THE DOCTRINES OF FOREKNOWLEDGE AND ADOPTION

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THE DOCTRINES OF FOREKNOWLEDGE AND ADOPTION

• Bishop Michael E. Dantley
• Christ Emmanuel Christian Fellowship

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The definition of foreknowledge

• The Greek word for foreknow is proginosko and
  means to know beforehand.
• What this means is that God perfectly knows the
  future. In fact God is omniscient which means
  that God knows absolutely everything.
• Isaiah 4028
• Daniel 222
• Matthew 68

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• Acts 1518
• It is important to understand that God knows
  every facet of life both now, in the past, as
  well as in the future. There is nothing that
  escapes the knowledge of God
• Examples of Gods foreknowledge
• Christ was foreknown and ordained to die-Acts
  222-24

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• I Peter 117-21
• Israel was foreknown as Gods earthly
  people-Romans 111-2
• The church is also foreknown by God-Romans
  829-30 I Peter 11-2
• Other examples of Gods foreknowledge
• He tells his people of things to come-Isaiah
  428-9
• Isaiah 468-10

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• Daniel 228
• Acts 313-18
• Consider the foreknowledge of Christ and the
  impact it has had on those who walked with Him.
  Consider how his foreknowledge of His current
  disciples impacts our lives and our decisions
  toward Him.
• John 660-65
• John 131-13

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• Other Scriptures that have direct reference to
  foreknowledge
• Acts 223
• Acts 265
• Romans 829
• Romans 112
• I Peter 12
• I Peter 120
• II Peter 317

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• When we think about foreknowledge and our
  salvation it does not simply mean that God
  foreknew who would believe the Gospel and
  therefore chose them. What it means is that God
  knew us, that He was personally acquainted with
  us as His own before we existed or time began.
  Believers were foreknown to Him as belonging to
  Him by redemption.

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• Isnt it interesting and praiseworthy to come to
  know that you have been elected by God to be the
  sons and daughters of God because He foreknew
  that you would receive Him.
• Was his foreknowledge arbitrary or was there
  something about us that He knew through His
  interactions with us in Psalm 13913-18?
• Whatever the reason Im glad about it!!

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The Doctrine of Adoption

• Adoption is defined as that act of God whereby a
  born-again child is placed as a son and given the
  full privileges of sonship. The whole notion of
  adoption involves the changing of families
• Consider several examples of adoption
• Moses-Exodus 21-10
• Jacob adopted the two sons of Joseph, Ephraim and
  Manasseh-Genesis 481-16

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• Mordecai adopted Esther-Esther 27. Mordecai took
  responsibility for Esthers welfare. Esther came
  under the protection and the care of a father
  rather than paternal relationship. The Hebrew
  thought of adoption is the receiving into the
  family one who does not belong to it by birth.

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• The Greek word, huiothesia, means the placing of
  a son. The word is translated adoption and
  actually is a particularly Pauline concept. In
  other words the idea of adoption is especially
  spoken about by the Apostle Paul.
• Romans 815-23
• Galatians 41-7
• Ephesians 13-6

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• We may be excited by the Hebrew notion of
  adoption that is clearly similar to that of the
  English idea, that being becoming a member of a
  family outside of birth. But the Pauline idea of
  adoption is more about becoming a son, the
  blessings of sonship, the process of sonship and
  not just becoming a member of anothers family.
  We have to grasp this understanding of sonship to
  fully understand Pauls concept of adoption.

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Here is the Process

• When we are regenerated we have then become born
  again that is born into the household of faith-
  John 112-13 33-5. Now this has to do with
  relationship rather than position. Regeneration
  is the imparting of a new nature and is that
  which makes us sons.
• In adoption the born again or the regenerated
  believer at the age of maturity is place as a
  son. This has to do with position and privileges
  rather than relationship. This is actually
  son-placing-Galatians 41-2

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• In regeneration, one receives new life, in
  justification, one receives new standing, in
  adoption one receives a new position. Adoption
  has to do with the legal status as a son being
  given full rights of inheritance.

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Lets Break This Down!

• When one receives the Lord Jesus Christ as
  Savior, he or she is at that moment both born
  into the family of God and adopted into the
  family of God. The two things take place
  simultaneously, at the very moment of believing.
  By birth, we become Gods children by adoption
  we become His full-grown sons. While it is true
  that we need to grow in grace and in the
  knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we
  are nevertheless regarded and

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• treated as full grown sons from the very moment
  that we receive Christ and are thus adopted into
  Gods family. From that moment on we have the
  privileges and responsibilities that go with our
  position as sons. Galatians 44-7
• Position carries privilege but it always carries
  responsibility as well. As the sons of God we are
  admonished to watch and be sober in our Christian
  lives especially in view of the Lords coming.
  Hebrews 125-8

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Other Scriptures

• Ephesians 14-6
• Hebrews 29-11
• Romans 815
• Galatians 46
• I John 32

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The Historical Perspective of Adoption

• The Romans had a custom whereby at a certain time
  appointed by the father or the law, the male
  child in the family would be formally and legally
  adopted. That is, he would be placed in the
  position of a legal son and given the privileges
  of a son. The legal ceremony of adoption did not
  bring him into the family, it only placed a child
  of the family as a recognized, mature son in the
  eyes of the Roman law.

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• It was the taking of ones own child by birth to
  be a mature son, bearing the family name. The
  formal act, attested to by witnesses, was the act
  whereby the son was given position, rights,
  privileges, and obligations of a mature son.

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The Spiritual Supercedes the Natural

• In the natural, the adopted son cannot become
  like the parents who adopt him as a child and
  heir. With God, this is the opposite. God makes
  us His sons by regeneration and we therefore
  become partakers of the nature of our Father,
  God. God has accepted us as His sons who were not
  such by natural birth, giving us the family name,
  family rights, and the privileges of
  sonship-Ephesians 314-15 Galatians 41-5
  Romans 815-19

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• When we are born again, the Holy Spirit comes to
  us as the Spirit of Adoption and as such brings
  us to maturity, to full sonship Galatians 46.
  In the new birth and the baptism of the Spirit we
  receive the firstfruits, earnest and seal of the
  Spirit. These point to the full inheritance of
  sonship in the Fathers time. The Holy Spiirt as
  the Spirit of Adoption gives witness to this
  sonship-Ephesians 114 II Corinthians 121-22
  Romans 823.

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The Time of Adoption

• Time Past Ephesians 15-The believer was adopted
  in eternity past. According to the foreknowledge
  of God the believer was predestined unto
  adoption.
• Time Present The moment a person is born again
  of the Spirit of God, he receives the Holy Spirit
  as the Spirit of Adoption. As a born again child
  of God he is to grow to full sonship. The Spirit
  of Adoption enables him to cry Abba
  Father-Galatians 326 41-5 John 111-12
  Matthew 66-10 Romans 815-19

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• Time Future The full manifestation of our
  sonship awaits the coming of Christ. The whole
  creation is waiting the manifestation and
  unveiling of the sons of God. This adoption
  involves the redemption of the body, the
  resurrection and the translation of the
  saints-Romans 823 Ephesians 114 Philippians
  320-21 Revelation 217

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The Results of Adoption

• ON THE HUMAN SIDE

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• As sons we have the family name Ephesians
  314,15 I John 31 Revelation 217 312
• As sons we have the family likeness- Colossians
  310 Romans 829 II Corinthians 318
• As sons we have the parents nature-II Peter 14
  John 112-13 36
• As sons we have a family affection-I John 29-11
  314-18 47-8 51

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On the Divine Side

• As His sons we are the objects of His peculiar
  love John 1722, 23 John 1627
• As His sons we are the subjects of His fatherly
  care Matthew 632
• As His sons we are the subjects of His paternal
  discipline Hebrews 126-11
• As His sons we are the subjects of His paternal
  comfort II Corinthians 14

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• As His sons we are made heirs to an inheritance
  I Peter 13-5 Romans 817

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• The Son of God became the Son of Man that the
  sons of men might become the sons of God!

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Regeneration and Adoption

• Regeneration Adoption
• Born of the Spirit Matured by the Spirit
• As a child As a son
• Immature Matured
• Earnest of Inheritance Full Inheritance
• First Fruits of Spirit Fullness of Spirit
• Witness of the Spirit Possessed by Spirit

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• Subject to sin and death Redemption of body
• As a servant As a Son, perfect
• Discipline and Obedience Character and
• Privilege
• HALLELUJAH!