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The Spirit of Adoption

(Gal 4:6;Romans 8:15—by David Barwin)


Paul used the letter Greek word huiothesia (huio fa seaia)- adoption  five times (Eph1:5, Gal 4:5, Rom 8:15, 8:23 and 9:4)in the term of Israelites and of believers as sons of GodFirst we need to question how Paul got the term “adoption”?  Is it in line with all the bible term – John we are children of God / Paul influenced by the mythology of the Greece?

Paul understand the doctrine of “adoption” from the Old Testament. Exo 4:22, Hosea11:1, Rom 9:4 and also from the Greece culture. Paul used the Greece word, “adoption” that reflects the true biblical meaning. When a person adopted a son – this child will carry his name and will share his inheritance. With these, Paul established and came to understand we enter into divine Sonship of God through the process called adoption (legal status).
How we become the adopted son of God? The process …How the Spirit dwells in us? Romans 8:9 “You, however are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (ESV). Spirit dwells in us who believe in Jesus Christ. The dwelling of the Spirit is the key to the life of God impart to us. 2 Pet1:4 through these you may be partakers of the divine nature. Without the indwelling of the Spirit, we are not the children of God. The spirit of God is the spirit of adoption in another word the life of God in the soul of human creates a living union between Father and child. The nature of the Father is imparted to the child, and the old relationship of slave to slaveholders is utterly changed.

What happens to us when we are confirmed as children of God.  We see three things in our life:
 1) The Spirit stir up family affection. The Spirit pours out God’s grace into our hearts to confirm and make our adoption real. He does it by replacing the fear of a slave toward a master with the love of a son toward a father. The work of the Holy Spirit in our lives is to change our slavish fears towards God into confident, happy, peaceful affection for God as our father.


2) The Spirit leads by bringing God’s Father love to us…Romans 5:5..hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. The Spirit of adoption making real to us the love of our Father.

3) The spirit leads by awakening our childlike affections for God…The Spirit works to lead us by awakening our own childlike affection for our Father. Verse 15 you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry Abba Father. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. The witness of the Holy Spirit that you are a child of God is the creation in you of affections for God. The testimony of the Holy Spirit is the cry, Abba Father. It is the power by which we delight in being the children of God. Treasure God and love Him.


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