Adoption in the US holds this dichotomy of being unwanted by someone but then being wanted by someone else. So many never grow past that in their life. Sometimes there is no choice if parents die, but maybe there is rejection by family members. Regardless there is a loss that is felt and retained in some form or fashion.
We carry that over into the church. We take the verses that we are “adopted” into the family as we were birthed in sin and our “father” is Satan. Or we are gentiles who have been “adopted” into the family of God. It leaves us with this inherent belief we were unwanted, that we were left orphans.
But here is a truth I recently learned at G42. When we accept Jesus as our Savior we are BORN AGAIN. Right? Everyone who’s heard a church service might have heard that. But do you hear that? We are BORN into God’s family.
He ALWAYS wanted us. From the very beginning of time He WANTED us. We were never for one second of our lives unwanted. I pray your spirit feels this. YOU WERE, ARE and WILL ALWAYS BE WANTED BY GOD.
Seriously take a minute and let that settle. Say “I was, am and always will be wanted and desires by God.” SELAH
So why does the Bible say we are adopted?
Because we are.
But Sarah Ann, you just told me we are born into God’s family and that even before that we were always wanted by God. So in what universe does this make sense?
Our definition of “adoption” is not the same cultural definition as the “adoption” in the Bible.
You see in modern adoption, there is a legal process where when the birth parents either give up their rights to the child, get their parental rights taken away, or die, then another family can choose and sign papers (after a process) and take legal responsibility for the child. In some cases these processes can be overturned and kids be returned to their kids (it’s rare but it happens).
If we apply this filter to our spirituality it means that we were born to Satan and then whenever we chose to believe in Jesus as our Savior his legal rights to us were taken away and now we are legally God’s. But this means that, in rare cases, Satan can get his legal rights back to us. Or that we have his characteristics. But let me tell you something. We ARE NOT and WERE NEVER sons of Satan. We are sons and daughters of Adam, who yes failed, but he is not Satan. Adam’s sin was doubting the goodness of God and rejecting His God-giving identity and that is what we are born into naturally, but we can change that for our children. That’s a post for another day though as I’m getting a little off track.
Refocusing: the tradition of adoption in the time when scriptures were written is a ceremony where the son receives his inheritance, but he was always a son.
It’s a specific ceremony when a son comes of age that the whole town gathers and the father declares the son that is getting the inheritance and places a signet ring on him. This ceremony gives the son permission to claim the inheritance and whatever decisions he makes for the property is legal and binding.
This ceremony is mirrored in the gospels and in Jesus’s story. Jesus was born the Son of God. But he waited in the carpentry shop until it was time. Then He gets baptized by John, the Holy Spirit descends as a Dove, and the voice of the Father says “this is my Son in whole I am well-please.” Then Jesus goes about His Father’s business and does what we call His ministry. This is the adoption ceremony!!
So what I’m learning is this: I have never been rejected by God. EVERYTHING God has ever done had the goal of getting me in relationship with Him. Restoring me to the original purpose which is to walk this earth with dominion and purpose to love God, love myself and love others while stewarding my life and this earth well. That the end goal of it all is to be God with skin on. But our adoption into the family of God means we have rights to our inheritance and that our actions reflect those of our Father.
What are your actions telling the world about your Father?
Are you stewarding your inheritance well?
Sarah Ann's Script 