Sermon: Order of Salvation: Adoption

So we continue tonight our series through the order of salvation.

And consider tonight the doctrine of our adoption.

We'll use Galatians 4:1 through. Six this evening. That's kind of a launching Point consider that Doctrine together. Let's pray. For we hear God's word.

The father speak to us tonight as your children.

Set us upon your knee. Speak to us with that still small voice.

May we find that? Oh receiving. bread crumbs from our father in Heaven we would know what it means to be adopted children of yours that we would come to. Revel in this Doctrine more fully we're gladly.

at any of us that Not yet part of your family o God that even tonight.

He would show us your graciousness and your kindness. Might even surprise some of us tonight and bring us into your family. We pray all this in the strong name of Christ Our elder brother. amen Galatians 4 verses 1 through 7 this evening.

I mean that the air as long as he is a child is no different from a slave though. He is the owner of everything. That he's under Guardians and managers until the date set by his father. The same way we also when we were children were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. Especially our verses tonight. When the fullness of time had come God sent forth the Sun. born of woman born under the law to redeem those who were under the law so that

we might receive adoption. a Sons and because you are God has sent the spirit of a son into your hearts crying Abba. father to you're no longer a Slave. but the Sun if a son Then an heir through God. The grass withers our Fades word of God is forever. Be to God. amen

first thought that we have about God Who God is when you think about who God is? Is the most important thought that you have? Because it shapes everything else. And yet I think. The reflect upon it and in my discussions with others. Very few Christians that their first thought is father. And yet it should be I think the principle thing that you think of when you think of God, it should be the first thought you have. It should be the thought that dominates you.

and how can you make such a statement Jason I say because when the disciples asked Jesus how they should pray how they should talk to God. He began with that salutation. Our Father how he taught us to approach God or father Christ could have taught us to pray our Sovereign he could taught us to pray our Lord. He could have taught us to pray our creator or God, but he didn't. He went to the relational the most intimate of names we have been given are father

as ji Packer said sonship must be the controlling thought the normative category at every point.

It's truth. we call him our father is From the doctrine of adoption as we consider the order of Salvation together and we're working our way through it. We are at the point where we are looking at this Doctrine together this doctrine of adoption this Central truth of the Christian life that you and I if we are in Christ or adopted children of God. first we think about this adoption together. This Doctrine together first adoption. We need

to understand is an act of God's free Grace. You'll notice from the Texas warning God sent forth the son born of a woman at an appointed time born of a woman of his own creation. He was then we're told born under the law and then you have this purpose claw so that we might receive adoption as son. He came so that you might have adoption as a son as John Murray said this is surely the Apex of Grace and privilege. And I think that's right.

We often think of justification when we think of Grace and rightfully. So this is the great doctrine that the reformers grabbed and that they grabbed back for the church from the teaching of the scriptures and kept pressing home that are justification is by grace alone. And so rightfully when you and I think of Grace, our mind runs to justification But I think John Murray is exactly right if we are talking about the Apex of

Grace and especially the Apex of privilege. That our minds should run to adoption. doctrine of adoption there is no privilege like this. You're made children of God.

Thomas Watson commenting upon this said this he said we have enough in US. To move God to correct us. But nothing to move him to adopt us. Therefore exalt free Grace begin the work of angels here bless him with your Praises who have blessed you in making you his sons and daughters. So that's my great hope for us tonight. And that's my great exhortation to you tonight as we think about the doctrine of adoption together.

Don't let it not affect your heart and your soul. In order to bless God in the midst of this as we recall what it is that he has done for us. Don't take it for granted be amazed by your adoption. second

Need to understand that adoption is different from justification as different from regeneration. When you work your way through systematic theologies on adoption, they will always go to this point that adoption must be understood as different from justification and it must be understood as different from regeneration. And the reason they try and distinguish it between those two is because there are such similarities between adoption justification

and adoption and re-generation. They're tied at the hip But they are distinct. So adoption has a very close relationship with justification. In fact in the order of Salvation. Most theologians will place adoption immediately after justification. It comes after justification not because it occurs in time after justification, but because it logically flows from our justification without justification there could be no adoption.

And yet in Christ when we think about justification and adoption they are simultaneous actions. They're happening at the same moment. But though they are simultaneous. They are distinct. They are different from one another justification and adoption. They differ substantially in justification. You and I are received into the kingdom of God. And we are declared to possess all the rights and privileges as citizens of that Kingdom.

In adoption, we are received into the family of God. And we receive all the rights and privileges as Sons and Daughters of our father. And justification the scene is a courtroom. Whereas in adoption we are taken from the courtroom and we are placed in the family in the living room if you will. justification speaks to our legal relationship with God adoption speaks to our personal relationship with God To be amazed by your adoption.

Notice how Paul speaks about it in our passage bringing home this point he says because you are son. God has sent the spirit of a son into your heart crying Abba Father. It's a personal familial relationship. We become Sons as we said by Grace, but it but particularly though it is as the spirit comes into our lives that we become children of God. No one cries Abba Father apart from the spirit of the son coming into our hearts.

There is no Universal childhood of mankind. Not everyone can call god father. It is only those who have Christ to savior that can call god father. but when we are in the Sun by faith We enjoy sonship as he enjoys sonship with the father. that should rattle your soul with delight.

Splair Smith Road, he said becoming a Christian then. Means coming into the father son relationship a relationship enacted and empowered by the Holy Spirit. You come into the relationship between the Eternal Father and the Eternal son as they have it. It become a son. of the father

That we are male or female we all become sons of God Heirs of the promise Galatians 3 for in Christ Jesus. You are all sons of God through faith. For as many of you as you were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither slave nor free. There is neither male nor female for you or all one in Christ Jesus and if you are Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring heirs according to

promise. Now Paul's Point here is that because we are now sons and we are aware of our sonship our new status our relationship with our father in Heaven weakened cry out Abba Father as he says in our Passage. And that's an intimate term. It's a it's an Aramaic word Abba Father. It's not Hebrew. It's not Greek. To term that we have upon the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ when he is in the Garden of Gethsemane, and he's praying that the father would take this cup away

from him. He cries out to him Abba Father. And it's Unique. All kinds of ink that has been spilled on this term in scholarly circles are less 70 years. What is very clear at the very least is that this was unique? It was unique in this sense and that Jews and jesus' day might call their Earthly fathers Abba Father, but they would never call God Abba Father. But here it's on the lips of Jesus. And the early Christians were picked this up and so

you have in the early church because Jesus taught us to pray Abba Father. They will use this over and over in the early church. Paul is doing it here in Galatians 3 and it demonstrates that you and I have a unique status with God the Father.

It's been said that that term means Daddy and I understand what people are trying to get at trying to speak of its intimacy. But in the New Testament world the father had the utmost respect. And he was to be given the utmost honor. So I don't think that's the best way to understand it. Like how One scholar said it the nearest we can probably get at his dearest father. dearest father that there is an intimacy as law as

well a manifold honor that is given there as we are in relationship with this heavenly father. We are adopted. We're not simply Justified. We're adopt.

Or we go on one is also see its relationship to Regeneration. Because as a close relationship to it as well and yet it is distinct. In regeneration, we are given in part what was lost in the garden? In the garden Adam lost the heart and the spirit of a child. And we are given the heart and the spirit of a child. Whereas in adoption we are granted the rights of a child. Both are crucial right disposition and right status.

Adoption has in view our status. We have a new status in the family. We're granted the rights and plural Villages of sun the rights and privileges of his children. In some ways we could rightly say that adoption is to Murray's point the Apex of grace and the privilege of our salvation and because of that the entire order of Salvation we could say is all summed up in adoption. Many ways. It is comprehended in this great privilege of adoption.

So much so that Paul will say in Ephesians 1:5 is an example of this. He says he predestined us for adoption to himself as Sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will that is an eternity past the reason he that he predestined you and I was that we might be brought into his family to be sons of his the Apex of privilege

the highest privilege we receive. In fact, let me press this home before we look at the benefits of adoption. the greatest of exchanges happens in our adoption in Christ

we think about adoption we immediately think of Orphan think of those who have no father no mother. But that's not what's happening biblically. When God adopts us, we're not orphan. We have a father. Jesus will say to the Pharisees you are of your father the devil. or not fatherless

We have a father he takes. Us he doesn't adopt orphans he adopts enemies. That's what he does. We had a father Our Father the devil. We were by Nature children of Wrath. God doesn't take orphans and bring them into his home that alone would have been merciful and generous he surpasses that he takes enemies and he makes them his children we come from sinner to Sun. from Rebel to air

or to be amazed by our adoption

third and this is where we are going to spend our time tonight.

Want you to see three benefits of your adoption in Christ this evening. It's a child of God you receive. his fatherly care

Eternal belonging an incredible inheritance There's more but we're going to spend our time on these three tonight. His fatherly care Eternal belonging and incredible in hurt. first his fatherly care John says this in first John 3:1 see what kind of love the father has given to us. That we should be called children of God. So we are. It's a unique word that John uses here is his reflected upon the love that God gives to

us and showing us and his love and calling us as his children and the word usually has the idea of what kind is the ESB translates it here as I just read it to this evening, but as Marshall New Testament scholar said here it has the force of what size. but size of love I think the NIV captures it well with the sense it says what? Love is lavished upon us. How great is the love the father has lavished on us that we should be called children

of God But that's easy to begin to doubt as we're facing different trials and tribulations and different sufferings in this world. It's easy to doubt that he actually has care for so John goes on to say this. He says beloved we are God's children now. And as he's reminding those that he writes to you have his fatherly care. now it's not something that's just future his love brought you into his family. It's not that you shall be

as children you are it is not that one day it shall be realized you already are and as your father he cares for you now. Peter Echoes this when he says in First Peter 5 cast all your anxiety is on him because he cares for you. Or as I read from someone 103 this more this evening as a father shows compassion to his children. So the Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him you have his care now as his children. He doesn't purchase us.

but the blood of a son and bring us into his family. And then lay off all the benefits of his fatherly care until we get into heaven. That's folly. That would be silly. He cares for you now.

And so that means that whatever is brought into your life, whatever. Admonishment you receive whether that is something temporal or whether that is something spiritual. It is all the result of his fatherly care. He is truly working all things together for good for those called according to his purpose.

Is handling you with fatherly care?

You can know more Escape his father the care. And you can separate from your own soul.

You're his and he is yours. This is unalterable and this is incontrovertible.

Just underscore this I want you to think about the great love. The father has for you. this child I think about that. I think many people run to John 3:16 wonderful place to run to. where I run to his John 17 where Jesus is praying that high Priestly prayer and he utters some shocking words. He's praying to the father and he says this to the father when he's praying. He says the glory that you have given me I have given to them now that's shocking.

But then he goes on to something that is even more shocking. He says that they may become perfectly one so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

I give them Glory. That the world would know. That you love them. He loves you. Even as he loves. His eternal begotten son.

Wow, that's a stagger your mind.

You know spend all the eternity. Trying to get the depths of that.

He loves you with the same love that. He loves his eternal begotten, son.

Do you think you are not the object of his father the care now?

second we have an eternal belonging. Adoption is eternal. John 8:35, the slave does not remain in the house forever the sun remains forever. My Two children are my two children. And they are my two children. And they will always be my children. They are for better for worse my children.

But here's the reality is that someday we will be separated. as father and children

maybe that they depart before me God forbid. More likely that I will depart before them. And there will be loss in our relationship one way or the other.

But with him, we will be as children forever. There's no leaving this family. There's no being cast out of this family. There's no separation in this family. Like there will be experienced in my family. Were forever. Forever his children eternally adopted if there are days in eternity they will pass. If there are seasons in eternity, they will pass but our sonship in Christ will be as fixed for all the eternity even as

God being God is fixed for all of eternity. another way of saying this our adoption is a great Assurance the greatest Assurance of our salvation In Romans, 8:5 through 16 we read for you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the spirit of sonship and by him we cry Abba Father there. We have it again. We cry all the Father the spirit himself testifies to our spirit that we or God's children.

This is the highest Assurance we can have.

third it's a child you receive an incredible inherent. Peter says that this way in First Peter 1:4 And inheritance that is imperishable. undefiled an unfading kept in heaven for you.

Israel like the Nations around it and the people groups around it in the New Testament world adhered to The Inheritance laws of the ancient east where it was the firstborn son that would inherit all of his father's possessions and was the air of the whole estate will Christ is the firstborn. He is the heir. The heir of what will the writer of Hebrews says this and Hebrews 1:2 God appointed him the heir of all things all things are

his all things in Heaven All Things in Earth. Everything under the Earth. All is his he is the heir of all things. Everything will be his everything and yet the New Covenant as Galatians 3 makes clear There is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither slave nor free. There is neither Mayo nor female for you or all one in Christ Jesus and if you are Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring heirs according to promise. We are

fellow heirs with him. But it's Christ.

becomes your

Christ's inheritance is our inheritance. according to the promise

Michael Horton said it this way. He said everyone who is in Christ. Is a firstborn son. a cower of the entire state we are not children. That need to jockey to outdo one another like Jacob and Esau did to try and gain the greater inheritance after all as we're told in Romans 8:32, he who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all how will he not also with him graciously. Give us all things you receive all thing.

the cower with Christ

all things

Paul says in our passage verse 7 So you're no longer a slave but the Sun? if a son then an heir through God we go from a slave to a son a slave does the labor he is required he does so because there is benefit in the immediate for doing at the time a slave might receive some limited wages and The New Testament World they would at the very least have the favor of their master and they would Escape any sort of punishment, but a son

is not a mere worker. He's not looking for his wages at the end of the day or at the beginning of the month. He isn't laboring to avoid a harsh consequence for Disobedience. He isn't motivated by servile fear.

by Lyle fear and there's a world of difference between the two. a vast differences different says porosity of a hurricane is to the gentleness of a morning myth.

slaves attitudes contractual and its cringing Sons is love and Delight

to our Point here There's a difference between the reasons for their expected Rewards. Slave holds up his work. and expects to receive recompense for the work

the Sun just receives because of his status.

The one is contractual the other is relational. The former is grounded upon what is right, the latter is grounded in the paternal goodness of the father and there will be a day that the father gives all to his son and Christ Jesus and we who are in the sun will inherit all just based on our status.

Our father's interests are always our interest.

I think many Christians. Probably many of us in this room. We we give a sin to the fact that God is father.

I think we no doubt Call Him Father it. Times in prayer we do it in song. a great fear those I interact

Christians is that I don't know that. many have felt at the heartbeat have the spirit. of a son of a Heavenly Father

that you know the joy of being in a relationship

the heavenly father that has given you all. But you know what Freedom that means for you.

to know what Kindness, that means has been directed to you. Care, that means is aimed at you. A promises have been ended out to you.

And often we go back to that slave mentality as if it's contractual.

As if he looks upon us as a harsh Taskmaster. As if it is just mere Authority and that is it and he is just pressing his thumb.

to father

the best sense of the word some of you have had miserable fathers, I understand.

He is a father in the best sense of the word. And he's your Eternal Father.

It is truly. the Apex it is the climax of the great benefit and privilege of our salvation. It is Grace on steroids that you and I are made Children of the heavenly father.

You haven't thought about this enough. You haven't lived in this no. You haven't rejoiced in this. I know that.

John passes thinking upon this verse that I quoted where he says behold what? Manner of love the father has bestowed on us. John Murray in that wonderful volume that so many of us are using as we preach through this Redemption accomplishment applied. He said this about the Apostle John there. He said John could not get over it. And he never will. Eternity will not exhaust its Marvel.

Charles Wesley close with this captured this amazement well in a hymn that he wrote. with these lines said where shall my wandering Soul begin? How shall I all to Heaven Aspire a slave redeemed from death and sin? a brand plucked from Eternal fire How shall I equal triumphs Rays or sing my great deliverers praise? How shall I the goodness tell? Father which thou to me showed that I a child of Wrath and Hell I should be called a child of God.

Should know should feel my sins forgiven. blessed with the end to pest heaven

child of God

pray

father heaven

we easy it is for titled the role of our lips and how little we understand.

That you have made us sons of yours. to your Center Spirit into our hearts to cry forth Abba Father

And forever you are our father. Forever. We are your son. We find that we rejoice in this truth more fully that we operating the freedom of this truth or fully and we live and dwell in the truth of this. more fully

really we shall seek to contemplate it more and more day after day for all of eternity.

It's Apex. of Grace and a privilege because the son of yours but love you have lavished upon us. Give you praise. christening men