Adopted Sons (pt 5 of 5)

This whole week we’ve been talking about being Adopted Sons, and we saw this in Romans 8:15 where it says we have received “the Spirit of adoption.” The Holy Spirit confirms in our hearts the reality of our adoption in three ways. We are adopted into Yehoveh’s family and we are given His Spirit . . . and assured that “all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.”

Adopted Sons (pt 4 of 5)

In the first message I sent on being Adopted Sons, I told you how in Roman society adoption was viewed differently. Well I should tell you about four of the consequences to being adopted.

First, the person who was adopted lost all ties to his old family . . . it sounds rough, but on the other hand, he gained all the rights of the natural children in his new family. That’s a beautiful picture of what happens at salvation.

Adopted Sons (pt 3 of 5)

The last two days we’ve learned about being adopted into Yehoveh’s family, and I should add that those of us who are already saved and have received the Spirit of adoption, we are now, without doubt or reservation . . . sons of God! We have become joint-inheritors with Jesus! Wow!! Even though we are unworthy, God has made us His children.

We find the theme of Romans 8 in verse 1: “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Paul began the chapter with that thought and ended with it as well: “Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us (Romans 8:34). We won’t be punished for our sins because Christ has already paid the penalty.

Adopted Sons (pt 2 of 5)

Yesterday I began to look at the fact that we are “Adopted Sons” to the God of Creation. Now this is odd, but even in our modern “enlightened” days, many think of those who are adopted as second-class offspring—as if they were added to the family because no one else wanted them. But like I said in yesterday’s Message, in the first century, people held a very different view of adoption. That child was specially honored and respected.

In Hebrew Law, God allowed anyone to join the nation of Israel. All they had to do was renounce their former gods and begin to worship the God of Israel. If they did that, they were equal citizens with any naturally-born Israelite.

Adopted Sons (pt 1 or 5)

Here’s an interesting factoid you can use someday. Maybe the next time you play Trivial Pursuit. Anyway, in ancient Roman society, if a father didn’t deem any of his own sons worthy of inheriting his name and estate, he would adopt a son to receive his inheritance. Kind of harsh for his own sons, I know. But a pretty cool deal for the adopted son.

This father would find someone with the character and talents he wanted in a son, and then that adopted son would then take precedence over all the man’s real sons. Rather peculiar, maybe, but this adopted son wasn’t a waif just picked up off the street, somewhere. No, he was specifically chosen by a father to inherit his estate and bear his name.