From the Desk of Wes Scenters

Adoption

Part 1

Romans 8:15-17 "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again in fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."

Paul is describing the new relationship of the believer to God. He speaks of us being adopted into the Family of God.

Roman adoption was very, very serious and more difficult than anything else to do. The Father's power over his family was absolute. It was actually the power of absolute control, and in those days it was actually the power of life and death. In regard to his father, a Roman son never came of age. No matter how old he was, he was still under his father's absolute possession and under the absolute control. This made adoption into another family very difficult and very serious!

After the sale, there followed a ceremony where a demand was made for return of a person. The adopting father went to one of the Roman magistrates and presented a legal case for the transference of the person to be adopted into his family. When all this was completed the adoption was complete.

In this law of adoption is a very serious picture that in painted in Paul's mind.

(1) The adopted person lost all rights to his old family, and gained all the rights of a fully legitimate son in his new family. In the most literal sense, and in the most legally binding way, he got a new father.

(2) It followed that he became heir to his new father's estate. Even if other sons were afterwards born, who were real blood relations, it did not affect his rights. He was a co-heir with them.

(3) In law, the old life of the adopted person was completely wiped out. For instance, legally all debts were cancelled; they were wiped out as though they had never been. The adopted person was regarded as a new person entering into a new life with which the past had nothing to do.

(4) In the eyes of the law, the adopted person was literally and absolutely the son of the new father.

Roman history tells us how literally and completely this was held to be true. The Emperor Claudius adopted Nero, in order that Nero might succeed him on the throne. They were not in any sense blood relations. Claudius already had a daughter. To cement the alliance, Nero wished to marry the daughter. Now, they were in no sense connected; they were in no sense blood relations; yet, in the eyes of the law, they were brother and sister; and before they could marry the Roman Senate had to pass special legislation to enable Nero to marry a girl who was legally his own sister. This showed how complete adoption was in Rome.

Is this what Paul is thinking of when he uses still another picture of Roman adoption. He says that God's Spirit witnesses with our spirit that we really are children of God. The adoption ceremony was carried out in the presence of seven witnesses. Now, supposing the adopting father died, and then suppose there was some dispute about the right of the adopted son to inherit, one or more of the original seven witnesses stepped forward ad swore that the adoption was genuine and true. Thus the right of the adopted person was guaranteed and he entered into his inheritance. So Paul is saying, it is the Holy Spirit Himself who is the witness to our adoption into the family of God. (Ephesians 4:30 "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.")

We now see that every step of Roman adoption was meaningful in the mind of Paul when he transferred the picture of our adoption into the Family of God. Once we were in the absolute possession of sin, in absolute control of our own human nature, but God, in His mercy, has brought us into absolute possession of Himself. The old life has no more right over us, we begin again a new life, a life with God. We become heirs of all the riches of God. We also become joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, God's own Son. That which Christ inherited, and inherits, we also inherit. What Christ is to the Father, so are we (1 John 4:17 "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.")

It was Paul's picture that when a person became a Christian, they entered into the Family of God. We did nothing to earn it, we did nothing to deserve it, God the Father, in His awesome love and mercy, has taken the lost, helpless, poverty stricken, debt-laden sinner and adopted him into His own Family, so that the debts are cancelled and that unearned love and glory are inherited! What was the price of adoption? The death of His Son!

E-MAIL US

______________________________________________________________

New Beginning Tabernacle
2561 Ramona Lane
Fairfield, OH 45014

Phone: 513-863-7845
Fax: 513-863-7863

nbt@zoomtown.com

______________________________________________________________