Adopted!?

Promises, promises – our world works on the basis of promises.

Think for a moment about a promise that was made to you and kept. Think of one made to you that wasn’t kept.

Today we are continuing our exploration of faith through Paul’s letter to the Romans. Last week we saw that F is for fallen. Today we have the letter A; A is for adopted.

And being adopted is based on a promise. Let’s talk about promises for a few minutes. We all know that:

Politicians make promises.

Nations make promises.

People in business make promises.

Children make promises to each other on the playground.

What happens when promises are kept? When they are broken?

Promises make or break relationships on every level. In the presence of trust and goodwill promises are made eye to eye. My word is my bond. Or “let’s shake on it.’ But in the absence of trust or in the presence of evil promises are made on paper. And still, even then, promises can keep our world from unravelling. People do not have to friends to make a promise to each other. In fact as with war treaties they may well remain enemies forever.

The point is that promises made and kept bring life; broken promises bring suffering, pain and death. On that basis it is no wonder that God chose the language of promise making and keeping – covenant - to describe how to live well in the world. And to drive the point home, God set’s promise keeping as the foundation of all human relations – family. This is no accident. Family is basic to everyone. Whether a good experience or bad, whether large or small, whether parents are known or strangers, everyone has a mother and father, most have a spouse and children. And all depend on promises being kept so that there is a place to live, food to eat and clothes to wear. We depend on kept promises to give and sustain life.

Now, as I’ve been speaking and you’ve been thinking: what was the result of the promises I kept and broke. Think on that for a moment.

We live or die on the basis of promises, don’t we?

So, is it any wonder then that God speaks the language of promises within the family setting so that we get how important this topic is and how seriously God takes the promises he’s made?

Last week we talked about how every last human being is in the same mess. All sin and fall short of keeping their promises; all are on a level playing field; all are in dire need of help. Humanity is fallen; no one can get up without help. And the help we get is not just being forgiven; it is being adopted. Adopted by God, for God and into the life God has intended for us.

We read the entire passage a moment ago, here is our text:

“¹⁶ Therefore, the promise (of adoption) comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. ¹⁷ As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.”

The issue Paul is working through is that the Jewish disciples of Jesus felt they were first class believers while the gentile disciples were second class. Not true says the Spirit through Paul, we are on the same level. With God there is no favouritism.

More than that however, is the reminder that trying to create classes of believers just confuses everyone, and deceives many. There may well be degrees of holiness among Christ’s family. There may well be those who are further on the journey and have grown closer to having the mind of Christ than others have. But that’s not the point Paul is making. The text is calling us back to the essential issue.

The point in verses 16-17 is grace. By grace God decrees that by faith Abraham is Father of all who believe. Or, that everyone who has the same faith as Abraham, are spiritual brothers and sisters and therefore sons and Daughters of the most high. Just as in any family the children born into it have no say in the matter. Parents build their family through birth or adoption. And bestow on their children a name that says they belong. Something to hold onto. I for example am a Delleman, that comes with a history and traits. It helps me understand my identity. But what if you never knew your parents? What if someone adopts you and suddenly you have a name, an identity, a family where you see your traits in others. A family where you know you belong.

God does that; all who are in his family get the name faith.

Faith, a name a gift that comes to people apart from their efforts, obedience to the Law, circumcision or water baptism or by first seeing before believing. Being worthy of adoption by God; being worthy of salvation, being worthy of life transforming mercy or love is not now and never has been the point. God in his wisdom and compassion declares people worthy. People who without exception – are not deserving - based on hard work or a nice smile. Make no mistake no one deserves adoption into God’s family. No one is owed a spot and yet God gives faith.

The point in verses 16+17 is grace giving faith because “God gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.” Our God delights in giving life. So God calls out of the nothingness of people’s empty, sinful spiritual life a new, vibrant spiritual life. God raised the dead every time someone accepts the Spirit and new life.

Last Sunday evening we shared about this life in and with the Spirit. Our conclusion: without God’s Spirit we can do nothing to bring lasting good to our world; and even with God’s Spirit, it is possible to resist the good that God would do through us. But then we receive the Name, the gift. The response?

Profession of faith is all about acknowledging God’s gifts and new life. AND it’s about choosing to live toward God’s purposes in the world. It’s about saying with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believing in the heart that God raised him from the dead. Because it’s bring the dead to life that God does best.

And this is why God’s promise of adoption is trustworthy, it’s never broken. Those who are alive in Christ by the Spirit stay alive forever because God’s gifts, God’s promise is always yes in Jesus. Whoever receives the promise is a new person whose life is marked by a word.

⁷     “Blessed are they

whose transgressions are forgiven,

whose sins are covered.

⁸     Blessed is the man

whose sin the Lord will never count against him.” ^{Psalm 32.1-2}

In response to sin God forgives and calls you his child – what is your response to that? The response in Psalm 32, the response of Paul and all who believe is gratitude.

Gratitude: The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. That’s what it’s all about, thankfulness and readiness to share the story of God’s goodness.

Let’s close it out with a few suggestions on how to embrace gratitude. Let’s call them the ABC’s for adopted kids so they can explore the life of gratitude:

A - Adoption is based on God’s love and mercy

Not on some mental exercise like the possibility that God knew who’d receive faith ahead of time. Not on good behaviour or good looks or race or gender. No, adoption is a wonderful mystery beyond understanding. The maker of the universe chose you, me to be a part of the family. Why? A reality to reflect on with the heart of a child.

B - Believe in God not faith

It’s God who guides our faith and channels its expectations. Yes, doing God’s will is a result of faith. But believe in the God who loves us for what we are, not for what we do. Otherwise we might think faith is just one more ability we control. It’s not. Faith is out there it’s believing without seeing. It’s is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  It’s being sure of what we hope for and our hope is Jesus, nothing more or less.

C – Is for confidence. Paul says in a different letter, all God’s promises are yes in Jesus. God’s promise to call you his daughter, you his son. The promise to never leave or forsake, the promise to transform your life, clear the confusion. The promise to help each one to taste and see the Lord is good. And confidence in a future that is epic.