In love Eph 1:5-6 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
One of the greatest blessings that can come to us as repentant sinners saved by the grace of God through Christ is the blessing of adoption. When the apostle Paul talks about being predestined for adoption, he is speaking about the unconditional election of us by God from all eternity – “to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ.” Being adopted as sons and daughters of God is his specific blessing of our predestination.
We are not adopted children on our own merit, rather, it is due to God’s good pleasure to adopt us through His Son. As Paul states in verse 1 regarding his apostleship, we too are chosen in Christ by the will of God. And that is cause for us to rejoice in praise to the glory of God.
Being a child of God brings many benefits. The very first thing is we have eternal life with our Lord Jesus. When we turn from our sin, admit that we fall short of the glory of God without the saving power of Christ crucified and risen on our behalf, and accept Him as the righteousness that has been credited to our account, we then have an unhindered relationship with God. We can relate to Him as our loving and caring father free from the threat of condemnation and wrath as we are saved through faith in Christ.
As adopted children we are given the promised Holy Spirit to guide us and direct us. We have the freedom to live life unhindered by shame and guilt because we are now empowered to rise above sin and temptation in the power of God.
As children of God we have millions of brothers and sisters in Christ who have also been adopted into the family. When we begin to grasp the magnitude of this alone, we realize that there are people around us every day that are our adopted family. We no longer live as strangers, we are part of the family of God that can only be accomplished in His perfect way. As I have traveled over the past few years to Africa, Guatemala, and even in my own country, I have found that whenever I encounter another Christian it is often a matter of minutes before we are engaged in meaningful conversation that is centered around the goodness of God. Being adopted into the family of God brings me comfort and joy knowing that wherever I go there are often other brothers and sisters around me that I can turn to for encouragement and for me to encourage as well.
Knowing I am predestined for adoption into the family of God brings joy to my heart and gives me the freedom to do what I was created to do, worship, serve, and bring glory to God. Having God as my Father brings me courage to face the challenges that lie ahead and the hope that He will deliver on every promise I read in the Word. Some may say that election and predestination makes us robots or puppets for God, I see it quite differently. I see that it brings me great assurance that if God chose me before the foundation to be adopted as His child, then if God is for me, who can ever be against me!
Lord, thank you for the blessing of adoption. To be adopted into your family through faith in Christ is far more than I could earn, bargain for, or even deserve. Your grace is amazing and wonderful and I thank you today for giving me hope for eternity and confidence in knowing that whatever comes my way you are always there to care for me as my loving Father. Amen…