179: Adoption As Sons

Jesus was the firstborn among many brethren, and we have become sons of God through Him, because of Him, by HIm.

“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that WE might receive the adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5)¹

The word translated “adoption” is the Greek word “huiothesia” which means “adult son-placing.”² We have been redeemed (set free) from the slavery of the law in order that we might be placed as adult sons – sons who are ready to inherit! That is our status under grace as opposed to the status of the Israelites under law.

The idea of “adoption” in this passage doesn’t really express the depth of the word’s meaning. Many of us think of adoption as taking in someone else’s child as your own. That means the genetics of the child is from another set of parents, not your own. But that is not what this passage is saying. We are actually born of God as a new creation with His very own spiritual DNA. What is translated “adoption as sons” is one Greek word – “huiothesia” from the word “huios” which means full grown, mature son.

Do you see what this means? We are heirs to everything that Jesus is heir to.

He is the King of kings. Who are those kings that He’s the King of? We are!

“To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever.” (Revelation 1:5-6)

(from page 272 of Unveiling Jesus)

Want more from Tricia Gunn? Check out excerpts from the Unveiling Jesus 20-part series!

Unveiling Jesus, by Tricia Gunn, is a verse by verse study of the pure gospel of grace. It’s an amazing journey of love, identity, and freedom in Christ.

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¹All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®.  Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.  Used by permission.
²Kenneth S. Wuest, Galatians, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1944, p. 116