Reconciliation, Justification, Adoption, Election, and Redemption
As important as reconciliation and justification are, “adoption” may be the heart of the salvation concept, or at least, the heart of its blessings. The idea of adoption in Scripture is much the same as in man’s law, only in Scripture, the believer becomes a member of God’s family! Only Paul uses the Greek word for adoption. It properly means, "to place as a son."
Romans 8:14 (KJV)
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Justification by faith has placed the believer as a child into the family of God. This is the "Spirit of adoption," indicating this is another work of the Holy Spirit in the conversion experience. We need to remember that while we speak or describe all of these different states or conditions that occur at conversion, our salvation is a single event that includes a variety of new conditions. Being adopted is but another way of stating the high standing of one who is justified. We are told that God determined our adoption from before time began.
Ephesians 1:5 (KJV)
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Paul tell us in Galatians that Jesus came to earth as a human so we could become children of God.
The Ephesians verse quoted above bears repeating.
Ephesians 1:5 (KJV)
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
This is the heart of “election.” Election is the act of God whereby He determined before the formation of the world that those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will be saved and chosen for eternal life with God. Election, then, looks back to the foreknowledge of God, while predestination looks forward to the believer’s destiny.
Romans 8:28-29 (KJV)
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Election is
according to God's foreknowledge
1 Peter 1:2 (KJV)
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
wholly as the result of grace
Romans 9:11 (KJV)
11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
proceeds from God's divine volition
John 15:16 (KJV)
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
is an exercise of God's sovereignty, whereby He chooses people for His service
Luke 6:13 (KJV)
13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;
Acts 9:15 (KJV)
15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Election is yet another part of God's Purpose. Where faith is the sufficient condition of salvation, election is the necessary condition. The elect will believe, but not against their wills. The elect are those who answer God’s call or drawing (John 6:44) to salvation. God's desire is that all should come to salvation, but He allows human freedom and the choice to rebel against Him, just as Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-6). Indeed, the state of mankind is that all deserve punishment (God’s wrath) and none deserve a place in heaven with God. However, through God’s grace He has extended His call to all who will respond. Those who respond will be part of the elect who receive redemption.
Acts 13:48 (KJV)
48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
proceeds from God's divine volition
John 15:16 (KJV)
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
is an exercise of God's sovereignty, whereby He chooses people for His service
Luke 6:13 (KJV)
13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;
Acts 9:15 (KJV)
15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Election is yet another part of God's Purpose. Where faith is the sufficient condition of salvation, election is the necessary condition. The elect will believe, but not against their wills. The elect are those who answer God’s call or drawing (John 6:44) to salvation. God's desire is that all should come to salvation, but He allows human freedom and the choice to rebel against Him, just as Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-6). Indeed, the state of mankind is that all deserve punishment (God’s wrath) and none deserve a place in heaven with God. However, through God’s grace He has extended His call to all who will respond. Those who respond will be part of the elect who receive redemption.
Acts 13:48 (KJV)
48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
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