he predestined us for adoption as his own through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, (Ephesians 1:5)
Adoption is as core to the gospel as redemption, the forgiveness of sin. This is why Paul lists the blessings and in this order; adoption, redemption, the forgiveness of sin. In Christ, we are blessed with all the spiritual blessings in the heavenlies, "just as he chose us in him before creating the world to be holy and blameless in his presence, in love. He predestined us for adoption as his own through Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 1:4-5) It is an amazing thing, God planned this before the creation of the world, to adopt us as His own. Let's look at what this means and how he did it.
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading back to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, in who cries out, “Abba! Father! The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit because we exist children of God. (Romans 8:15-16)
rather a Jew is one inwardly and circumcision is of the heart, in the Spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. (Romans 2:29)
Now when the fullness of time came, God sent forth his Son, born from a woman, under the Law, so to redeem those who were under the Law, so that receiving adoption as sons. (Galatians 4:5)
you also in Him having heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in Him also believing, were marked with the promised Holy Spirit which exists the guarantee of our inheritance to the extent of redemption of his possession, to the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14)
When you heard the gospel (which Paul equates to the word of truth and the truth is equated to Jesus (John 14:6)) thus when you heard the words of Jesus and believed you were marked or sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. The promised Spirit, Jesus promised the disciples that he would not leave them as orphans but send the Spirit. (John 14:15-17) Also, we see the promise in the Old Covenant that God would put His Spirit within us. (Jeremiah 31:33-34, 2 Corinthians 3:3-6, Hebrews 8:10-11, Ezekiel 36:26-27) The promised Holy Spirit is the guarantee, pledge, of God's promise of our inheritance. Paul prays that the eyes of our hearts would be enlightened to the rich benefits of our inheritance. (Ephesians 1:17-18) The Spirit is a pledge "to the extent of redemption of his possession." He predestined us for adoption as his own, the Spirit is a pledge until he takes possession of His own, when all things are brought to fullness in Christ.
Jesus said we are born of flesh and we must be born of the Spirit to enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:3-6) And the Spirit is the one testifying because the Spirit is of truth, for existing three that testify. (1 John 5:6-8) The Spirit himself testifies that we are children of God. "If we receive the testimony of men the testimony of God is greater because this is the testimony of God, that bearing testimony about his Son." (1 John 5:9) This is important to understand I can have a testimony of men, I can go to the altar, say a prayer, raise my hand, get baptized but if I do not have the testimony of the Spirit, I should be very concerned about whether I have entered the kingdom of God. How did I receive the testimony of Spirit? When I believed I was marked, sealed, born anew. "For existing all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ." (Galatians 3:26)
Now, it is not as though the word of God failed, for not all the ones from Israel, are Israel. (Romans 9:6)
Paul laments over his brethren who are Israelites according to the flesh, for to them belonged adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law, the temple worship, and the promises. (Romans 9:3-6) But he makes this profound statement not all of Israel are Israel. "neither all the children of Abraham exist his seed, rather in Isaac your seed is called. This means not the children of the flesh who are children of God but the children of the promise are considered descendants." (Romans 9:7-8)
We can make the same statement today, not all claiming to be Christians are Christians, only those of promise. What promise? The promised Holy Spirit? Which implies adoption? Who are the children of the promise? The promise Paul writes is seen in Rebecca the wife of Isaac having twins that even before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, God called Jacob the younger, "so that God's purpose of election might stand, not from works rather from the calling." (Romans 9:9-13)
God loved Jacob and hated Esau. God shows mercy to whom He wills. Can not the potter create vessels of destruction so to make the riches of his glory known to the vessels of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory? (Romans 9:19-23) To those he predestined he called, and justified and glorified, to be the praise of his glory. (Romans 8:30) "Just as he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his presence, in love. He predestined us for adoption as his own through Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 1:4-5)
The testimony of the one circumcised of the heart by the Spirit is to the praise of God. The one under the Law, circumcised of the flesh is not a Jew in the new covenant, but the one born of the Spirit. And Israel in the Old, who was not Israel, was not because they pursued through the Law righteousness and failed to obtain it because it was not from faith but from works, they stumbled over the stumbling stone. (Romans 30-33) John writes Jesus was in the world and the world did not know him, he came among his own, Israel of the flesh who God called his children in the Old Covenant, but they did not receive him, "now as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, the ones believing in his name, who are born not from human decent nor fleshly will nor a husband's will rather from God." (John 1:10-13) God predestined us for adoption through His Spirit, thus chosen we receive the Spirit of adoption, who cries out within us “Abba! Father!
Those under the Law were under a guardian, held captive until Christ so to be declared righteous by faith. (Galatians 3:23-29) Some of Israel did not believe in the gospel, so they were considered not of Israel, broken off while those of other nations were grafted in through faith. Now, in the new covenant, there is no distinction between Jew or Gentile for all are one in Christ, "now if you belong to Christ, then existing descendants of Abraham, heirs according to promise." (Galatians 28-29) So we see that receiving adoption is through the promised Holy Spirit which implies that the sons of God are not of the flesh but of the Spirit, those that are a new creation in Christ. In Christ, we are blessed with spiritual blessings of adoption, redemption, the forgiveness of sin.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law becoming a curse for us because it is written 'cursed is everyone hung on a tree' so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham comes to the Gentiles so that we receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:13-14)
Since the Spirit is one of adoption, receiving the promise of the Spirit speaks of being adopted through the Spirit. Adoption received through new birth through faith. If the promise that was given to Abraham speaks that in Christ all peoples and all nations will be blessed and one of the blessings received in Him is adoption then the promise of the blessing is fulfilled by the Holy Spirit through adoption, new birth into the kingdom of heaven. Thus the Spirit is called the promised Holy Spirit. God foresaw justifying all peoples and all nations by faith therefore the gospel was preached to Abraham saying "in you all nations blessed." (Galatians 3:8)
We have seen the blessings in Christ are adoption, redemption, forgiveness. If we are blessed in Christ with adoption and the gospel is proclaimed beforehand as blessings in Christ then adoption is at the core of the gospel. This gospel proclaiming blessings in Christ states prosperity is in spiritual blessings. And the blessings thus the gospel speaks of us being predestined for adoption, "He chose us in Him... he predestined us for adoption as his own through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will." Oh, we pray Father, open the eyes of our hearts to the good news of adoption.