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Becoming Bereans Adoption – Part 2

Steven Gambill

In my last article on this subject, I opened by sharing with you something of my own family’s experience of adoption. I also pointed to the great importance of this topic in understanding what Christianity is about, and our relationship to God in the Lord Jesus Christ. We looked at the very strong words of theologian J.I. Packer:

If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God’s child, and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means that he does not understand Christianity very well at all.

We considered how the Scriptures teach us that adoption assumes a previous break in our relationship to our Creator, as well as the amazing facts that God does not adopt because He does not have a child, nor does He do so because we have proven ourselves to be be “worthy” children.

In this segment, we will look at three things that are necessary for a person who was previously separated and at enmity with God to become a child of God through adoption. They are election, new birth, and faith in Jesus Christ.

ELECTION

The concept of election is often debated and frequently misunderstood even within the Christian community. That there is such a teaching in Scripture is indisputable. All one has to do is look up passages such as Luke 18:7, Romans 8:33, and 1 Thessalonians 1:4 (a few among many) to see that the Bible teaches something about election. What is disputed, however, is what election is.

Everybody agrees that the Bible’s doctrine of election has something to do with what God did in reference to those who will be saved from all the nations before time. The basic meaning of election is “to choose,” and in the various passages, God is the Chooser while the Christians are the chosen.

The point of disagreement has to do with the basis of God’s choosing. In other words, why or on what basis does God choose people for salvation? There are basically two answers. The first is that God chooses a certain person because of something that person is or does. Because this election takes place before time, it must obviously be foreseen by God long before that person is or does what is necessary for God to choose them.

The second major answer is that God chooses not because of what a person is or does, but despite these things. In other words, God chooses to show mercy even though a person is at enmity with Him, being born sinful and rebellious in heart. What is necessary for this to happen, as well as the subsequent results, will be seen under the next two sections.

My desire here is not to try to once and for all settle this debate (though I have through study come to understand the second answer to be my own). What is clear is that there is a connection between election and adoption. For this I will consider with you Ephesians 1:5:

…having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will…(NKJV)

There is a larger context, both before and after this verse, which I will not take time to look into. Let me simply point out that this entire section is what is known as a eulogy, or high praise to God. The Apostle Paul is expressing to the Ephesian believers what things he praises God for, particularly in relation to their salvation. After mentioning that, he praises God for choosing them before the foundation of the world, writing that they have been predestined for adoption as sons. So what God did in choosing them was not merely to save them from hell, but to put them into a new and blessed relationship with God. This was done not because He foresaw that they would be faithful or worthy, but rather it was “according to the good pleasure of His will.”

This is certainly good news when we are feeling our unworthiness, our failures, our sin. We know that God has saved us not because we are good enough, but because He is working in us out of His own good pleasure and desires. This is what gives us strength to carry on.

NEW BIRTH

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13 NKJV)

In this text we have a connection between the right to become a child of God and a new birth. A discussion of this birth is also found in John 3, in the well known account of the meeting between Jesus and Nicodemus.

John tells us that this birth is not because one’s parents are believers (“not of blood”), nor because one just decides to become a believer (“nor of the will of the flesh, nor the will of man”), but rather because of God. This is a birth which is supernatural, and effected by the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit.

What God does for one who is in need of salvation is not merely to legally adopt them, but also to give them this new birth. This changes their nature from being merely fallen and sinful. Peter uses surprising language when he describes Christians as being “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). This doesn’t mean we become little gods, but rather that by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit our natures are renewed according to the image of Him who created us (Ephesians 3:10).

When God does this miraculous work in a person, there is change and transformation. One is given a new heart, a renewed mind; and out of a liberated will, one who was previously at enmity with God joyfully begins to submit to and pursue after God. This is not forced conversion, but new life.

So what God does in choosing a person from the foundation of the world guarantees new life when that person hears the Gospel and is born again by the Holy Spirit. This changes everything. Now they are not only adopted into legal status as children, but are being renewed in likeness to the Lord Jesus Christ who is the image of God (Hebrews 1:3).

FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26 NKJV)

I have focused primarily on God’s work in making us children of God. This is a right emphasis, because it is a Biblical emphasis. However, this doesn’t mean that in the whole process there is a passivity, or inactivity, on our part. While election and the new birth are a sovereign act of God for us and in us, there is another thing necessary for adoption, which is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is clear in this Galatians verse that there is a connection between our faith or belief in the Lord Jesus and our being adopted as a son (or child) of God. Faith is the instrumentality or means by which we are adopted.

Unlike the adoption of our children, there was a proper response of faith on our part. In our day, adoption typically happens for a minor and often for a very small child who has little or no say in the process. When a person has been elected (before time) and then regenerated by the Spirit (in time), this regeneration is connected to the preaching of the Gospel of the Glory of God in Jesus Christ. His righteousness is declared, as well as the need for repentance and faith. The proper response for the one who was once a child of wrath just as the rest (Ephesians 2:3) is to believe the Gospel. Now they have the ability to believe, and because of new life, they actually do believe. Like Lazarus in the tomb, the Word of Christ not only gives them life, but calls them to come out of darkness. And they do.

CONCLUSION

If you are a Christian, this is some of what is entailed in your coming to know the Lord Jesus Christ and being made right with God. Without these three things you and I cannot become children of God.

Surely these things should cause us to worship, honor, and praise God for His abundant grace. It is He who has saved us, and not we ourselves. We love Him because He first loved us. It is by grace we have been saved through faith, and this not of ourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).

In the next segment I want to begin to consider what God says about present blessings of our adoption. God should be praised not only for what He has done in our salvation, but also for our present benefits as children of God.