In the last blog post, we looked at the intimate connection between adoption and election, regeneration, and saving faith. In this post, we will continue to examine adoption’s relationship to justification, sanctification, and glorification.
Justification and Adoption
The close relationship of justification and adoption can be proven from Paul's correlation of the two doctrines. He writes in Galatians 4:4, “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” When we read of God’s Son being born under the Law (i.e. put in subjection to the Law in order to keep it and then to bear its curse), we should immediately think of the doctrine of justification. Why? Because in justification Christ’s righteousness is given to us as a gift, as the curse for our sin was placed upon him (c.f. 2 Corinthians 5:21).
But notice how God’s intention in sending Christ to keep the Law and to bear its penalty was with the purpose that we might receive adoption as sons. Hence, just as God elects us unto adoption (Ephesians 1:5), he also justifies us that we might receive adoption. Justification is an indescribable blessing, but the blessing of adoption is a crowning blessing on top of it. Those freely pardoned of their sins are not left outside the fold, but are welcomed into God’s own family. Joel Beeke has written, “Justification is the primary, fundamental blessing of the gospel; it meets our most basic spiritual need—forgiveness and reconciliation with God. We could not be adopted without it. But adoption is a richer blessing, because it brings us from the courtroom into the family.” Through God the Son, we now have God the Father as our Father!
Sanctification and Adoption
Some people have questioned why Paul did not include sanctification in the order of salvation in Romans 8:30. In this regard, however, there has been a failure to read the context closely, since sanctification is highlighted in the previous verse, where Paul writes, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Another word for “Christ-conformity” is sanctity or holiness—and sanctity is brought into the closest relationship with adoption in this verse. Our adoption is proven or verified in our growing conformity to our elder brother Jesus, a process that will have its terminating point in glory where our hunger and thirst for righteousness will finally be satisfied (Matthew 5:6).
As we walk in thankful obedience to God and pursue conformity to Jesus, this process is carried out in the context of adoption. Hence, Paul says in Ephesians 5:1, “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.” The “as dear children” defines the motivation for imitating God. Adopted children are to take on the family trait of God-likeness. Therefore, sanctification can only be understood as a by-product of God’s grace in adoption. This is why Peter says in 1 Peter 1:13-14, “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance…” Peter's point is that sonship defines the Christian so much that they are to live differently today then they did when they were not children of God.
Glorification and Adoption
Finally, how does adoption relate to our future glorification? There are two significant verses to note here. The first is Romans 8:23, where Paul says, “And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” Initially, we might be confused by Paul’s language about waiting for adoption and ask, “But aren’t we already adopted by God?” To this, Paul would say yes—we are sons of God now since we have the Holy Spirit (c.f. Galatians 4:6). Nevertheless, Paul would say in the next breath that Christians belong to Christ as whole persons—our bodies are united to Christ as well our souls. But our bodies have not yet experienced resurrection liberation, and they will not until Christ comes again. Not until the day that mortality puts on immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53) will we be able to say that we have tasted the full realities of our adoption.
Another future-looking aspect of our adoption is coming into possession of an inheritance that is imperishable, unspoiled, and unfading (1 Peter 1:4). In this regard, Revelation 21:7 states, “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.” The new creation will carry with it the transcendent experience of our adoption. On that day, hope for something will turned into sight of something, and the right we have to the new creation will become the possession of it. There we will shine like the sun in the kingdom of our Father (Matthew 13:43), and our experience of sonship will be fully realized in the beatific vision.
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