Page 118 - TH200 Abundant Life A4 Final

Abundant Life in the Son: A Study of Salvation

Mr. and Mrs. Potter adopted a young man from another country and
named him Dan. Dan blended into the family life completely and he
was treated with all the rights and privileges of the Potter children. The
Potters became legally responsible for Dan. They made it possible for
him to receive a good secondary education and to attend university
also. As an adopted son, Dan was well-fed and clothed, and on special
occasions such as Christmas, he was remembered just like all of the
other family members. In short, he received all of the family benefits
because of his adoptive relationship. This is but a poor illustration of the
kind of love that our Heavenly Father demonstrates in saving us, making
us heirs of His promises, and daily presenting us with benefits.

The Time of Adoption
Past

Adoption occurs in three phases. First, there is a past phase. In
Ephesians 1:4–6, Paul said, “For he chose us in him before the creation
of the world…. He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through
Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise
of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.”
These verses indicate that God is the adopting One and that we are the
adopted ones. We also learn that Jesus Christ is the One who made
it possible and that the good pleasure of God’s will is the source of
adoption. Finally, we see that the purpose of adoption is that we might
praise Him for His glorious grace.

We should note that God is the prime mover in adoption. It proceeds
from His love according to His will, returns to Him in an adopted family,
and ends in the praise of His glorious grace. Ephesians 1:4–5 shows
that God’s decision in eternity to adopt us as His children is based on
His love. His love alone prompted the eternal decision to adopt us. And
since adoption results from the free exercise of God’s grace, all human
merit is ruled out.

We see in this Scripture that while adoption brings tremendous
privileges, it also involves responsibilities: “For he chose us in him
before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight”
(Ephesians 1:4). If we claim God as our Heavenly Father, then we must
live so that He will not be ashamed to call us His children.

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