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Adopted - a Christian perspective
Belief in Christ admits us into the family of God as adopted children. God embraces us like children, and grants us the right to call him Father.
http://biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%201:5&version=KJV
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We need to be so careful here. The way Paul used ‘adoption’ is not the same as adoption as practiced legally today. Spiritual adoption is very different from “vertical†adoption American style. First, I was born into God’s family, not adopted into it. The five times Paul mentions adoption in his epistles, he’s referring to our placement into God’s family as sons. Vine wrote, “God does not adopt believers as children; they are begotten as such by His Holy Spirit through faith.†Second, we need to be on guard, as some are now teaching that God supports the closed adoption system in the U.S. with its permanent separation of biological families, falsified birth certificates, sealed records, and denigration and denial of the birth family. God abhors American adoption law because it’s built on secrets and lies. Reform is long overdue.
While I am in full agreement with breeds52 that care must be taken in the way we interpret the Bible, and think that he or she is wise in pointing out that using modern ideas (in the case, modern Adoption) and applying it to the Bible (vertical interpretation, this is sometimes called) must be balanced with horizontal interpretation by which we explore the context and language in which it was originally written. Both historical and contemporary criticism of the text (e.g. “What did it mean” and “What does it mean to us now” — thereby allowing the Holy Spirit to do his work in keeping the Bible alive) is necessary.
That being said, I do disagree with Breeds52 on two points.
1) When Breeds writes, “First, I was born into God’s family, not adopted into it.” I do not think such a distinction is necessary to make. The word for “born” was well within Paul’s vocabulary and the Greek language, but he chose to write “adoption”. Jesus, uses the phrase “born again”. I think both of these phrases give us different understandings of the same truth. By allowing for both to be used (for they are both intentionally used in the Bible) it gives us a richer understanding via a double-metaphor. C.f. the many metaphors that Jesus uses to describe the Kingdom of God.
2) I do not believe that we can speak for God and say that God “abhors American adoption law…”. Firstly, I personally find it deeply distasteful at best and dangerous/heretical at worst when we speak for God. I have no problem with Breeds’ belief that closed adoption is wrong, but as Paul explores when talking about eating meat, things are rarely as simple as that. I believe that God can and does work through the adoption system and I believe he can and does work through closed adoptions in some cases. I believe that anyone wishing to adopt should move through the process prayerfully, seeking God’s guidance in their unique case.
Breeds, if you ever read this, please know that I respect your commentary and if this is how you feel through prayerful submission, then perhaps God is doing something with you in that regard, but I am petitioning here to leave the door open for God to work as He sees fit, not as we see fit.
I think the two above is wrong! I am thinking that both of you are not adopted and really you do not know what your saying. I am adopted! Yes, my adoption was “closed American style”. I like it this! Whoever had me did not want me! They sold me. Yes, I am glad I did not know who they were. Also, I am so thankful they could not find me later in life after my adopted parents raised me, got up at night with me with I was sick, put shoes on my feet, etc.
You two educated men, are not in adopted people shoes. You just do not really know what your talking about! I have seen other adopted children who the “real” parents came back in the adopted child life and it seemed fun or wonderful for a while, then feelings of all kinds start to happen. It causes hurt & confusion with pain. I have seen this over & over. If you see this on TV it looks happen & fulfilling but the fur does fly later. Hate and questions why and many bad things does occur. You two men, God help you, you have not idea. Please! you have no idea!