Adoption: November 4, 2010

Today's Word for Thursday November 4, 2010

ADOPTION

DEFINITION

Take or receive as one's own; to take and rear another's child as one's own.

SCRIPTURE

Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. Ephesians 1:5.

To redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Galatians 4:5.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

In ancient Rome, adoption was occasionally used by the emperors to pass on succession to competent heirs. For example, Augustus Caesar was adopted by his great uncle Julius Caesar. Other notable adoptees included the emperors Tiberius and Hadrian. All of them proved to be strong rulers because each one was raised and trained to live like a child of his adoptive father under Roman law. Adopted children had all the rights and privileges of the biological children.

Every Christian is an adopted child of the King of kings. Our adoption comes at a great cost. God brought us into His family through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus on the cross and when we asked Him for forgiveness for our sins and accepted Him as our Savior. Although we are adopted children, God has made us joint heirs with Christ. (Romans 8:17)

We should feel great indebtedness to Him for all that He has done for us. There is no way to repay Him. In return for our being adopted into God's family, God wants us to live in a way that a child of God is expected to live. In Colossians 3:5 we are told by Paul what we are to get rid of in our lives when we have been adopted by God. He tells us to, "Put to death the sinful ways of our old life; sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed and idolatry."

These are to be replaced by activities and desires that show that we belong to the family of God. Paul then tells us in Colossians 3:12 to "Put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness and longsuffering." Can others that you meet daily see that you are an adopted child of God? They should by the way you walk and talk. We show that we are children of God when we honor God, call Him our Father and walk as His child.

In the book of Romans, Paul writes to the church at Rome numerous times about being an adopted son of God and how we, being adopted should be living. In Romans 8:15 he says, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God." So in life today we need to be led daily by the Spirit of God in order to be known as a son of God.

As adopted children of God we have only received the first fruits of our adoption. We await the completion of our adoption when we will receive our full inheritance in heaven. We will be resurrected with glorified bodies to spend eternity with God and Jesus.

In Romans 8:23, Paul writes, "We also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body."

Are you an adopted son or daughter of God? If not, now is the time because He is waiting to adopt you. All you have to do is recognize that you are a sinner, ask Him for forgiveness and then ask Him to come into your heart. He will then adopt you as one of His children. We read in John 1:12, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name."

LEARNING

Our memory verse for this week is found in John 15:9.

"As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love."

PRAYER

Thank You that You have adopted me as one of Your children. Give me the strength and determination to live for You every moment of this day. May all that I meet know that by my words and deeds that I am an adopted child of God.