Through the spiritual act of adoption, sinners are made sons of God. This is the good news of the doctrine of adoption, which “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.” (WSC Q&A 34)
In his book Knowing God, the Anglican theologian J. I. Packer wrote, “Were I asked to focus the New Testament message in three words, my proposal would be adoption through propitiation, and I do not expect ever to meet a richer or more pregnant summary of the gospel than that.”
The Christian’s identity as a child of God in relationship with God as Father is integral to one’s Christian faith. Here are three fundamental benefits the believer enjoys as beloved children of God, according to the doctrine of adoption.
Assured of God’s Love
In healthy families, children do not doubt whether their father loves them. Rather, they implicitly know their father loves them. A child knows their father loves them because he is the father and the child belongs to him; and not because they do something to merit such love. Likewise, the doctrine of adoption ever assures the Christian of God’s Love because God is Father by the spiritual act of adoption (1 John 3:1). As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him (Ps. 103:13).
The Christian approaches God with freedom and confidence
In the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus gives us a picture of the love of the heavenly Father. The earthly father loves perfectly, even when the son runs away to a far country and squanders all his wealth. When the son returned home his father saw him and felt compassion and ran and embraced him and kissed him (Luke 15:20). Such is the love of our heavenly Father that he embraces us despite our sinful rebellion because he loves us perfectly. There is nothing any of God’s children can do that will make the heavenly Father love them any less.
Confident in the Father’s Presence
In a famous photo by Stanley Tretick, the son of President John F. Kennedy is seen playing underneath his desk in the Oval Office while his father worked. As the world’s most powerful man, only a few people with important state business had access to him. Yet, there was his son with unashamed access to his father playing in his office.
This is a beautiful picture of the access that believers have with the heavenly Father, according to the doctrine of adoption. As Paul says: “in whom (Christ) we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him (Eph. 3:12). The Christian approaches God with “freedom and confidence” (Eph. 3:12, NIV).
Limited Access was the Norm
When people come into the presence of a holy God, they tremble for God’s holiness is unbearable for sinners. In the Old Covenant, God only permitted the High Priest to the Holy of Holies. But even he could only do it once a year, on the Day of Atonement.
The Ark of the Covenant was in the Holy of Holies. It served as a sacramental sign of the presence of God, enthroned between the Cherubims on the mercy seat of the ark. It was not the heavenly throne room of glory itself but it only depicted that heavenly reality on earth. However, even then, the chief priest could not enter at will.
This explains why the prophet Isaiah could not comprehend the vision of God in his throne room. No man can enter God’s throne room, so Isaiah immediately concluded that he would certainly perish. So in terror, he cried out, “Woe is me! For I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isa. 6:5). Sinners cannot have access to the Holy One (Ex. 20:18-21, Heb. 12:18-25).
Unfettered Access is the Promise of Adoption
Yet, this is precisely what God grants to his children. When the Father adopts us into his family it means we receive unfettered access to him through what Jesus has done (Heb. 10:19-22; Rom. 5:2). We do not need to make an appointment or appear with a letter of recommendation. We come wholly based upon Christ’s work and his righteousness. It is incredible that we can dare to call God “our Father” and waltz into the throne room in heaven every time we pray (Matt. 6:9). As Tim Keller wrote, “The only person who dares wake up a king at 3:00 a.m. for a glass of water is a child. We have that kind of access.”
Joyful in the Father’s Fellowship
The natural man in his sinful state abhors the presence of God, for he sees God not as his father but as his judge. The sinner who is not justified and adopted into God’s family sees the heavenly Father’s presence as nothing but eternal condemnation. However, the Spirit of God brings the child of God to the throne room of God, based on Christ’s satisfactory work. Thus, sinners are brought into fellowship with the Father.
It is incredible that we can dare to call God as “our Father” and waltz into the throne room in heaven every time we pray.
When the Spirit of God brings us into fellowship with the Father through Christ, it means we stand in the very presence of blessedness. In God’s presence, there is fullness of joy. At his right hand are pleasures forevermore (Ps. 16:11). Therefore, the children of God feast on the abundance of God’s house, for God gives them drink from the river of his delights (Ps. 36:8).
The child of God experiences the fullness of God’s joy—not only in the world to come—but even now, in the midst of all the trials and sufferings of this present life. Our joy as children of God comes from our Father—not the circumstances of life, so nothing can steal this joy away. This is why Paul could write from prison, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (Phil 4:4). The child of God is one who always says, “The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad” (Ps. 126:3).
One day, the child of God will enter the perfect joy of fellowship with his heavenly Father. Then the Father will say to his beloved child, “‘Enter into the joy of your master” (Matt. 25:23). Till that blessed day, when faith becomes sight, let us ever delight in the beauty of the doctrine of adoption and enjoy the loving presence of the heavenly Father in the blessed means of grace of word, sacrament, and prayer.
