Oct 22
23
Baptist Catechism 37
Q. 37. What is adoption?
A. Adoption is an act of God’s free grace, whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God. (1 John 3:1; John 1:12; Rom. 8:16,17)
Scripture Reading: 1 John 3:1–10
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.” (1 John 3:1–10, ESV)
*****
- Question 37’s relationship to the previous questions
- Answer 37 considered in parts:
- “Adoption is an act…
- “…of God’s free grace…”
- “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” (1 John 3:1a, ESV)
- “Whereby we are received into the number…”
- “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…” (John 1:12, ESV)
- “And have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God.”
- “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” (Romans 8:15–17, ESV)
- Application
- When we think of justification we should think of our relation to God as Judge. When we think of adoption we should think of our relation to God as Father.
- The judge has not only pardoned us…
- The judge has pardoned us so that he might adopt us.
- Communion with God is the end goal of our redemption.
- When we think of justification we should think of our relation to God as Judge. When we think of adoption we should think of our relation to God as Father.
