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Abundant Life in the Son: A Study of Salvation

is to believe in Jesus Christ and receive Him. This belief involves the total
person: intellect, emotions, and will. It involves knowing the truth of the
gospel (John 8:32) and giving assent to it (Romans 10:10). To receive Jesus
and make a complete commitment of one’s life to Him requires a definite
act of the will. The faith we demonstrate in believing and receiving does
not produce adoption; it does, however, set the stage for it (Galatians 3:26).
John adds that “to all who received him, to those who believed in his
name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

God’s part in adoption is of course primary. A person’s response to His
offer of salvation gives God the opportunity to begin His transforming
work. In an instant, He forgives sin, imparts a new nature, gives a new
standing before himself, and grants a new status in His family. As the
Holy Spirit makes our adoption real, we are able to respond to God,
“Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15) with a sense of amazement and wonder.
Our adopted status is not the result of any merit in us. It is God’s
love and grace alone that bring us into His family where there are no
distinctions: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor
female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). And all,
through the Spirit of Christ in their hearts, cry out together, “Abba,
Father!” (Galatians 4:6).

Distinctiveness of Adoption

We have seen salvation as a single work of God, and we have used
the illustration of a chain reaction to describe how the various aspects
relate to other aspects of the work. Let’s review briefly some of the
similarities and differences that exist among regeneration, justification,
and adoption.

Adoption and justification involve the administration of divine justice,
so they are considered judicial acts. Both of them give status: justification
gives the guilty sinner the status of acquitted, while adoption gives him
the status of adult heir (about which we shall comment further). Both
involve a relationship to God; however, the character of the relationship
is different. Justification is a relationship between a righteous Judge and
a guilty sinner, whereas adoption is a relationship between the Father
and a son. Justification is basically legal, whereas adoption is basically
paternal. Justification proceeds from righteousness, whereas adoption
proceeds from love.

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