Devotionals

I Am Adopted

by Susan Barnes 
09/11/20
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“So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children” (Romans 8:15).

In John’s gospel we’re told, “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

So why does God tell us we are adopted, when we are already his children?

First, it’s important to know that we don’t get into God’s family by adoption. The only way we become part of God’s family is through being born again. As Jesus told Nicodemus: “Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again’” (John 3:6-7).

When we are born again, we’re spiritual babies, but because God adopts us, he gives us, his baby children, adult standing in his family. We don’t have to wait until we become spiritually mature to enjoy all the blessings that are ours in Christ Jesus.

When Paul wrote to the Christians living in a Roman culture, they understood that adopted sons received exactly the same rights and privileges as children born into the family. So there was no legal difference between adopted children and biological children.

Of course, at that time, sons had a more privileged position than daughters. However, Paul is telling us all who receive God’s Spirit, that is both men and women, are adopted to sonship. God bestows on us a privileged position and he wants us to live in the light of the spiritual inheritance that is ours.