Mysteries Revealed - ETMH - Section 41 - Adoption

Biblical adoption (huiothesia) carries a different meaning than our modern understanding—referring to the ceremony where a child transitions to an adult son with full authority in the family.

• The term "adoption" appears five times in the Bible and means "the placing of sons" in Greek
• Before faith, we were under the law as our pedagogue or nursemaid, like children with no authority
• At salvation, we receive the "spirit of adoption" that allows us to cry "Abba, Father"
• Complete adoption happens at the resurrection when our bodies are transformed
• We currently have the "earnest" or down payment of our adoption, but await its fullness
• Biblical adoption isn't about becoming God's children (we already are by election), but about position
• We are being trained now for our future role as kings and priests in the Millennium
• Nature and believers both groan as we await the complete adoption—the redemption of our bodies

In a new episode we will speak about the manifested sons of God, teaching from the Bible.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Biblical Adoption
• 1:34 Examining Adoption in Galatians
• 4:00 The Ceremony of Adult Sonship
• 6:00 Spirit of Adoption in Romans
• 8:30 The Fullness of Adoption
• 10:15 Conclusion and Next Episode Preview

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Mysteries Revealed the End Time Message Handbook, section 41, adoption. Does the word adoption in the Bible carry the same meaning as our word for today about adoption? Is there another experience besides the new birth and the resurrection that is coming to the bride at the end time? The term adoption is used five times in the Bible. The term adoption is used five times in the Bible. It is in Romans 8, verse 15 and 23,. Chapter 9, verse 4, galatians 4, verse 5, and Ephesians 1, verse 5. Romans 9.4.

Speaker 1: 0:41

There is very little context given as to meaning of this term. In the Greek language the term is huiothesia. Its meaning is the placing of sons. The term adoption in English obviously means the act of adopting. Adopting means to take by choice into a relationship, especially to take voluntarily a child of other parents as one's own child. It is granted that this word huiothesia, is used for the actual act of adopting someone into your family.

Speaker 1: 1:10

In Greek history and literature, many theologians have written extensively about this subject. In this manner God takes us who are not his children, makes us his children. However, does the context of the Scriptures give us the same picture? I want you to view the context of Galatians 4 to illuminate my point more clearly Galatians 3, 23-29. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith, which should afterwards be revealed Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster, for you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ, then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. Galatians, chapter 4, verses 1 through 5. Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be Lord of all, but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so, we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time was come, god sent forth his Son, made of a woman made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Speaker 1: 2:40

Paul is writing that before we came to faith in Christ, we were kept under the law. Our schoolmaster the word is pedagogue in the Greek A pedagogue is what we consider a nursemaid in the English tradition. They were the servants that the Father hired to watch over the children, to teach them and guide them early in life and to care for them. The law acted as a servant that protected and cared for us. Then, in verse 26, he says that we are all huios sons of God by faith in Jesus Christ. If we belong to Christ, then we are heirs of the promise.

Speaker 1: 3:12

In chapter 4 and verse 1, we see that Paul continues his illustration. He writes that the heir, which means the person that will inherit leadership, as long as he is a child the word child is nepios in the Greek and it means a minor, in other words someone that hasn't reached the age of maturity yet. The word nepior even suggests not speaking or silent, in other words, he has no say and no official position. Though he is master of all the servants, he continues to be under guardians and agents until the time that has been fixed for him to enter into his position as an adult son with authority in his home. The law here is called the elements of the world, that is, the ABCs, the alphabet. We were in bondage to the very basic principles of things. Christ came to put us into a position where we could become adult sons.

Speaker 1: 4:03

It is clear that adoption is being spoken of in the sense of the ceremony wherein a child becomes a man with the right of an adult son. Paul speaks of the heir being a minor and the time appointed. Let's review what Brother Branham spoke about the subject. Then the father had taken him out into the public street and then he put a special clothes on him. And then the father had a ceremony and adopted this, his son, into his family. Paul's saying here having predestinated us unto the adoption, see unto the adoption, moses a prefigure of it. And then this son, after he came out there, was given no longer. No longer was he just like the servant under a tutor, he was the boss. Amen, I hope this soaks real deep, going to leave you in a minute, let's get way down deep. This son was no more under a tutor, but he was like his father, and his father gave him certain things to do. The father might have told him you take care of this field over here or you do this over here. You take care of the slaves, you take care of whatever it was. He was in full possession, amen, for he was adopted into that family and his name on a check was just as good as his daddy's Galatians 4.6,.

Speaker 1: 5:15

And because you are sons, god has sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts, crying Abba, father. This further bolsters our understanding regarding the subject. Because you are huios, god has sent forth the spirit of his huios into your hearts, whereby you cry Abba, father. We do not become sons. We are always children of God by election. God chose us before this. Idea of the placing of an adult son Romans 8, 15. Idea of the placing of an adult son Romans 8.15,. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba, father. We haven't received the spirit of slavery, we've received the spirit of placings of sons.

Speaker 1: 6:14

Here, the receiving of the spirit of his huios, as in Galatians 4.6, is referred to as the spirit of huiothesia. As in Galatians 4.6, is referred to as the spirit of huiothesia. Before I comment any more on this verse, I want to refer you to the second instance of adoption in Romans 8. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves, grown within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit the redemption of our body. We have already received the spirit of huiothesia, but in verse 23, we are waiting for huiothesia.

Speaker 1: 6:49

This huiothesia speaks of the redemption of our bodies. This shows us that huiothesia is ultimately future. What is the redemption of our body? It is when this body is changed to be like unto Christ's glorified body and when this mortal shall put on immortality. At our new birth, we receive the spirit of huiothesia, and when we receive our immortal body, we are huiothesia. We have the down payment given to us of our huiothesia.

Speaker 1: 7:21

We are in the process of sonship. We are always heirs because of God's sovereign plan for us, since we are in the mind of God before the foundation of the world and therefore a part of his life, we weren't in the position of sonship. At our new birth, we enter into the position of sonship, yet this is still not the final act. We enter into full sonship when we get our body changed. There is another sense wherein we are now being trained and taught by the Holy Spirit in preparation for entering into our position as kings and priests in the millennium. He has made us kings and priests now, but we enter into that position as kings and priests in the millennium, where we will rule over the nations with the rod of iron. Revelation 2.27, brother Branham says in his throne, on the same basis that he overcame, and is set down in his father's throne. Then we have to overcome to sit with him, and the little temporary suffering we go through now is not worthy to be compared to the tremendous glory that will be revealed in us when he comes.

Speaker 1: 8:43

Is there a third experience distinct from the new birth and the transformation of our body, called adoption? In the New Testament, there are times when we read Brother Branham's messages when that seems to be the case, as though the manifestation of the sons of God comes sometime at the end time before the rapture. However, I want to show the obvious references that the prophet gives, showing this is not the case. He did not teach the latter rain manifested sons doctrine. Now, the trees does not have it, nature does not have it, but yet we are still groaning with them because as yet we haven't received the fullness of our adoption.

Speaker 1: 9:19

But we have the earnest of it that we were picked up from the things of the world and now become sons and daughters of God. What kind of people should we be? Oh my, when we think of that, think of it Now. We have the earnest, our spirits groaning for the full adoption. But now we have the earnest of it and we receive the Holy Spirit. It is the earnest of our complete adoption, or complete salvation. Oh, how beautiful. I just love that.

Speaker 1: 9:41

All right, we are waiting for the fullness of adoption. This will take place when, at the first resurrection, that's when our bodies will be changed from these vile creatures that we are and we'll have a body like his own, glorious body. For we shall see him as he is and we will be like him when he appears. We appear in his likeness. We will have a body like his, a glorious, glorified body, and all the trials and struggles of life will fade off into a little mist and blow away to never be no more. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves, grown within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit the redemption of our body.

Speaker 1: 10:19

Oh my, oh my. Don't that make us old folks feel good? It ought to make us all feel good waiting for this hour. We understand this will take place at the first resurrection. See, nature is groaning. We are groaning. Everything is groaning because we realize there's something not right and the only way you can groan and wait for it is because there has been new life. Come in here that speaks of a new world. In a new episode we will speak about the manifested sons of God, teaching from the Bible. For now, we will close this section on adoption.