COMMENTS
As Christmas fast approaches, I can think of no better time to consider the Doctrine of Adoption. We, the elect of God, are only able to be called to adoption by the blood of Christ sacrificed at Calvary. It is fitting we celebrate His birth and reflect upon how we become Sons (and daughters) of the Living God.
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12).
Many passages in the Bible address adoption. I chose John 1:12 as it is the first in the New Covenant/Testament, and sets the foundation for all others. “But to all who did receive him…” In most modern evangelical circles, the message to unbelievers is to seek God. Just call out to him and ask him into your heart. The Bible, however, has a different message. In today’s main text, the word “receive” makes that point. At first glance, it appears to align with the teachings of modern evangelicals. But a closer look reveals that John is stating. The question one must ask is who is motivating the receiving and believing? John answers that he gave the right to become children of God. Receiving and believing are not something we do of our own accord. No, the Bible is clear on this matter, man is but a sinful creature and loves evil, his only hope is the urging of the Holy Spirit.
v.12 – But as many as received him—as many individuals, out of the mass of that “disobedient and gainsaying people,” as owned and embraced Him in His true character, to them gave he power [ἐξουσίαν]. The word signifies either authority (‘potestas’) or ability (‘potentia’) or both. Here certainly both are included; nor is it easy to say which is the prevailing shade of thought. to become the sons of God [τέκνα Θεοῦ]—or rather, ‘to become children of God;’ not in name and dignity only, but in nature also, as the next verse makes evident. Even to them that believe on his name [εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ]. This is a phrase never used of any creature in Scripture. To ‘believe one’ [πιστεύειν τινί] means to ‘give credit to a person’s testimony.’ This is used not only of prophets and apostles, but of Christ Himself, to signify the credit due to His testimony (as ch. 4:21; 5:46, 47). But to ‘believe upon one,’ or ‘on the name of one,’ signifies that trust which is proper to be placed on God only; and when applied, as it is here and in so many other places, to the Lord Jesus, it signifies that the persons spoken of placed supreme faith in Him. But what kind of sonship is this to which Christ introduces such believers in Him? The next verse tells us.
David Brown, A. R. Fausset, and Robert Jamieson, A Commentary, Critical, Experimental, and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments: Matthew–John, vol. V (London; Glasgow: William Collins, Sons, & Company, Limited, n.d.), 347–348.
Biblical References
ADOP´TION, n. [L. adoptio.]
- The act of adopting, or the state of being adopted; the taking and treating of a stranger as one’s own child.
- The receiving as one’s own, what is new or not natural.
- God’s taking the sinful children of men into his favor and protection. Eph. 4. Adoption by arms, an ancient ceremony of presenting arms to one for his merit or valor, which laid the person under an obligation to defend the giver. Adoption by baptism is the spiritual affinity which is contracted by god-fathers and god-children, in the ceremony of baptism. It was introduced into the Greek church, and afterwards among the ancient Franks. This affinity was supposed to entitle the god-child to a share of the god-father’s estate. Encyc.
Adoption by hair was performed by cutting off the hair of a person and giving it to the adoptive father. Thus Pope John 8 adopted Boson, king of Aries.
Adoption by matrimony is the taking the children of a wife or husband, by a former marriage, into the condition of natural children. This is a practice peculiar to the Germans; but is not so properly adoption as adfiliation. Encyc.
Adoption by testament is the appointing of a person to be heir, by will, on condition of his taking the name, arms, &c. of the adopter. Encyc.
In Europe, adoption is used for many kinds of admission to a more intimate relation, and is nearly equivalent to reception; as, the admission of persons into hospitals, or monasteries, or of one society into another.
Noah Webster, Noah Webster’s First Edition of An American Dictionary of the English Language. (Anaheim, CA: Foundation for American Christian Education, 2006).
STUDIES
Boston views divine adoption as the work of the Trinity. First, the Adopter is God the Father who, in His great love, eternally predestines sinners to be brought back into His family (Eph. 1:3, 5; 1 John 3:1).
Second, divine wisdom requires that these children be adopted in Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:5–6; Gal. 3:26–27).
Finally, Christ sends forth His messengers to preach the gospel offer of adoption, and the Father sends His Spirit to open the ears and hearts of people to seek adoption.
Joel R. Beeke, “Thomas Boston on Praying to Our Father,” in Taking Hold of God: Reformed and Puritan Perspectives on Prayer, ed. Brian G. Najapfour (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2011), 164.
Adoption as the Foundation of Prayer
The Lord Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Our Father, which art in heaven” (Matt. 6:9), to which Boston comments, “The children of God [are] those who only can or are capable to pray acceptably: for they only can indeed call God Father. We cannot pray acceptably unless he be our Father, and we his children, namely, by regeneration and adoption.” This does not excuse prayerlessness. “Prayer is a duty of natural religion,” Boston says, and thus is obligatory for everyone.10 Though unconverted sinners cannot please God in their performance of prayer, God still may answer their prayers because He ordained prayer as a means of grace. But only a child of God can pray rightly. To get at the heart of Boston’s theology on prayer, we must understand two major emphases: first, the status of adoption is necessary if one is to pray acceptably; second, the Spirit of adoption enables the child of God to pray spiritually.
ibid
Adoption offers distinct privileges to the sons of God, which Boston says are as follows:
1) “A new name, Rev. 2:17 and 3:12.… They are called of God sons and daughters, Heb. 12:5.”
2) “The Spirit of adoption, Rom. 8:15.” We will discuss this privilege later in the chapter.
3) “Access to God and communion with him. They may come farther in than others and come forward with holy boldness, when others must stand back, Eph. 3:12. God as a Father is familiar with his children, allows them a holy confidence with him, as children to pour their complaints into his bosom and tell him all their wants. Never did a father take so much delight in his child’s talking to him, as God, in the prayer of his people poured out, by virtue of the Spirit of adoption, Prov. 15:8. Song. 2:14.”
4) “Special immunities and freedoms … from the law as a covenant of works … from the curse … from the hurt of everything … Rom. 8:35, 38, 39 [being] bettered by the worse things that befall them, ver. 28.”
5) “God’s fatherly love and pity.… No mother [is] so tender of the fruit of her womb as God is of his children, Isa. 49:15.”
6) “Protection, Prov. 14:26.… In all cases they have a Father to run to, both able and willing to protect them, Ps. 90:1.… And at length he will set them beyond all danger, Rev. 21:25.”
7) “Provision, 1 Pet. 5:7.… Come what will, God’s children shall be provided for; for he that feeds his birds, the ravens that cry, will not starve his children.”
8) “Seasonable and sanctified correction.… It is a special benefit of the covenant of grace, proceeding from God’s fatherly love, Ps. 89:30–32.”
9) “Lastly, an inheritance and portion, according to their Father’s quality. They are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, Rom. 8:17. So all is theirs, grace and glory.”
Adoption privileges have remarkable implications for the prayers of the children of God. It is no wonder that a man with this view of divine adoption would spend much time in communion with God. However, these privileges belong only to those adopted by the Father, in the Son, through the Spirit. Unbelievers may cry out to God for mercy, but access to the Father is a benefit reserved for the children of God. Prayer is the duty of all, but acceptance with God is a privilege. Boston writes, “It is a privilege that God will allow us to come so near him, and to pour out our hearts before him, a privilege bought by the blood of Christ.”
ibid
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