One of the great things the doctrine of adoption can do is expand our understanding of what God has done for us. For Protestants, it is usually justification that is key to our understanding of salvation; that in Christ, God declares the guilty to be righteous.
This is wonderful as far as it goes, but an understanding of adoption helps us understand that God does more than just forgive us or declare us to be righteous. As good as that is, God goes further.
As Galatians 4:4-6 puts it, "When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son--born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons."
The "so that" is key--it shows that God's sending of Jesus, his redeeming us out from under the curse of the law, all that had a larger purpose. The larger purpose is so that we might be adopted into his family.
So far one of my favorite books I've read on this topic has been Trevor Burke's Adopted into God's Family: Exploring a Pauline Metaphor. Here's a great passage from that book:
"To be declared righteous at the bar of God is one thing; it is, however, quite another to be adopted into God's family and able to call him 'Abba, Father'. Put another way, God does not only justify people and then leave them destitute with nowhere to go--he adopts them into the warmth and security of his household." (pg 25-26)
I wonder how many of us have reflected deeply on the implications of being able to call God "Abba Father," to be welcomed as members into the warmth and security of his household? How would we live differently if we believed this to be true of us?
This is wonderful as far as it goes, but an understanding of adoption helps us understand that God does more than just forgive us or declare us to be righteous. As good as that is, God goes further.
As Galatians 4:4-6 puts it, "When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son--born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons."
The "so that" is key--it shows that God's sending of Jesus, his redeeming us out from under the curse of the law, all that had a larger purpose. The larger purpose is so that we might be adopted into his family.
So far one of my favorite books I've read on this topic has been Trevor Burke's Adopted into God's Family: Exploring a Pauline Metaphor. Here's a great passage from that book:"To be declared righteous at the bar of God is one thing; it is, however, quite another to be adopted into God's family and able to call him 'Abba, Father'. Put another way, God does not only justify people and then leave them destitute with nowhere to go--he adopts them into the warmth and security of his household." (pg 25-26)
I wonder how many of us have reflected deeply on the implications of being able to call God "Abba Father," to be welcomed as members into the warmth and security of his household? How would we live differently if we believed this to be true of us?
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