Embracing Our Sonship
Living Out of Adoption as Children of God
When was the last time you marvelled at the reality that you are an adopted child of God? Too often, Christians understand justification as foundational to their faith, but they overlook another profound grace: adoption.
Adoption is not just a theological concept but a reality that reshapes our identities and our relationship with God. The Apostle Paul paints this picture in Galatians 4:4-7 (ESV): “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son... to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” Here is a grace that transcends a simple pardon, to offer intimacy with God Himself.
Distinct Yet Inseparable Graces
In understanding our identity in Christ, first, we must discern between justification and adoption. While they are inseparable, they provide two distinct experiences of grace. Through justification, we encounter God as the righteous Judge, declaring us righteous and freeing us from the penalty of sin. Romans 3:24 (ESV) reveals that we “are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”—— a powerful truth that evokes feelings of relief, gratitude, and freedom.
Yet, beyond this courtroom encounter is the heart of God inviting us home. Adoption takes us from mere legal standing to intimate belonging. Galatians 4:6 (ESV) speaks of God sending “the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” This father-child relationship is profoundly intimate, evoking emotions of wonder and joy as we become heirs to His kingdom (Romans 8:17, ESV). Despite being closely entwined, it is crucial that Christians appreciate them as distinct experiences of grace. For while justification restores our legal status before God, adoption invites us into the warmth of His embrace.
From Slavery to Sonship
Scripture draws a bold contrast between being slaves and being sons. Whereas the law imprisoned us in guilt, grace invites us into freedom. The journey from slavery to sonship, as Paul expresses in Galatians 4:7 (ESV) —— “So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God”—— infuses our daily walk with dignity and purpose.
Yet, paradoxically, many believers are content with being ‘justified servants’ rather than revelling in their full heirship in Christ. A relatable depiction of this can be drawn from the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32, ESV). Often, like the prodigal, we recognise our sin and strive for forgiveness. At the same time, we internalise a sense of unworthiness to be fully reinstated as sons: “Treat me as one of your hired servants.” The prodigal echoes our own hesitations about embracing the fullness of adoption. This mindset reflects a deeper “orphan syndrome,” preventing us from experiencing the enjoyment, confidence, and rest available in the father-child bond.
A Call to Reality and Liberation
Of utmost importance is the Spirit’s role in our testament of adoption. According to Galatians 4:6, the Spirit actively testifies to our sonship, fostering the intimacy of our cries to “Abba, Father.” This privilege awakens us to the reality that, through sonship we inherit not only a name or title but active participation in God’s divine life, transforming how we engage with everything from prayer to our daily struggles.
Why do many feel spiritually heavy-laden, and entwined in anxiety and self-reliance? The problem lies not in our legal status before God, but in how our lived experience relates to our God-given identity. We, therefore, need a recalibration towards a God-defined narrative of sonship as opposed to a worldly one characterised by striving and fear. Practically, this involves becoming more aware of our personal "orphan tendencies" and actively practicing disciplines like gospel meditation, receptive repentance, and vulnerable community.
Walking in Our True Identity
Through the journey of adoption, a believer moves from isolation to intimacy, insecurity to confidence, and from the burden of works-righteousness into the light of imputed righteousness. Indeed, as J.I. Packer observes, “Father is the Christian name for God.” Our sonship injects our faith with a renewed identity that beckons us to celebrate and embody this bond as children of God. Embracing sonship isn't merely a private comfort; it becomes a public testament, exemplifying through our lives the vibrancy and beauty of the gospel.
To walk in this identity, we need sustained rhythms that nurture our growth in sonship. Meditating on the gospel reminds us that we are forgiven and forever loved by God. Preaching the gospel to ourselves confronts the false narratives swirling in our minds, aligning our hearts with truth. Practicing repentance not only leads us to experience God’s empowerment but also ushers in profound joy. Engaging in authentic friendships and processing our stories in light of the gospel solidify our community in Christ and illuminate the freedom we find in Jesus, who draws us from darkness into His resplendent light (1 Peter 2:9, ESV). These steps, woven into our daily walk, allow us not just to conceptualise sonship, but to live it. May we be a people who, through our lives, demonstrate the transformative grace of adoption to our families, our churches, our cities, and the world.
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