Adoption

Adoption is the gracious act by which God receives sinners as his own children, giving them the standing, love, and inheritance of sons and daughters through Jesus Christ. It matters because it answers the deepest human need for belonging and security: no one who has God as Father can remain miserable. The classic Reformed and Puritan authors treated adoption not as a minor theme but as a central fruit of justification, rooted in the believer's union with Christ and sealed by the Spirit.

Adoption rests on Christ's substitution

Charles Spurgeon grounds adoption in the believer's union with Christ. Because Christ took the sinner's place, God now accepts the sinner as if he were Christ, his beloved Son (Romans 3:24). This is not a mere change of legal status but a change of relation. Grace not only forgives the sinner but also adorns and receives him as a beloved son (Romans 5:21). Spurgeon sees adoption as the positive counterpart to pardon: forgiveness removes guilt, but adoption bestows a new identity. Adoption takes those who are children of wrath by nature and makes them children of God and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 5:6).

I will look upon the sinner in another light. I will look at him as if he were Christ; I will accept him as if he were my only- begotten Son, full of grace and truth. I will give him a crown in heaven, and I will take him to my heart for ever and ever Charles Spurgeon, sermon “Justification by Grace” I have put a fair jewel upon your neck. I have clothed you with ornaments—I have decked you with pearls and precious stones as a bridegroom decks out his bride. Go, then, and rejoice, for you are My son who was lost, but are found, who was dead, but is alive again Charles Spurgeon, sermon “Reigning Grace” No; but the grand act of divine love is that which takes those who are ‘children of wrath even as others,’ and by sovereign grace puts them among the children, and makes them ‘heirs of God, joint heirs with Jesus Christ Charles Spurgeon, sermon “For Whom Did Christ Die?”

The Father's love and the Spirit's witness

Matthew Henry emphasizes the experiential side of adoption. Those led by the Spirit of God are adopted as God's children and loved by him as his children (Romans 8:14). God alone can give the Spirit of adoption, which produces in believers a filial love for God, delight in him, and dependence upon him as Father (Romans 8:15). This Spirit teaches believers to pray to God with holy, humble confidence as children crying to a Father (Romans 8:15). Henry notes that the use of both the Syriac 'Abba' and Greek 'Father' shows that adoption is common to Jews and Gentiles alike (Romans 8:15). The Spirit bears witness with the believer's spirit to their adoption, not by extraordinary revelation but by an ordinary work speaking peace through the means of comfort (Romans 8:16).

Their privilege: They are the sons of God, received into the number of God's children by adoption, owned and loved by him as his children Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” Men may give a charter of adoption; but it is God's prerogative, when he adopts, to give a spirit of adoption—the nature of children. The Spirit of adoption works in the children of God a filial love to God as a Father, a delight in him, and a dependence upon him, as a Father Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” Now, the Spirit teaches us in prayer to come to God as a Father, with a holy humble confidence, emboldening the soul in that duty Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” But those that are sanctified have God's Spirit witnessing with their spirits, which is to be understood not of any immediate extraordinary revelation, but an ordinary work of the Spirit, in and by the means of comfort, speaking peace to the soul Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments”

Heirs of glory, not yet fully revealed

Henry connects adoption to inheritance. Believers have a title to future glory that is connected to their adoption as sons (Romans 8:17). All saints are heirs of heaven, not by their own merit but purely by God's act of making them heirs (Romans 8:17). Yet in this present life believers are heirs under age, being educated and prepared for their inheritance (Romans 8:17). The resurrection will be the public manifestation of believers' adoption before all the world, when God openly acknowledges his children (Romans 8:23). The adoption of believers will not be complete until their bodies are brought into the glorious liberty of the children of God (Romans 8:23).

In these words the apostle describes a fourth illustrious branch of the happiness of believers, namely, a title to the future glory. This is fitly annexed to our sonship; for as the adoption of sons entitles us to that glory, so the disposition of sons fits and prepares us for it Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” In earthly inheritances this rule does not hold, only the first-born are heirs; but the church is a church of first-born, for they are all heirs. Heaven is an inheritance that all the saints are heirs to. They do not come to it as purchasers by any merit or procurement of their own; but as heirs, purely by the act of God; for God makes heirs Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” The saints are heirs though in this world they are heirs under age; see Gal. iv. 1, 2. Their present state is a state of education and preparation for the inheritance Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” It is the adoption manifested before all the world, angels and men. Now are we the sons of God, but it does not yet appear, the honour is now clouded; but then God will publicly own all his children Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” The children of God have bodies as well as souls; and, till those bodies are brought into the glorious liberty of the children of God, the adoption is not perfect Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments”

The reward of obedience flows from the relation

Jonathan Edwards offers a careful distinction about how adoption shapes reward. A father may give an inheritance to his child as a reward for dutiful behavior, yet the child's standing and title come only from the relation purchased by Christ's righteousness. The greatness of the reward arises from the believer's relation to God as a child obtained by Christ's righteousness, not from the intrinsic excellence of the believer's obedience. Edwards illustrates this by noting that the same obedience is more highly rewarded in a child than in a servant because of the child's relation, illustrating that the reward's value comes from Christ's righteousness. The believer's title as an heir is founded in the relation of being a child purchased by Christ's righteousness, though God wisely bestows the inheritance in a way that testifies his acceptance of their obedience in Christ.

Our heavenly Father may already have that favour for a child, whereby he may be thoroughly ready to give the child an inheritance, because he is his child; which he is by the purchase of Christ’s righteousness: and yet that the Father may choose to bestow the inheritance on the child in a way of reward for his dutifulness, and behaving in a manner becoming a child Jonathan Edwards, “Justification by Faith Alone” And so great a reward may not be judged more than a meet reward for his dutifulness; but that so great a reward is judged meet, does not arise from the excellency of the obedience absolutely considered, but from his standing in so near and honourable a relation to God, as that of a child, which is obtained only by the righteousness of Christ Jonathan Edwards, “Justification by Faith Alone” As a father might justly esteem the inheritance no more than a meet reward for the obedience of his child, and yet esteem it more than a meet reward for the obedience of a servant Jonathan Edwards, “Justification by Faith Alone” The favour whence a believer’s heavenly Father bestows the eternal inheritance, and his title as an heir, is founded in that relation he stands in to him as a child, purchased by Christ’s righteousness; though he in wisdom chooses to bestow it in such a way, and therein to testify his acceptance of the amiableness of his obedience in Christ Jonathan Edwards, “Justification by Faith Alone”

Israel's adoption as a type and shadow

Henry distinguishes between external and saving adoption. The Jews possessed great privileges as Israelites: the adoption as God's people, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship of God, and the promises (Romans 9:4–5). But mere physical descent from Abraham does not make someone a child of God, which is shown by Ishmael being rejected despite being Abraham's natural son (Romans 9:8). The adoption Israel enjoyed was external and typical, entitling them to the land of Canaan, not the saving adoption that brings eternal happiness (Romans 9:4). This distinction guards against presumption: covenant privileges are real but not automatically saving.

He gives us the reason of this affection and concern Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” That the children of the flesh, as such, by virtue of their relation to Abraham according to the flesh, are not therefore the children of God, for then Ishmael had put in a good claim Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” The adoption; not that which is saving, and which entitled to eternal happiness, but that which was external and typical, and entitled them to the land of Canaan. Israel is my son, Exod. iv. 22 Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments”

God's calling makes children

Henry stresses the power of God's word in adoption. Those whom God calls his people he also calls beloved, because he loves those who are his own (Romans 9:25). It is a great honor that God calls the saints his children, and his calling them so actually makes them his children (Romans 9:26). Christ received us into his fold, family, and covenant, even though we were strangers, enemies, and prodigals (Romans 15:7). Spurgeon agrees that the first effect of having peace with God is joy, since no one who has God as Father can remain miserable (Romans 5:1). The Father's welcome is not reluctant but glad.

And her beloved which was not beloved. Those whom God calls his people he calls beloved: he loves those that are his own Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” Observe the great dignity and honour of the saints, that they are called the children of the living God; and his calling them so makes them so. Behold, what manner of love! This honour have all his saints Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” Christ has received us into the nearest and dearest relations to himself: has received us into his fold, into his family, into the adoption of sons, into a covenant of friendship, yea, into a marriage-covenant with himself; he has received us (though we were strangers and enemies, and had played the prodigal) into fellowship and communion with himself Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” When a man can say he has peace with God—what then? Why, the first effect is JOY. Who can be at peace with God, and have Him for a Father, and yet be miserable Charles Spurgeon, sermon “Peace By Believing”

Agreement and emphasis

All these authors agree that adoption is entirely gracious, founded on Christ's righteousness, and inseparable from justification. Spurgeon stresses the boldness of the believer's new identity; Henry stresses the Spirit's inward witness and the future public manifestation; Edwards stresses the logical relation between adoption and reward. They differ only in emphasis: Spurgeon is more declarative, Henry more experiential and covenantal, Edwards more analytical. None treats adoption as a metaphor only. It is a real relation, purchased by Christ, sealed by the Spirit, and destined for public glory.