EPHESIANS 1: 1 – 5
He [1] predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will– 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. (NIV)
GOD’S PLAN
He predestined us to be adopted, he determined us, the word predestined in Greek is proorizo {pro-or-id’-zo} it means – predestinate, determine before 1, ordain. So we can say that HE determined before time began to adopt us to himself through Jesus Christ.
Adoption is a word used more than once to explain our relationship to HIM. ROM 8:23; Gal 4:5.
Lets look at what adoption meant in Paul’s time where Roman law prevailed.
The family was based on what was called the father’s power. A father had absolute power over his children so long as he and they lived. He could sell his child or kill him. He can enslave him to work on his estates. That right still continues to exist even if the son is old enough to play an active part in political affairs.
Under Roman law a child could not possess anything; and any inheritance willed to him, or any gift given to him, became the property of his father. It did not matter how old the son was, or what he had accomplished, or what authority he had come by, he was absolutely in his father’s power.
So with adoption, it was serious business not only for the one being adopted, but the person adopting. The ritual of adoption must have been very impressive. It was carried out by a symbolic sale in which copper and scales were used. Twice the real father sold his son, and twice he symbolically bought him back; finally he sold him a third time, and at the third sale he did not buy him back. After this the adopting father had to go to the praetor, one of the principal Roman magistrates, and plead the case for the adoption.
When it was complete, it was complete indeed. The person who had been adopted had all the rights of a legitimate son in his new family and completely lost all rights in his old family. In the eyes of the law he was a new person. So new that even all debts and obligations connected with his previous family were abolished as if they had never existed.
This is what Paul says that God has done for us. We were absolutely in the power of sin and of the world; God, through Jesus, took us out of that power into his; and that adoption wipes out the past and makes us new. So the Christians of Paul’s day had a very different understanding of the word adoption then we do.
So because of our adoption we also received every spiritual blessing from heaven in Christ. Our new home is above. He is our Father and this entitles to cry Abba, Father Mark 14:36.
