See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. 1 Jn. 3:1ESV
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son….that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. Gal. 4:4-7ESV
….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… Rom 8:15-16ESV
Numerous scriptures speak to the truth of our adoption by our Heavenly Father. I spent most of my life repeating those verses…..celebrating the truth they revealed….believing I believed them….yet living as an orphan. There are huge differences between an orphan mentality and that of an adopted child who believes he is adopted.
Consider how you interact with your children and/or your parents. If you promise all your children something, is any child exempt from claiming that promise? What if you adopted a child…would he/she be exempted from claiming that promise? Would you consider the child to be presumptuous or disrespectful if he/she expected to receive what was promised? Do your children expect to have their needs met, thankful at the provision or routinely overwhelmed with surprise that you actually met their needs? Do you value your child’s input on the gifts they receive? Are you just so glad you are your parent’s child that nothing more from them is required or expected? Do your children address you as Mr. and Mrs. or some other term of respect? Or, Daddy and Mom, Papa and Momma or some other such terms? Are they permitted access to you on their own accord or only when you decide? Would you be pleased if your children came into your presence more aware of their own unworthiness or your acceptance and love?
As you answer these questions, then ask yourself the same questions regarding your relationship with Your Heavenly Father. If He has promised something to all His children, do you feel presumptuous or disrespectful to expect to receive what He has promised? Do you feel you have a spirit of entitlement if you believe you are entitled to what He promises you can have? Do you receive His provision with a thankful heart or a heart that is pleasantlyl surprised that He would meet your needs? Is He only a reverent Father, King of Kings and Lord of Lords and must be respected, feared and revered as such? Or, is He your Daddy whose arms are open wide to receive you anytime you want? Do you have unlimited access to Him? When you come into His presence are you more aware of your own unworthiness or His unconditional acceptance and love?
If we know how to treat our children with enormous love, how can we believe any different of Him? If we long for our children to feel secure in our love….confident in our promises…believing in our availability to them…..free to have an intimate, familial relationship….why wouldn’t He desire the same?
A son comes to his father with a very different attitude than an orphan….trusting rather than wary; with more confidence rather than hesitancy; less inhibitions rather than fear; with an awareness of love and acceptance more than unworthiness; a desire and expectation of intimacy rather than a cold, distant relationship. I’m told that Tad Lincoln had complete, unhindered access to the president. He could walk into his private office whenever he wanted, confident of his right to be there. He could boldly approach the president without any fear or hesitation. He could climb into his lap if he wanted. He had access to the president that no one else had. Why? Because he was the president’s son. And, as a son, he enjoyed a position in his father’s heart that no one else did. As a son, he had access to the president that no one else had. He had an intimate relationship with the president that no one else did. His position as the president’s son gave him rights and privileges that others did not enjoy. That is what it looks like to be a son rather than an orphan.
When God makes a promise to His family, and we’re part of that covenant family, we have a legal right to stand and claim that promise for ourselves. When we present our just claim before Him, we are not being arrogant or presumptuous. We are simply asking for that which is rightly ours as His covenant children. -Graham Cooke, Unrelenting Prayer
A son may also be given authority to act in his father’s stead, in his father’s absence. My son is authorized to use his father’s credit card on his behalf. God has given us, His children, authority to act on His behalf here on earth.
The fact that a child is adopted never takes away from the adoptive parents’ position in society or the world, it simply changes the child’s relationship with him or her. No matter how important or dignified or respected the parent is, the child knows his relationship with his parent is different than that of a stranger. An orphan, though, will revert to the relationship of a stranger far more readily than that of an adopted child.
The fact of our adoption does not change who He is….it just changes the way we relate to Him. Our embracing of that relationship does not signify a reduction of His worth….it increases our devotion and loyalty to Him. Whether or not we live as orphans or sons, does not nullify the adoption. We can spend our lives as children of God, yet live as orphans never receiving all that God has in store for us.
We are also co-heirs with Christ.
“The Spirit himself bears withness 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. Rom. 8:16-17ESV
When we leave an inheritance, all our children receive a portion….they are co-heirs of our inheritance. In the same way, we are co-heirs with Christ, receiving the same portion of an inheritance from God that Christ does.
We’re His children! We are not orphans. Let’s step into our position as sons of the living God! We are co-heirs with Christ. Let’s step forward and claim our inheritance as children of God!