The Fatherhood of God in Adoption
Fatherhood is a subject relevant to every person born into this world. The subject is a joy for some but a nightmare for others.
Our desire is for perfect relationships; but the fall of our first father, Adam, has left a legacy of deficiency (Gen 3).
Christianity has much to say about this topic because the Bible gives us a view to the perfect communion and community of the Trinity (Mt 28:19; Gal 4:6). God the Father is in an eternal relationship with God the Son, and of course, the Holy Spirit. The perfection of their unity-in-diversity is what we long for as humans made in the image of God.
It is Jesus who shows us the Father because God sent His only begotten Son (Jn 3:16; 14:7, 9; 15:24), who became like us, yet without sin (Heb 4:15). If you have seen Jesus, you have seen the Father (Jn 14:9). Thus, the harmony and beauty of genuine love avers your due attention. What can we learn, especially about God’s adoption of some as sons?
There are children of the devil and children of God (1 John 3:10). When Jesus told the Jews in John 8 that they were of their father, the devil, He was alluding to this fact.
The devil is a rotten father to man. He is abusive, twisted, and could care less if his children are hurt. Satan, as the father of reprobates, thinks nothing of abandoning those who are his. Of course, the sons of men are sons of their devil father, so just as their father does to them, they do to their own children. The curse upon the father is upon his children for generations.
The child’s abandonment by his father leaves him an orphan. God does not leave His children as orphans (Jn 14:18), so the transfer of a child of the Adam into the family of God is considered an adoption (Eph 1:4–5; Rom 8:15, 23). Of course, in adoption, the orphan never uses her free will to choose the parent or family to which she has been assigned. It is the adoptive parent who chooses the orphan.
The motive of God in adopting abandoned orphans is love (Rom 5:5, 8; 1 Jn 4:19). It is a stunning display of mercy and grace toward His adopted children (Rom 9:15–16).
At the same time, God does not adopt the children of the devil. In this, He displays justice in His judgment. The discipline of a child in the family of God is so unappealing to the contumacious children of the devil, that they would never of their own free will choose to become righteous at the expense of their sinfully licentious lifestyles and cordiform holidays (Rom 3:10–12; 8:7).
Just as physical birth is painful, so being born of God is painful (Jn 3:1–8; 1 Pet 1:3). The discipline of a good father is often not pleasant, but it comes from a heart of love for his child.
The mystique of a fatherless rogue looks free and easy, but it is slavery (Rom 6:6). The life of the child of God looks rather unappealing, but where there is discipline, there is true love and real freedom (Jn 8:32; Eph 6:6). Adopted sons of God, that is, believers in Jesus Christ avouch their status is entirely the will and work of God. They do not know why they were chosen nor why they have been loved (Dt 7:7; 10:15; Rom 11:5). It is enough to know it and to bear witness, for indeed, we have a good, good Father.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
February 16, 2022
