Are You Adopted?

Here is an interesting thought: Only adopted children go to heaven! I was thinking about the biblical doctrine of adoption today. In Ephesians 1:4-5 Paul said:

“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will ….”

Look at the parallels of adoption from a human perspective and from a biblical perspective. If we are going to adopt a child it is us who chooses the child. It is in love that we choose to adopt a child, not through anything meritorious that the child has done. We may have many reasons or motivations for pursuing the adoption, but the question arises whether we can use that analogy to understand the biblical doctrine of adoption. Sure we can … if we want to have a limited and heretical view of the doctrine of adoption. Biblical adoption is far different from human adoption.

Look at what Paul said again. When did God choose us? Before the creation of the world, before we ever existed. Before anyone ever existed. If you are called by God, then he created you to be his adopted child. Paul said “he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ.” In human adoption someone else brings the child into the world and is unable or unwilling to care for the child. This comes to our attention and after learning about it we may pursue an adoption of the child. A completely different situation from biblical adoption.

The difference is far greater than that though. Who were we before we realized our adoption into God’s family? Who were we before we were graciously granted the gift of salvation? Paul goes on to tell us in Ephesians 2:1-5:

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”

See who we were? We were living as enemies of God, under his wrath. Think of a time of war. How about World War 2? How many Americans were lining up to adopt German or Japanese children? Thinking about adopting now? Have you considered a child growing up in an Muslim orphanage in Saudi Arabia? How about adopting children of a recently killed terrorist? Better yet, how about adopting an avowed terrorist teenager from the Middle East? For most of us the thought never would have occurred to us. We don’t even consider adopting the children of our enemies or children who are our enemies, but God did. You see, we were the enemy, and for those of us who are children of God, he adopted us.

How awesome is the love of God? How awesome is the doctrine of adoption in the Bible? The idea that a holy and just God, the Creator of the universe would choose you or me, while we were enemies, vile sinners, to be his chosen children? That he would work with us day by day to make us more like him? Doesn’t it make you want to praise him and thank him for the incredible gift he has given us as children of God?

Let’s show him our love by how we live. Let’s be imitators of our loving Father. Let’s do what he told us to do in his Word, because we love him. Let’s not live like we are still enemies of God. Study his Word daily that you might know how he calls you to live.

Fruitful

God said we are to be fruitful and multiply, and nowhere did he take that command away. I was reminded of that recently when my daughter Chandrda and her husband Jeramiah received their third blessing into the world. Corban Peter Townsend was sent by God as a blessing into all our lives. That's a message that isn't heard very often in our world today ... that children are a blessing from the Lord.

One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Genesis 24:60 where Rebekah is being blessed by her sisters as she heads off to be married to Isaac. Remember the blessing they gave her? They said: "Our sister, may you increase to thousands upon thousands; may your offspring possess the gates of their enemies." God did tie the command to be fruitful and multiply to the general dominion mandate. Let the unbelievers have 1.8 children each, let the children of God increase to thousands upon thousands and fill the gates of our land! God has a plan ... are we listening?

The Fool

Take a minute and read a great article by Gary DeMar at http://www.foolsheart.com/. He talks about a recently released documentary that the enemy is using to try and defeat weak Christians and keep others from seeking God.

Fortuantely the enemy isn't in charge of the universe but God is. And God's plans will providentially be fulfilled as he is the author of life. Nonetheless, it is incumbent on you and I to be good apologists for the faith, prepared to give an answer, to refute this nonesense the enemy is spewing out.

Let's have some of you who read this step up now. Give an answer. Let me see some comments here relative to this attack. Let's share with one another what we might say to a weaker brother or sister being influenced by this, or an unbeliever trying to use this to attack us.

Am I Genuine?

The sermon at church today was on the topic "Are you the real deal?" He asked us to examine ourselves to see if our faith and salvation were real. Are we truly a Christian? It reminded me of what Paul said at 2 Corinthians 13:5:

"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you, unless, of course, you fail the test?"

How often do we do this? How often do we test ourselves? One of the great ways to see if you know what you believe is to share your faith with an unbeliever. We don't often have much trouble sharing our faith with a fellow believer, but that unbeliever ... well he might ask us something we don't know! The fact is, I'm afraid, most don't know what they believe and struggle to defend the faith.

The first problem here for many is that they haven't been taught much doctrine. They don't understand the basic and fundamental teachings of Christ. Not having a good handle on it themselves, they are ill equipped to share it with others. If this is your case, seek out a church or Bible study where God's word is taught and those fundamental truths are explained and reinforced. The Bible is to be the foundation for all of life. It is to guide our thinking in every area of life.

We need to understand what it means to be a Christian in order to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. One of my favorite teachings in the Bible that helps me to see this more clearly is Jesus' teaching of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. Study this passage, attend a Bible study on it and see what Jesus has to say about being a Christian. Then examine yourself to see if you are in the faith. If you are, then take the next step and share it with another who is lost.

Many are uncomfortable sharing their faith or defending the faith for a variety of reasons. But we are told in 1 Peter 3:15 that we should always be ready to do so. We must be ready and readiness comes from training and preparation. The unbeliever's thinking is the foolishness of man. When confronted with humanism, evolutionism, pragmatism and so forth, can you show the unbeliever the foolishness of their thinking? 2 Corinthians 10:5 says "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God ..." Do we? Or do we cower in fear that the unbeliever's "wisdom" is too great for us? Do we? Or are we afraid we might offend the unbeliever? Better to let him walk in the foolishness of his ways ... all the way to hell, rather than be offended with the Gospel?

No, Jesus calls us to show the unbeliever the foolishness of his thinking. We do that when we can point out what their presuppositions are and where they logically lead to. Then we can show the unbeliever our Biblical presuppositions and where they logically lead to. God will then take what we have said and in his sovereignty, will deal with the unbeliever's heart. We can't save people, God does that. It is our task to show them the foolishness of their worldview and wisdom of God's. For this we are to be prepared, for this we are called.

So, what about you? Are you a Christian? How do you know? Don't trust a "feeling" in your heart. Do as Paul said and examine yourself, a deep and thorough examination. Nothing is more important. Then if you are, help others to see the truth.