Adoption & Heirs
Every spiritual blessing God gives comes to us only in Christ. The apostle Paul opens Ephesians with this sweeping truth: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3).

Among the greatest of these blessings are adoption and inheritance. Through faith in Jesus, God takes us who were once outsiders and adopts us as His own children. We are no longer slaves or strangers but sons and daughters in His family. “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:4-7).

This adoption brings full rights. We receive the Spirit of adoption. And because we are now children, we become heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. An eternal inheritance awaits us that nothing in this world can take away. “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” (Romans 8:15-17).

How did we come to this inheritance and adoption? Paul wrote by inspiration, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:26-29).

We’re able to be baptized into Christ because of what He did on the cross. “And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby… Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:14-19);

All of it is found in Christ alone. Through Jesus we are welcomed home, fully adopted, and made rich with every spiritual blessing the Father has to give. Now all that remains is the redemption of our body when Christ returns. “…even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:23). Having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:7).

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1Peter 1:3-5).

Agape
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