Section Thirteen

Adopted into God’s Family

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Another passage along very similar lines to the previous page is found in Galatians Chapter 3 verse 23 to Chapter 4 verse 7. This makes the following points: • The law served as a ‘guardian’ until Jesus means that we are now justified by faith. • All who therefore have faith in Jesus are ‘children of God’. There is no distinction between the children. • Being a child also means being an heir. • An heir cannot inherit until they are of age. The heir is thus just like a slave until they reach the necessary age. The analogy is saying that we are enslaved until we have faith in Jesus. • Jesus’ redemptive act for us means that we now have received adoption. That adoption is confirmed by the Spirit, who enables us to call God ‘Abba, Father’. • Chapter 4 verse 7 sums up: we are no longer a slave but instead are both children and heirs of God our Father. There are more passages that use the language of adoption. 1. John Chapter 8 verses 34 to 36 - some recorded words of Jesus. He says that those who sin are slaves. Slaves do not have a permanent place in the family, but children do. If we are set free by faith in Jesus, then we are children not slaves. 2. John Chapter 14 verses 16 to 21. Jesus says that Father God will leave his Spirit with those who love him. As a result, those who do love him will not be left as orphans. An expression of loving the Father is to love Jesus. 3. Luke Chapter 20 verses 34 to 36. Those who are ‘considered worthy’ will participate in a future age and in ‘the resurrection from the dead’.