4/26/12- Union in Christ

WSC Q. 34- What is adoption?
Adoption is a free act of God's grace, in which we are received into the family, and have a right to all the privileges of the children of God.  

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)

Thoughts: What do the words "in Christ Jesus" mean?  We are united in Christ.  We are baptized in Christ, one in Christ, in faith in Christ.  We are justified in Christ (Gal. 2:17).  We are sanctified in Christ (1 Cor. 1:2; 6:11).  We are saints in Christ Jesus (Eph. 1:1; Phil. 1:1).  There is no condemnation for those in Christ (Rom. 8:1).  Christ also is IN us (Rom. 8:9,10) by the Spirit who adopts us as His children.  So we are enveloped within and without by Christ.  We are united in Him by our union in Him.  We are connected, tied, bound, covenant-promised to be His and He ours.  We shall be His people and He shall be our God.  This is adoption- we are united to Him.
    The problem is we do not live like this.  We live like we are distanced from Him, and He does not care for us.  We live like He is so transcendent, but He is immanent to those who are bound to Him in faith.  He is a part of us, and we are a part of Him.  There is a oneness in Christ- to which words like adoption and union can only hint.  We should try to live in the oneness of Christ. 

Prayer: God be in my head and in my understanding:

God be in my eyes and in my looking:

God be in my mouth and in my speaking:

God be in my heart and in my thinking:

God be at mine end and at my departing.

4/25/12- Sealing of the Spirit

WSC Q. 34- What is adoption?
Adoption is a free act of God's grace, in which we are received into the family, and have a right to all the privileges of the children of God. 

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. (Eph. 1:13,14)

²¹ Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, ²² set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Corinthians 1:21,22)

(Seal of the President of the United States)

Thoughts: The Spirit of God is the Spirit of adoption that seals us for our inheritance (Eph. 4:30; 2 Cor. 5:5).  The Spirit is called a deposit of God's full treasure.  The Spirit is like earnest money put down on real estate.  The Spirit is a little taste of what is yet to come, and at the same time a guarantee that more good things are to come.  When we are adopted by God as Father, we are sealed (past/aorist tense of arrobon) by the Spirit until the day or Redemption.  In Revelation the seal of God (the Spirit- Rev. 7:3) is contrasted to the seal of the number of the Antichrist on the foreheads of those who submit to him.
     A seal is a guarantee.  So when we seal an envelope it is shut tight- almost licked. When Jesus was in the tomb, Pilate had the tomb "sealed" to insure it's closure, and that no one else would break into it (Mt. 27:66).  A signet seal in ancient times- is like a signature- guaranteeing authenticity.  The Spirit locks us in as God's guarantee, but also guarantees the authenticity of our faith and that we are God's children (when we believe). 

Prayer: Seal us for service today, O Lord.  

4/22/12- Adoption

WSC Q. 34- What is adoption?
Adoption is a free act of God's grace, in which we are received into the family, and have a right to all the privileges of the children of God.

(Jesus and the little children- carl Bloch)

How great the love of the Father is given unto us that we should be called the children of God. (1 John 3:1)
In love He predestined us to be adopted. (Eph. 1:5)
Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever humbles themselves as a child is the greatest in the kingdom of God.  (Mt. 18:3,4)

Thoughts: We must humble ourselves like children in order to be made children of the heavenly Father.   The great news is that God loves us- and desires that we call Him "father."  Jesus says to pray, "Our Father who art in heaven."  God wants us to know Him as father.  There are many who have fathers genetically but not relationally- they do not know their own fathers- perhaps because the father has distanced himself- or failures have separated them.  But God calls us back to Himself- though we are enemies of Him (Rom. 9:5).  He not only calls us- but welcomes us- as the father welcomed the prodigal son.  God adopts us into His family when we have faith.  In a sense God is the father of all people- having made all people.  He pours His rain and sun on the just and the unjust.  He expects us to treat all humans with respect, grace and love as our neighbor made in His image.  Yet many disown Him as Father.  In fact, we all do.  But God welcomes us back not only because He made us, but because He died for us to reconcile us to God.  In love He calls us to be a part of the family of love.

Prayer: Father, may I not take your love for granted, but respond to it in gratitude.