Category Archives: Adoption

Heirs of God

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A summary of ch. 16 of Practical Religion, by J. C. Ryle

Rom 8: 14-17

The Apostle is speaking to the richest people on earth. The inheritance of which he speaks:-

  • is the only inheritance really worth having. All others are unsatisfying and ‘They bring with them many cares. They cannot cure an aching heart or lighten a heavy conscience. They cannot keep off family troubles. They cannot prevent sicknesses, bereavements, separation, and deaths.’
  • is the only inheritance which is within everybody’s reach.
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To what does God adopt us?

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(1.) He adopts us to a state of excellence. It were much for God to take a clod of dust, and make it a star; it is more for him to take a piece of clay and sin, and adopt it for his heir.

(2.) God adopts us to a state of liberty. Adoption is a state of freedom; a slave being adopted is made a free man. ‘Thou art no more a servant but a son.’…

Adoption – questions for self-assessment

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To help us realize more adequately who and what, as children of God, we are and are called to be, here are some questions by which we do well to examine ourselves again and again.

Do I understand my adoption? Do I value it? Do I daily remind myself of my privilege as a child of God?

Have I sought full assurance of my adoption? Do I daily dwell on the love of God to me?…

Rom 8:18-30 – From groaning to glory – sermon notes

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Baghdad, July 30th 1919.

Dear Walter,

I’ve got some very sad news to tell you, last night when down at the river bathing poor old Eric was drowned.  You must forgive me for putting it so blunt, but I feel too full up with it to say much about it.  We were bathing as usual and poor old Eric went down.  We dived with ropes round us and swam about for half an hour but nothing was seen of him. …

Rom 8:1-17 – Life in the Spirit – sermon notes

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Where do we start with Romans 8?  It’s a sumptuous banquet – but which of its dishes do we sample?  It’s a glorious symphony – but which of its themes do we to attune our ears to?  It’s a lofty mountain range – but which of its peaks do we try to scale?

As always, it’s good to get our bearings from the context.  Chapter 5 – in Christ, we have victory over sin and death. …

Thomas Watson on adoption

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1 Jn 3:1  How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

The wonder of God’s love in adopting us

The wonder of God’s love in adopting us will appear the more if we consider these six things:

That God should adopt us when he had a Son of his own

Men adopt because they want children, and desire to have some to bear their name; but that God should adopt us when he had a Son of his own, the Lord Jesus, is a wonder of love.…

Quotes on adoption

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Adoption gives us the privilege of son, regeneration the nature of sons. (Stephen Charnock)

Adoption is the highest privilege that the gospel offers. (Packer)

Since God has a Son of his own, and such a Son, how wonderful God’s love in adopting us!  We needed a Father, but he did not need sons. (Thomas Watson)

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