God's Sovereignty and Human Agency in Adoption Theology
Adoption, in a theological context, refers to God's act of bringing individuals into his divine family, granting them the status and privileges of children [2, 7]. This concept is prominently featured in the writings of the Apostle Paul, who uses it to describe the present and future benefits available to Christians [1]. Paul likely drew upon the Roman custom where a person without natural children could adopt someone born of other parents, establishing a relationship that mirrored that of a natural father and son [1].
The Bible presents different forms of adoption:
- Natural Adoption Examples include Pharaoh's daughter adopting Moses and Mordecai adopting Esther [2].
- National Adoption God adopted Israel, establishing an intimate covenant relationship with them, as seen in passages like Exodus 4:22 and Hosea 11:1 [2, 6].
- Spiritual Adoption This is an act of God's grace where he brings individuals into his redeemed family, making them partakers of his blessings [2]. This spiritual adoption is a covenant relationship, signifying both privileges and responsibilities [3].
The sovereignty of God is central to the doctrine of adoption. God's decision to adopt believers is an act of his sovereign initiative, embracing and blessing those who trust in Christ [7]. This predestination to adoption is a manifestation of God's grace, as he had no need of sons, and those he adopts are often considered unworthy [4]. John Gill notes that predestination, in a broad sense, encompasses election and extends to all occurrences in the world, including spiritual mercies like adoption [5]. This act of adoption is rooted in God's eternal plan, made "before the world was" [4].
While adoption is an act of God's grace and sovereign will, it is also intrinsically linked to human agency through faith and regeneration. Adoption is secured in divine predestination and the covenant of grace, preceding regeneration [9]. However, regeneration and faith serve to manifest individuals as children of God, rather than making them so [9]. Believers become heirs to God's promises through this adoption [7]. The love demonstrated by the Father in adopting believers is described as immense and wonderful [8]. Through this adoption, believers are redeemed from being "under the law" and are brought into a new relationship with God [10].
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Adoption — an expression used by St. Paul in reference to the present and prospective privileges of Christians. (Romans 8:15,23; Galatians 4:5; Ephesians 1:5) He probably alludes to the Roman custom by which a person not having children of his own might adopt as his son one born of other parents. The relationship was to all intents and purposes the same as existed between a natural father and son. The term is used figuratively to show the close relationship to God of the Christian. (Galatians 4:4,5; Romans 8:14-17) He is received into God's family from the world, and ”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Adoption — The giving to any one the name and place and privileges of a son who is not a son by birth. (1.) Natural. Thus Pharaoh's daughter adopted Moses (Ex. 2:10), and Mordecai Esther (Esther 2:7). (2.) National. God adopted Israel (Ex. 4:22; Deut. 7:6; Hos. 11:1; Rom. 9:4). (3.) Spiritual. An act of God's grace by which he brings men into the number of his redeemed family, and makes them partakers of all the blessings he has provided for them. Adoption represents the new relations into which the believer is introduced by justification, and the privileges connecte”
- Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 21:7: 21:7 All who are victorious: God’s children who persevere in life will inherit his blessings. Adoption is a covenant relationship; the language of adoption certifies their privileges and responsibilities (cp. Gen 17:8; 2 Sam 7:14-16; Jer 31:33; Ezek 34:24).”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 1:6: To the praise of the glory of his grace,.... The grace of God manifestly appears in the predestination of men to adoption; in that God had no need of sons, he having a dear and well beloved one; in whom he is well pleased; and in that those he adopts are so unworthy of the relation; and in that men, and not angels, should be taken by him into his family; and that some, and not others of the same race; and that this should be before the world was; and in providing Christ as a Redeemer, to open the way for the reception of this grace and happiness; and in appointing t”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 1:5: Having predestinated us,.... Predestination, taken in a large sense, includes both election and reprobation, and even reaches to all affairs and occurrences in the world; to the persons, lives, and circumstances of men; to all mercies, temporal or spiritual; and to all afflictions, whether in love or in wrath: and indeed providence, or the dispensations of providence, are no other than the execution of divine predestination; but here it is the same with election, and is concerned with the same persons, and has regard to a special blessing, the elect are appointed to”
- Zechariah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Zechariah 8:8: 8:8 They will be my people, and I will be . . . their God: This adoption formula depicts the intimate bond between Israel and God in covenant relationship (see Exod 19:5-6; Jer 30:22; 31:33; Ezek 34:30-31; Hos 2:23).”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 1:5: 1:5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family: By his sovereign initiative, God embraces and blesses as his children those who trust in Christ. They become heirs to all the promises God has made to his people (see 1:11, 14; 2:19; Rom 8:15-17, 29-30; Gal 4:5).”
- 1 John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 John 3:1: Behold what manner of love,.... See, take notice, consider, look by faith, with wonder and astonishment, and observe how great a favour, what an instance of matchless love, what a wonderful blessing of grace, the Father hath bestowed upon us: the Father of Christ, and the Father of us in Christ, who hath adopted us into his family, and regenerated us by his grace, and hath freely given us the new name: that we should be called the sons of God. The Alexandrian copy, and some others, and the Vulgate Latin version, add, "and we are", or "be"; and the Ethiopic version,”
- 1 John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 John 3:10: In this the children of God are manifest,.... By regenerating grace, and not sinning, in the sense before explained, in consequence of it: adoption is an act of God's grace and sovereign will; it is secret in his own heart, and is secured in divine predestination, and in the covenant of grace, and is antecedent to regeneration: regeneration and faith do not make men the children of God, but manifest them to be so; adoption makes them the children of God, and entitles them to the inheritance; regeneration gives them the nature of the children of God, and makes them mee”
- Galatians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Galatians 4:5: To redeem them that were under the law,.... By whom are meant chiefly the Jews, who are elsewhere represented as in and under the law, in distinction from the Gentiles who were without it; see Rom 2:12 the Gentiles indeed, though they were not under the law of Moses, yet were not without law to God, they were under the law of nature. The law was given to Adam as a covenant of works, and not to him as a single person, but as a federal head to all his posterity; hence he sinning, and they in him, they all came under its sentence of condemnation and death, God's elect ”