Ours is a cocooning society. Politics and pandemics have isolated us. We sit dazed and mesmerized by our gadgets. But technology is no substitute for companionship. We have virtual friends more often than real contact with others. But we long to belong.The highest privilege that can be bestowed on a person is to be adopted into God’s family. In our salvation, God not only forgives our sins and imputes Christ’s goodness to us, but He also adopts us into His very family. How awesome is that!
You see, understanding that in our salvation we are adopted into God’s family and enjoy a Father-child relationship with God is foundational for Christian living and for finding freedom in our new life in Christ!
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12)
As we read earlier, John mentions adoption at the beginning of his Gospel where he says, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” As well, in I John we read, “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. Beloved, we are God’s children now.”
The New Testament epistles bear repeated testimony to the fact that we are now God’s children in a special sense, members of His family. Paul says in Romans 8:14-16:
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”
This awesome act of adoption by God should be so liberating to us. Our adoption clearly assures us that we are significant to our heavenly Father. From now on, our sense of significance is derived not from our performance but our position in Christ. From this knowledge flows our sense of value. No longer are we preoccupied with the way others see us. We are wholly consumed by the way the Father sees us. No longer are we seeking the approval of others, we seek a deeper revelation of the Father’s exquisite perspective of us.
So from now on, when the Devil tries to exasperate you by what was true about your old self, you now need to stand firm in your faith by meditating on God’s view of you:
I have been given the right to be [called] a child of God (John 1:12).
I am a child of my Heavenly Father by adoption (Romans 8:15).
I am God’s work of art (Ephesians 2:10).
I am loved by the Father himself (John 16:27).
I have been redeemed and forgiven (Colossians 1:14).
I can approach the Father with confidence (Hebrews 4:16).
I am a brand new person in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17).
So go into your week having your mind illumined with the truth that you as a true believer in Christ, are a true child of God, and a welcomed into His family! That should put a skip in your step, a smile on your face, new strength to carry on, and freedom in your heart!
