Are we “Born of God”, or “Adopted”? It can’t be both.

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Does the Bible say we are adopted by God?

babyI am quite certain that the Bible does not say we are adopted by God. It does say that we are born of God.

Many commentators seem awfully confused about this, but that’s because they are reading an English translation of a Greek document, written in a different culture. Translators have used the word “adoption” to translate the Greek word, “υἱοθεσία”, but they should have used some other English word, because that’s not what it means.

If any single thing is clear in the New Testament it is this: “Verily I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3). Entrance to the kingdom, to the family, to the brotherhood of believers, is by birth. It is not by adoption.


What does the Bible say about “adoption”?

There are a very few quite specific references to “adoption” in English translations of the Bible. In combination they seem like they are referring to God adopting people:

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

– Romans 8:15

 

… to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

– Galatians 4:5-6

 

He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.

– Ephesians 1:4-5

So why question it?

Just reading those verses makes it sound pretty convincing, doesn’t it? It sounds precisely like Paul is telling us that God is in the adoption business.

However…

Besides the obvious contradiction between this and the theological imperative of new birth, there are other hints that this word “υἱοθεσία”, translated “adoption”, cannot really mean “adoption”. How about these two examples:

Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

– Romans 8:23

What was that…? “We who have the firstfruits of the Spirit…” are “waiting for the adoption”? That’s a bit jarring, to say the least! In fact, we saw Galatians 4:5-6 above, which makes very clear that in the present tense we are sons.

Why would a son be waiting for adoption?

Here’s another little quandary:

… my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God.

– Romans 9:3-5

Oh dear… “the adoption” has always, (along with “the glory, the covenants, the … law, … the promises,” etc.), been a provision for the Israelites. How can we reconcile that with the rest of the New Testament, in which the Jews must be born again.

So there really is a problem here.

The problem does not lie with the author of these words, but with the reader. The problem is that we don’t understand the word, “υἱοθεσία”.

“υἱοθεσία” does not mean “adoption”.

Ok, so what does it mean?

It is fair at this point to demand what I propose to do with this problem. If the word “υἱοθεσία” does not mean “adoption”, what on earth could it mean? What meaning can we insert instead so that the result is something sensible, and likely to represent the ideas of Paul of Tarsus who wrote these texts?

It means inheritance

There is no single word that will work, but there is a single idea. The idea is that of coming into an inheritance. Let’s first just insert that idea wherever the word “υἱοθεσία” is used. That way we can be sure to know if it fits or not.


 

First, Romans 8:15

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of inheritance [the spirit which indicates and guarantees an inheritance] because of which we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

– Romans 8:15

Compare this idea to 2 Corinthians 1:21-22: “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God,who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

Does that seem to fit? I think so.


 

Next, Galatians 4:5-6

… to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the inheritance as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

– Galatians 4:5-6

Well that changes the idea here a little. Previously it sounded like we were sons because of the “υἱοθεσία”, but now it appears that we receive the “υἱοθεσία” because we are sons!

Actually, that makes a lot more sense… right?


 

Now, Ephesians 1:4-5

He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to an inheritance as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.

– Ephesians 1:4-5

Again, rather than the “υἱοθεσία” causing the sonship, it is the sonship that results in an inheritance falling due. We are made sons by Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, and in him we have in inheritance.

Does that sound like Romans 8:16-18? “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

It sounds that way to me.


 

What about Romans 8:23?

Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the inheritance: the redemption of our body.

– Romans 8:23

We slid past it earlier, but right here, Paul actually tells us what the “υἱοθεσία” actually is. It is “the redemption of our body”. In other words, the Resurrection! This is our birthright as children of God. Having been born into God’s family, we become heirs to all of the family traits, proclivities, privileges, and assets. God’s family has, as it’s most illustrious inheritance, the Resurrection of the Dead, and we are heirs of it. We will come into our inheritance at the dawning of the Age, on the Great and Glorious Day of the Lord – The Resurrection.

That’s what Paul was saying.


 

Finally, Romans 9:3-5

… my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, for whom the inheritance was intended, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God.

– Romans 9:3-5

The Israelites were always supposed to be destined to inherit the Kingdom. They failed continually, of course, but implicit in the law and the life in God’s service and the covenants and the promises, was this inheritance as a people: The Resurrection of the Dead, which stands for the whole concept of the kingdom of God.

It all seems to make a lot of sense.


 

What does this mean?

It means that “adoption” is not a word that should be used in connection with “υἱοθεσία”. The word has everything to do with the inheritance due to a family member, and nothing to do with how one came to be a member of the family. We happen to know how a person becomes a member of God’s family. It is by birth.

He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

– John 1:11-13


 

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4 Responses so far.

  1. Saji says:

    Huios= son and tithemi= place.
    Placed as sons , not natural born sons .
    Only Jesus is divine Son eternally with the father co existing , coinherent .
    WE were created being , adopted to God’s family as sons to share his glory and inheritance by grace and sovereign choice of God.
    However exalted position we may receive still we are created being sharing his goodness because of His grace and mercy for the praise of the riches of His grace in coming age forever.
    Let’s not invent something which the inspired writer did not mean it

    • Hi Saji,

      Thank you for taking the time to comment!

      I see that you’re saying the believer is not a son by birth, but by adoption instead.

      How do you reconcile that with such ideas as these?

      But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become sons of God, born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of a husband, but born of God.

      – John 1:12-13

      Amen, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’

      – John 3:5

      … and so many others.

      Where scripture is explicit, we are obliged to accept what it says. Where it is ambiguous, then we can start wondering. Scripture is absolutely explicit that nobody can be part of the Age to Come without being born into the family of God. But scripture is less clear about “υἱοθεσία” (usually translated “adoption”, but it probably should not be) – a word used only by one author in the Bible, and used in a way that if it was intended to mean what you suggest, it would contradict Jesus’ own words.

      So I would suggest that the inspired writer cannot possibly have meant what you are suggesting. If he did it would mean he was saying the opposite of what Jesus said, and that is not what Paul does. So what we must do is attempt to learn what Paul did mean by υἱοθεσία.

      As I say in the article, I suggest it is a reference to inheritance. More specifically, coming into an inheritance.

    • Kojo says:

      I agree with Kevin’s Article. Thank you for such a revealing expose. You have helped clear my doubts. God bless you abundantly.

      Huios= son and tithemi= place.
      Placed as sons. That could NOT be adoption. ADOPTION would rather be Placed TO BECOME sons.

      But Placed AS sons suggests “we are placed in a position of inheritance because we are sons”.

      This is more consistent with Inheritance which only comes by virtue of birth and not awarded privileges.

      The scriptures do make it clear that we have become sons of God because we are born of His Spirit.

      Jesus was the only begotten but is now the FIRST Colossians 1:15, Revelation 1:4

  2. Zoltan Hercik says:

    Thank you for taking the time to research, pray and write this article.

    While I would not replace the word adoption in every occasion automatically, and learned other interpretations of υἱοθεσία as well, I think it is very important to understand that we were born again (or born from above) by a seed (the living expression of God, The Word, Jesus) that includes everlasting life in it, and the full nature, character, gene, “DNA” of the living God. (1.Peter.1.23.) We were born again with Divine Nature (2.Pet.1.4.), and it isn’t a religious expression, but it is as real as it is possible. Which means we didn’t just become a better person, an adjusted one, but a brand new creation. Often when a baby comes to this word, you can’t see the parents on him/her right away, but surely it will show more and more as he/she grows.

    If God is Love, then I am as well. Do I yet struggle to love like the Father sometimes? (especially the way He can love.) Yes, of course. Yet, I know, for sure, it is in me by birth, and as I grow in him, it will come out more and more, stronger and stronger. I am love. This is true for every other amazing value, nature, character, culture that is in our Father. Therefore, I firmly believe that by His Grace, I will be just like Him. (1. John. 3.2.)

    For me, the biggest difference between birth and adoption is that the nature of a parent is coming by birth. For this reason, in so many places the Word emphasizes the importance of birth. (John. 1.12-13.) It is a very important foundation of our identity. Knowing that we are true children of God.

    Blessings,
    Zoltan

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