alphabet Series

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 which cry out, "Abba, Father!" The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.

"Adoption is an act of Godsfree Grace, whereby we received into the number, and have right to all the privileges of the sons of God. Proofe, 1 John 3:1, John 1:12" --Robert Port

I must thank Rev. Port for starting his alphabet with adoption. Adoption is one of the great comforts to the Christian. It is also one that we are prone to forget.

We all know what adoption is. A family takes one for their son or daughter that was not a son or daughter previously. This new member of the family enjoys all the rights and privileges of familyness. The proof of these rights being given is usually found in the change of the family name to that of the parents family name.

It is a very similar case when we are adopted into the family of God. We gain all the liberties and privileges that being a son of God means. This is why we call ourselves 'Christians'. It reminds us that we have all the rights that Christ had and yet even more, we have the Holy Spirit to aid us in our new family standing.

One old document of the Christian faith explains adoption into the family of God as follows, "...Have his Name put upon them (Jer. 14:9, 2 Cor. 6:18, Rev. 3:12), Receive the Spirit of Adoption (Rom. 8:15), Have Access to the Throne of Grace with Boldness (Eph. 3:12), Are enabled to cry, Abba, Father (Gal. 4:6), Are pitied (Psal. 103:13), protected (Prov. 14:26), provided for (Matt. 6:30, 32, 1 Pet. 5:7), and chastened by him as by a Father (Heb. 12;6); Yet never cast off (Lam. 3:31), but sealed to the Day of Redemption (Eph. 4:30), and inherit the Promises (Heb. 6:12), as Heirs of everlasting Salvation (1 Pet. 1:3,4; Heb 1:14)."

This is a grand statement!! And as it is taken straight from the Word of God, strengthen yourself with these things, comfort yourself with these things, and be glad.

When the Danish missionaries stationed at Malabar set some of their converts to translate a Catechism, in which it was asserted that believers became sons of God, one of the translators was so startled that he suddenly laid down his pen, and exclaimed, "It is too much: let me rather render it, 'They shall be permitted to kiss his feet!'"

Soli Deo Gloria,
T-

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