… that we might receive adoption to sonship.
Summary: “Adoption to sonship” might be a bit of an arcane phrase, but the principle behind it is timeless.
Before we dive into the implications of today’s passage, we should probably do a bit of housekeeping first.
For reasons known only to the translation staff for the NIV, they chose to use the word “sonship.” If you look the word “sonship” up in the dictionary, it reverts to the definition of the word, “son.” “Sonship” implies a somewhat archaic form of the word “son.”
Second, we should note that when Paul uses the word “son,” he uses it generically. Paul himself points this out when he writes, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
So, to put this verse in its proper context, let’s look at the New International Reader’s Version:
“He came to set free those who were under the authority of the law. He wanted us to be adopted as children with all the rights children have.” (Galatians 4:5, NIRV)
Now, let’s look at the intent.
Under the law, all humanity (except Jesus) is condemned to the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:15). From the perspective of the law, there are no exceptions. If God took no action at all, there would be no survivors of Creation. We would all end up in the trash.
For reasons of his own, God could not simply snatch us up to heaven and save his creation from the burn pile that way. There had to be atonement. To be saved, we needed a way to be made “at one” with God again.
Jesus is that way.
Hearts that long for God are drawn to Jesus. In Jesus, we find forgiveness and redemption. Once redeemed, it is Jesus who unites us to the family of God.
It is possible that if Paul had been writing to Jews, he might not have used the word “adoption.” Because the Jews are already part of God’s chosen people, it would be enough to be restored to the family in the same way the Prodigal Son was restored to his father (Luke 15:11-32).
Because Gentiles do not have the same family connection that Jews do, Paul says that God takes the additional step of adopting us into the family. Once adopted, we become a member of God’s family forever.
Application: Consider who we are now in Jesus and who you were before knowing Jesus.
Food for Thought: What does it mean to be adopted?
I find it interesting where the Lord took your question with me this morning.
Adoption is when someone takes steps to permanently make another a part of their family. That other person becomes as if they had been born of you, with full rights as an heir. They bear the name of the adopter.
John 1:12-13
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
Something that came to mind today in thinking about adoption is that some people are adopted as babies. The parents that adopt are looking for “a baby.” In alot of ways the baby is a blank page. Then there are parents that adopt older children, ones that are not a blank page, but bring with them a past and future potential. There are cases in the Bible and in history where grown men have been adopted. In those cases, the adopter adopts out of love for that person. To me, this is the adoption Paul speaks about.
Thank you, Chris!
Your thoughts on babies vs older children brings to mind Matthew 18:3
“Jesus said, ‘What I’m about to tell you is true. You need to change and become like little children. If you don’t, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.'”
Perhaps that is why we are to become like “little children.” 🙂
What does it mean to be adopted?
My youngest child is adopted, we brought her from the hospital when she was 4 days old. My first memory of her is while my wife and I waited in the hospital chapel for the attorneys to being her us. They placed her in my hands, her little hand gripped my finger, I looked into her beautiful blue eyes and fell totally in love with this little person. As part of our family, she spent every Sunday in church with her mother and I.
One who is adopted is welcomed into and become part of a family they have never known. They become a child of their new mother and father and a brother or sister of the previous children. People they have never known now become their family as they learn and adopt their ways of living as their own,
Romans 15:21, but as it is written, “They who had no news of Him shall see, And they who have not heard shall understand.”
Paul quotes Isaiah 52:15 to drive home his recent point.
So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths because of Him, for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand. Isaiah 52:15
Paul has been called by God to bring the good news about salvation through faith in Jesus to people who have never heard it before.
This passage from Isaiah 52:15 points forward to Christ. Paul is showing that his ministry to the Gentiles is a fulfillment of centuries-old prophecies. While Paul was proud to see himself used by God Romans 15:17, he understood that God had long planned to accomplish this work in this way.
Paul also understood his great privilege in being the one to help those who had never been told about Christ to see and understand for the first time.
Thank you R2T2
Thank you, Ron!
Your story is a beautiful example of what it means to be welcomed into a family – whether because we are a biological child or adopted. If it is done right, it makes no difference.
Thanks CH. And thanks Jeff for the devotion.
One truth that could relate is that if we are adopted as God’s child that is what we are. We are not second class citizens, but a child of the King. As CH pointed out with John 1 : 12 – 13.
1 John 3: 1 – 2: See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, a we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
Romans 8: 16: The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
Rich,
I love your point about being “children of the King.” Imagine running through the halls of our new home and being overwhelmed by the wonders of our Father’s house! 🙂
All great comments that leave me with nothing to add but thankfulness………. and worry that your all my big brothers.
T you are a blessing!
LOL! 🙂
Yes, Tim, we are Watching!! 🙂