Catechism Question 39
What is adoption?
Adoption is the gracious act of God in which He makes us members of His family with all of the rights, privileges, and inheritance of being His child.
Focus and Purpose of this Question
In this question, we define the term adoption. This is a very important biblical term, and it is critical that we have a clear understanding of what it means.
Note that while it is true that we are also God’s children through regeneration, in this section we are only concerned with adoption, in which we are legally taken to be God’s children, even though by nature we were sons of disobedience, children of the Devil and children of wrath.
Additional Questions:
What does adoption mean?
What does it mean that we have been adopted by God?
Scripture References:
Romans 8:15–17
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.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Galatians 4:4–7
But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
Galatians 3:26–29
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Questions for Further Discussion:
Is adoption a legal action, or is it the result of a change in our nature?
What are the benefits of us being adopted by God?
Additional Information:
This question is based on question 34 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism. Any resources you find on the Westminster Shorter Catechism will have a good discussion on this question.
For additional information, see the teachings “Adopted By God” (April 28, 2013); “Christ: The True Son of God” (May 30, 2004); and “Heirs of God Through Christ” (March 6, 2005).
Suggested Worship Song:
Children of the Living God (Fernando Ortega, 1998)
Children of the Living God, come and sing, sing out loud!
Children of the Living God, sing to the Living God!
Sing of the wonders He has made, bird in flight, falling rain.
Sing of the wonders He has made, sing to the Living God!
(Chorus)
How He loves us with great love, He who sits enthroned above.
For our lives He spilled His blood, sent His Spirit like a flood.
Children of the Living God, sing to the Living God!
Sing of His gentle healing hands, how they found the lowliest man.
Sing of His gentle healing hands, sing to the Living God!
Sing of the mercy that He gives, though we sin, He forgives.
Sing of the mercy that He gives, Sing to the Living God!
(Chorus)
Sing for the morning when He comes in the clouds, Glorious Son!
Sing for the morning when He comes, sing to the Living God!