Featured The Adoption

1. Romans 8:15
   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!”
   
   
2. Romans 8:23
   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.
   
   
3. Romans 9:4
   They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.
   
   
4. Galatians 4:5
   to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
   
   
5. Ephesians 1:5
   he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

BibleGateway - Keyword Search: adoption

 

We already are seated in heaven with Lord Jesus, as per God seeing us!

 

We have already been adopted as children of God, but does not yet appear as what we shall be once glorified!

 

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It is part of it.
There are two parts of the adoption, with part 1 being experienced when a person believes on Christ, and part 2 being experienced at the first resurrection.

I agree, to an extent.

I see that the purpose of the Holy Ghost's sealing of someone ( Ephesians 1:13 ) is as the Spirit of the promise of that adoption...
The seal that God has put on someone showing that they are an adopted son or daughter;
Not that they "will be".

" For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." ( Romans 8:14-15 ).

We have received the Spirit of adoption, and we will be fully adopted, physically, some day:

" And not only [they], but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, [to wit], the redemption of our body. " ( Romans 8:23 ).

 

Ephesians 1:4-5 clearly states that the believer was chosen in Christ from before the foundation of the world:

" according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,"

They were predestinated to that adoption, and that adoption takes place in two phases.
This was all done according to the good pleasure of His will...

Not ours.

 

With respect, it isn't clear in that manner to me.
Regardless of what John Calvin may have taught ( and I couldn't care less what he taught, as God's word is my authority ), I see this when I read the Scriptures:

There are two phases of the adoption...
The spiritual side and the physical side.

Believers are predestined to both, so to me, the adoption happens when we are still in our physical bodies, and is completely finished when we received our glorified bodies that are free from the taint of sin.

That is why believers groan within ourselves...
Because we are looking forward to never sinning again.

 

Respectfully, 2 Thessalonians 2:13 says that the believer was chosen to salvation through two things...
Their being sanctified by the Spirit, and their belief of the truth ( which is given to them in the behalf of Christ, see Philippians 1:29 ).
Those two things are the result of the work of God ( John 6:29, Ephesians 2:10, Philippians 1:6, James 1:18 ), not a cooperative work between us and the Lord.

Ephesians 1:4 says that they were chosen "in Him" from the foundation of the world.
We as God's elect were chosen to be placed within the body of Christ from the foundation of the world...
It was determined then, and carried out in real time within our lives.

Romans 8:28-30 states that only the foreknown will ever experience the benefits of being predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, being called by the Gospel, being justified and then being glorified.
So, unless one is foreknown by God, one cannot be part of the rest.

Only those given to Jesus Christ by the Father will come to Him ( John 6:39, John 6:65 ), and only those given to the Son by the Father will ever receive the gift of eternal life ( John 17:2 ).
Therefore, unless one is chosen by God and caused to approach Him ( Psalms 65:4 ), then one is not blessed of God by His grace.

They are still in their sins and awaiting His judgment.

To me, you're making a person's salvation dependent upon a combination of their own actions and God's, and then God predestinating them to all the rest.
I'm sorry, but I don't see this when I read the Scriptures.

Also, the only Man I follow is Jesus Christ and him alone ( John 10:1-5, John 10:27 ).
I don't read the writings of prominent "Calvinists" in order to help me to understand the Scriptures, Barry.
I read His word, as it is all-sufficient for me and always will be.
If I run across something in His word that I do not understand, I ask Him to show me and He has never let me down...
The more I study, the more He shows me.

You are of course, under no compulsion to believe me... but calling me and others like me "Calvinists" is not accurate, as we do not follow John Calvin nor his writings.
We follow Jesus Christ, and always will.


I wish you well, sir, and may He bless you with many good gifts in the days to follow.