What does it mean that Christians are adopted by God?

The Authorized Version speaks of "adoption of children." This hardly expresses it correctly. Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are not adopted into the family of God; they are born into the family. The Greek has only one word "Son-place." We are placed into the position of Sons. Not alone hath God given to us His own nature, but He gives us, because we have that nature in and through His Son, the place as Sons. Think of what God might have done for those, who by wicked works are His enemies. He might have given us the place of unfallen angels, the wonderful ministers of heaven. What mercy that would have been! Or He might have lifted us to the dignity of an archangel, full of beauty and power. But even that would not have been the very best He could have done in the riches of His grace and love. He has made us Sons, like the Son, whom He raised from the dead and seated at His own right hand.

While verse 4 shows that God's choosing (or election) has in mind, verse 5 shows that predestination has in mind the blessing for which they were marked out beforehand. This blessing is "adoption by Jesus Christ to Himself." Let us not miss the great blessing of this. Adoption was unknown in the Old Testament. Though Old Testament believers were children of God by new birth (Gal.4:1-3), yet adoption did not take place until the cross of Christ, and those who before the cross "differed nothing from servants," have now received the adoption of sons. Adoption is not simply the child's place of being born again into family relationship, but the son's place of dignity and liberty of knowing the Father's will, and as "joint heirs with Christ," being entrusted with the Father's goods as one mature enough to be brought into partnership. The liberty and dignity of Christian position in contrast to legal bondage is emphasized in so marvelous a position being given us, which was in God's thoughts for us long before we existed, according to the good pleasure of His will. Precious resting place for faith!

The word is υἱοθεσία, the adoption of sons, or the placing of persons in the position of sons, with all the privileges attaching thereto. Examples of this in a natural way are seen in the O.T. in Moses being an adopted son of the daughter of Pharaoh, Ex. 2:10, and Esther being adopted by her cousin Mordecai, Esther 2:7. In a higher sense Israel was the adopted son of God. Moses was instructed to say to Pharaoh, "Thus saith Jehovah, Israel is my son, even my firstborn." Ex. 4:22 : cf. also Deut. 14:1; Isa. 43:6. So that Paul, when enumerating the privileges of Israel, could say that to them pertained the 'adoption.' Rom. 9:4. In a much higher sense, since redemption has been wrought, those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are in the new creation sons by adoption, and the Spirit of God's Son is given them so that they can call God Abba Father, and not only be sons but know and enjoy the relationship with all its blessed privileges. Gal. 4:5-6. The Christian receives the spirit of adoption, the Holy Ghost bearing witness with his spirit that he is a child of God. Not that he enters into the full blessedness of being God's son until the future; for we who have the first-fruits of the Spirit groan within ourselves waiting for the adoption — the redemption of our body. Rom. 8:15-23. All this is certain as to believers, for having been chosen in Christ Jesus they have been predestinated unto adoption by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will. Eph. 1:4-5.

Adoption or sonship is yet another fruit of the redemption in Christ Jesus (Gal. 4:5). We are made children of God by new birth, but sons of God by divine favour. Sonship implies dignity and heirship. We are not servants under bondage, but sons and heirs of God through Christ (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6). By the grace of God, He "marked us out beforehand for adoption (sonship) through Jesus Christ to Himself" (Eph. 1:5). We have already received the Spirit of adoption (Rom. 8:15). This sonship of which we are conscious when "we cry, Abba Father," will be publicly acknowledged by God when His "many sons" are brought to glory (Heb. 2:10). At that time of "the manifestation of the sons of God" the whole universe will be brought "into the liberty of the glory of the children of God" (Rom. 8:21), when we shall be "sharing the portion of the saints in light" for which we are already made fit (Col. 1:12).

It was not God's purpose to have people under legal bondage, but rather to give them a place near to His heart, a place of approval of and delight in His ways. This is what redemption has accomplished, transforming the believer from a servant to a son, for redemption is the liberating of one from a place of bondage, to introduce into a state of freedom by virtue of a price paid. Adoption also implies this changing of position as in bondage to that of liberty and trust. The child has come to maturity and no longer needs the restraining hand of government: he is capable of being entrusted with responsibility. Not that his liberty is title to do his own will, but is a freedom that finds real fellowship and delight in the Father's will. This is the place of a son though it does not follow that believers always act as sons. Still, they are sons, and any action apart from the will of the Father is shameful inconsistency with the place given them.

The cross of Christ is the sharp dividing line that transforms a servant into a son, fulfills the claims of the Law, sets the believer in the immediate presence of God, rends the veil, and reveals God in the light. Adoption brings all believers of this present Church age into the position of sonship. Such was not the case in the Old Testament, though those believers were born again as children of God. So it is God's own children that He has adopted, to give them a position of dignity as virtually in partnership with Him. Therefore believers are both children of God and sons of God, but each designation has its own line of truth.

And further! Why “the Spirit of adoption?” Adoption as men understand it in human affairs means the receiving of a child, begotten by other parents into your home, and giving it the status of your own child and bestowing upon it all the care and love you would give to your own child. But, however fully this is carried out the adopted child cannot be the real child of his foster parents. But believers are the real spiritual children of God. They are born from above and are partakers of the divine nature. Why then “the Spirit of adoption?” Simply because we were once sinners, and as such were “children of disobedience … children of wrath even as others” (Eph. 2:2-3). And then came the quickening power of God bringing us into a new life in association with Christ who died and was raised, and ascended to God’s right hand, so that the believer in the estimation of God is “quickened … with Christ … raised up together, and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” So transferred from Adam to Christ, brings us the word, “adoption,” but the transfer being affected by the introduction of a new life by the quickening power of God’s Spirit, we become real children of God in the spiritual sense.

Adopted into God's family is the common lot of all God's people. God has destined that His people should be His children. Angels are His servants. Sinners saved by grace, forgiven, redeemed, accepted, are nearest to His heart. And thus it is given to us, before it is manifested what we shall be, to rest in the love of God in the affectionate intelligence of His dear children; “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God!” We are already made partakers of the divine nature and have the spirit of adoption given to us whereby we cry Abba! Father!

Adoption is taking you into His house. The spirit of sonship gives you the place, and the spirit to fill the place. — F. W. G.

Birth makes us children: adoption makes us sons.