Spiritual Gifts part 58: Our inheritance includes suffering.

Pastor-Teacher
John Farley
Sunday,
December 5, 2010

Biblical adoption is that grand design of God by which He confers or bestows upon us the status or the standing of adult sons and daughters.

This happens positionally at the moment of salvation when He recognizes us as an adult son or daughter permanently by His placement.

Biblical adoption shows up in connection with the moment of salvation, yet it also shows up in God’s thoughts in eternity past, and then again at the Rapture.

Adoption is something that God started in eternity past, Eph 1:5. He decided He would make us His adult sons and daughters one day.

We are recognized as adult sons and daughters by virtue of our union with Christ.

God the Father selects an incapable person and transforms him or her into a capable person.

We are made into the heir by means of the grace of God through the pre-designed plan of God.

Your relationship as a child of God (tekna) results from the new birth. This is true for believers of all dispensations.

Your relationship as an adult son of God (huios) is positionally established by adoption, and is for Church Age believers only.

Your relationship as an adult son of God becomes fulfilled experientially when by the power of the word of God and the filling of the Spirit you grow up spiritually to maturity.

Adoption emphasizes God’s ability and your motivation, NOT your ability.

If your volition is negative, you will not enjoy the benefits of your adoption in time, during your life here on earth.

huiothesia means God’s recognizing them in that position as a child come of age, an adult son.
This recognition occurs at the moment we believe in Christ.

The Holy Spirit as the agent of the Father has delivered the proof that you have officially been placed as an adult son or daughter into God’s family. You can call God your Father now.

The Greek word here for “sons” is huios and it means an adult or mature son.

All believers are being led by the Spirit of God, but not all believers are following that lead!!

Adoption frees us from slavery to the bondages of this life.

We go from the reality of the indwelling Holy Spirit to the proof He engenders that we are sons of God. After this we will see that since we are sons, we are in fact heirs of all that God has promised.

The dread of God as judge has been removed, and replaced with the peace and security we have before God our heavenly Father.

We now possess all the rights and privileges that accrue to the natural child!

Having complete confidence in your relationship with the Lord is an important part of having happiness in life.

If you desire to glorify your Father as an adopted son, you must follow the lead of your older Brother Christ and learn how to handle suffering for the cause of Christ.

Before he receives the inheritance, he must pass through periods of suffering.

As Christ suffered and entered into His glory (1Pe 1:11), so fellow heirs with Christ suffer during this present time (1Pe 2:21, Phi 1:29) in order to join Christ in glory.


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