From a Prison Cell

Part 5. The Adoption of Sons

Reflections on the "Prison Epistles"

"Having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself." (Eph.1.5 RV). There are two viewpoints in the Word of God concerning the mode whereby we become sons of God. One of these is based upon the process of spirit-begettal and ultimate spirit-birth. This thought originates from the words of Jesus in his conversation with Nicodemus. "Except a man be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God . . .Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3.3 & 5 RV). This is the viewpoint also of Peter and John (1 Pet.1.23; 1 John 5.1.4.18). Paul presents another view. He speaks not of begettal, but of adoption into the family of God. This view is based on a Roman custom which allowed a man of noble birth and standing to take into his family and account as his own son a youth of lowlier birth. This was all done in proper legal form. The first step was to take the intended son before a public notary and there give due note of the intention, subject to certain conditions being forthcoming at a future specified time. These centred in the response of the young man himself to the training and tuition, necessary for his prospective position, to which in the meantime he would be subjected. If he responded satisfactorily, then at the appointed day the status of full sonship would be publicly conferred, and from that day the adopted son was accounted as fully a son as though he was a child by birth.

But at the time when the father intimated his intention to adopt, a public token of his good faith in the matter was made in the presentation of a robe or ring or other gift to the intended son—a kind of pledge that he would be faithful to his promise, provided the young "adoptee" had so improved in education and general bearing as to be a credit to the house and standing of his kindly benefactor.

This illustration is the scaffolding upon which Paul builds his great theme of Divine Fatherhood and saintly sonship. God is the beneficent and kindly Master of a great house, who desires to find fitting companions for his one true Son. It was in his own unchallengeable prerogative to choose to do this thing. Nothing could compel or obligate him so to do, had He willed it otherwise. To him belongs the right to say who shall be invited, and on what terms they may be acceptable before him. It is for him to determine what tuition, and of what kind, every invited candidate must receive to make them fitting companions for his only begotten Son. And to him belongs the right finally to decide who among the invited ones had reached up to the standard of worthiness sufficient to qualify for the position involved.

To whom did God make this gracious offer of adoption into the closest circle of his family? To the resplendent sons of the morning? No! They could not be a spectacle to man. Humankind could never have understood all that this most intimate sonship means if God had adopted his sons from them. It was from the lower plebeian level of men, and not from the patrician (noble) ranks of heaven, that God condescended to choose his sons.

As proof of the Divine good faith, the worthy Father decided to give a pledge, in the bestowment of his own Spirit, to all who among men should respond to his call. This was to be accounted as an "earnest"—"a pledge-gift"—to every responding soul, assuring them that if they diligently applied themselves to the necessary education and refinement to fit themselves for acceptance into this elect position in God's great house, the gracious Father would be true to his promise and pledge and accept them as his own true sons.

The Greek word for "earnest"—"arrhabon"—primarily had to do with "exchange", and so had reference to a mutual pledge exchanged between two parties when making an agreement; a token payment when the transaction was first agreed, to be returned to each party on fulfilment. But later usage changed its meaning to an "earnest"—a part price, given as a tangible promise that the whole would be paid in due time. Paul tells us that the "earnest" which God bestowed upon his invited sons is his Holy Spirit—the Holy Spirit of promise—which is a pledge to stand good until the day of redemption of God's own—translated in the A. V. as "until the redemption of the purchased possession". This privilege of sonship belonged primarily to Israel, as Paul states in Rom.9.4 (RV) "...whose is the adoption…"; this same thought is asserted again in Gal.4.4-6 (RV) "When the fullness of the time came (was come), God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons (first-stage sons) God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba Father'"

The Galatians were sons of fathers who had at one time been under the law, but were divorced from it for unfaithfulness. Some among them were in danger of being enticed back under the law by Judaising teachers. Paul wanted them to realise that God was now calling "sons", not servants; children of the free-woman, not of the bondwoman. Only a remnant of Israel was found sufficiently responsive to heed the heavenly call, and thus the privilege was extended to the Gentiles. It is in this larger sense that Paul describes the privileges of the sonship of Rom.8.14-16. Here he writes to a mixed church in a Gentile city, in which Gentile believers predominate. To these he says, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father". The full thought concerning this spirit of adoption is brought out in the words of Eph.1.14. It is the promise of God that those faithful souls who mortify the deeds of the body (Rom.8.13) thus responding to Divine tuition and refinement, shall receive, in due time, the full inheritance of sonship as heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.

Deep in the counsels of eternity God purposed to win from among men a company of sons who should be raised to the highest place in the heavenly realm. The fall of man into sin necessitated the descent to earth of his firstborn Son to become man's Redeemer, and after that, the princely-Leader of "many brethren" up to those heavenly heights. The great privilege of sonship in this exalted closer sense was offered first to the sons of Abraham. As a people they rejected the invitation, only a remnant "according to the election of grace" being found in Israel. The invitation was then offered to those among the Gentiles whose hearts the Lord opened (Acts 16.14). To such as made response with good and honest heart God gave the pledge-gift of his Holy Spirit, to be at once the earnest of their inheritance, and the transforming power within, to enable them to become trained and transformed, and thus made ready to become companions in full and complete sonship with his well-beloved Son. That is the story of adoption, planned before time began, but worked out in the little lives of such among men as have been found responsive to the love of an all-wise creator and Father.

Brethren in the Lord! Your calling is no small hole-in-the-corner affair in the sight of God. It is an integral part of a great plan spanning ages for its sphere. It is part of a plan which includes angels as well as men, and which, when complete, will place creatures which once were sinful human dust among and above the spirits which surround the heavenly throne. The eternal God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, long ages ago looked down the long distances of time, and with joy and delight anticipated the homecoming of his sons. The door to that heavenly home still stands open today, for all who are ready to follow in the steps of our beloved Lord. What do you think of it all, dear brethren in the Lord? What do you think of such a benefactor-Father, and of such a call? And, if you have received the earnest of your inheritance, the Holy Spirit of promise, are you still assured that this is the token of your future sonship and joint-heirship with the Lord?

There need not be any doubt, for "He is faithful that promised". Think it out again, and let that thought inspire to greater faithfulness day by day. Put your present little day into its insignificant relationship with the exceeding and eternal weight of glory which that heavenly invitation opens up! Then thank God for his unspeakable gifts and calling!

The End

TH