Adoption: An Expression of Triune Love

 “5In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved…13In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”

                                                                                                                           Ephesians 1:5-6, 13-14

The main thrust of the first chapter of Ephesians, specifically verses 3-14, is the euphoric praise of God for His plan of salvation from eternity past to the consummation of the saints.  This text also presents us a beautiful glimpse into the Trinitarian relationship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in regards to the redemption of God’s elect; specifically in the relationship of adoption.

Purposed by the Father

      In ancient Rome, in Paul’s time, adoption was always initiated by the paterfamilias, or the father.  The Father ensured that the adopted was legally made an heir, giving the adopted a new name and a security in the inheritance.  In this text it is clear that the Father is the main architect in adopting the sinner into the household of God. Paying attention to the nouns and pronouns, as well as key words like predestined and will, we can see God’s divine initiative in adopting sinners into His family.  In verse three we see that in love [God] predestined us for adoption (huiothesia- huios being "son" and thesis being "placed" or "placing"- therefore we get "son of placement" or "placement as a son") as sons… according to [God’s] will, to the praise of [God’s] glorious grace, with which God blessed us (His elect or chosen ones-i.e. the adopted) in Christ. 

     God’s initiative in redeeming sinners was not a willy-nilly decision made out of frustration. Our adoption was not a divine afterthought.   It was in God’s triune mind and heart before the first tick of human history’s clock.[1]  The Father purposely put his love on us before the first molecule was formed, before the first star was named, before the entire creation of the world.  It was part of His plan in magnifying His grace; a divine purpose (Ephesians 1:6). Adoption was intertwined in God’s wisdom and love from eternity past.  Before the creation of the world it was ordained that the Son would be slaughtered for those whom God set His comprehensive, all satisfying, deliberate, and unadulterated love on; the elect, the adopted sons and daughters of God (Revelations 13:8).  Christian, you have been loved before and more than you can ever know.

Unified in the Son

     Christ is the agent in which our adoption is made complete.  That is to say that Christ is the means in which the Father accomplishes our adoption.[2]  Again, the text shows us that it is through Christ we are adopted. It is in Christ in which God has blessed us and made us heirs.  Consider again the meaning of the word huiothesia- placement as a son.  In this text we see that in our adoption we are made sons of God by the Son of God.  The text says that we were predestined for adoption through Christ and that we are blessed in the “Beloved [Christ].”  In essence, adoption is God’s placement of sons in the Son.[3]  Adoption ensures that we are completely in union with Christ.  And our union with Christ is as Dan Cruver puts it, “is indissoluble, unceasing, and determinative at all times and in all places.  There is never the smallest fraction of a fraction of a second when we are not living and moving and having our being in union with Jesus.”[4] 

     Consider the implication of this for a moment.  Before time existed, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit were completely and perfectly happy in one another.  They had no need for an outside source to make their love complete or more fulfilling.  When God set His love on the elect, He made a choice to allow us to enjoy the triune circle of love if you will.  Being unified in the Son allows us to experience the same perfect love that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit had before the world existed and still have today and will have forever.

     Our unity with Christ also shows us the present significance of our life in relation to the gospel and the redeeming of sinners.  Because we are in union with Christ, who is alive and working out His mission, we are not merely imitating Christ's work, but actually participating in it.  Dan Cruver explains this well when he says:

"Our missional engagement as Christians is not an imitation of Christ and His mission.  It is a

 participation  in Christ and His mission...our efforts do not consist in a striving to imitate Christ.  The result in the imitation of Christ is we participate with him in His mission in the world.  The New Testament writers assume this kind of living .  When over and over, you see Paul using the phrases "in Christ" and "in Him," recognize that he means for Christians to think about every aspect of their lives in terms of union with Christ." [5]


     Paul tells us in Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."  The Son gave His life for His adopted sons and daughters, so that we could live now in union with Him as He currently works to bring others into communion with the Father.  When God set His love on us, He not only made us heirs to His kingdom, bit also conduits of His grace, calling our lost brothers and sisters to come home.

Secured in the Spirit

     Finally, we will see the Spirit’s role in adoption.  In verse thirteen, we are told that we are sealed with the promise of the Spirit.  Sealed can mean that the Holy Spirit protects or preserves Christians until they reach their inheritance (Eph 4:30; 2 Corinthians 1:22; 1 Peter 1:5; Rev 7:2-3).[6]  In verse fourteen the word guarantee carries the idea of a down payment, or pledge.  It indicates a deposit which itself is a guarantee that the full amount will be paid.  The down payment is of the same kind as the full payment.[7]  Wayne Grudem points out that “When God gave us the Holy Spirit within he committed himself to give all the further blessings of eternal life and a great reward in heaven with him…all who have the Holy Spirit within them, all who are truly born again, have God’s unchanging promise and guarantee that the inheritance of eternal life in heaven will certainly be theirs.”[8]

     The Holy Spirit has been given to us not only as a guarantee, but also as one who testifies that we are genuinely His children.  This testimony is manifested in our life through our love and devotion to the Father.  In essence, when we testify of God, it is really the Spirit testifying in us that we are truely His.  The Spirit, as Thomas Schreiner explains in his commentary on Galatians, "testifies that we are God's children...the Spirit works charismatically, so that believers gladly exclaim that God is their beloved Father."  

The Spirit plays an important role in our adoption.  The Spirit confirms, authenticates, and ratifies our sonship and daughtership. [9]  He guarantees our adoption and seals us until we reach our inheritance.  The Spirit testifies of our position and privilege as sons and daughters and affirms the Fathers love for us.

     Keep in mind that all of this is done in the Fathers love.  We cannot take any credit for our adoption.  It is by grace we have been saved, yes adopted into the kingdom of God.  The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit were perfectly happy in their triune communion.  God made a choice to open that communion to us, sinners, who assault His name and character.  God, in his rich mercy and grace, adopted us before the foundation of the world within the eternal love ever flowing between the Father, Son, and within the all-satisfying communion of the Holy Spirit who is the eternal personal bond of the Father/Son’s love (2 Corinthians 13:14).  

To see the Trinity's work in adoption into God'd kingdom is so encouraging to me, and should be to you.  I commend you, and myself, to go forth and testify of the goodness of your Father who loves you, your Brother who saved you, and sent His Spirit to testify of His goodness and love for you.  We must go to the broken and dysfunctional, the fatherless and abused,  and tell them our Father is calling them home; to a perfect, functional family who will live in unity and harmony forever. 

---

[1] Cruver, Dan. "Adoption of Prodigals." In Reclaiming Adoption: Missional Living Through the Rediscovery of Abba Father, by Dan Cruver, 7-18. Adelphia, MD: Cruciform Press, 2011.

[2]Burke, Trevor. Adopted into God's Family: Exploring a Pauline Metaphor. Edited by D.A. Carson. Downers Grove, IL: Inter Varsity Press, 2006. Pg 122 

[3]Curver, Dan. "Adoption And Our Union With Chirst." In Reclaiming Adoption: Missional Living Through the Rediscovery of Abba Father, by Dan Curver, edited by Dan Curver, 49-56. Adelphi, MD: CruciformPress, 2011.

[4] Curver, Dan. "Adoption And Our Union With Chirst." In Reclaiming Adoption: Missional Living Through the Rediscovery of Abba Father, by Dan Curver, edited by Dan Cruver, 49-56. Adelphi, MD: CruciformPress, 2011. Pg 52

[5] Baugh, S.M. "ESV Study Bible." In Ephesians Commentary Notes, edited by Justin Taylor, Bill Deckard, Sherah Grose Dennis T. Lane, 2262-2263. Wheaton, IL: CrossWay Bibles, 2008.

[6] Cleon L. Rogers Jr., Cleon L. Rogers III. The New Linguistic And Exegetical Key To The Greek New Testament. Grand rapids, MI: Zondervon, 1998.

[7]Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervon, 1994.

[8] Cruver, Dan. "Adoption and the Trinity." In Reclaiming Adoption: Missional Living Through The Rediscovery of Abba Father, by Dan Cruver, 19-32. Adelphia, MD: CruciformPress, 2011.

[9] Schreiner, Thomas R. "Galatians; Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament." edited by Clinton Arnold Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2010.  pg272