PASTOR BOLA BELLO
[biblegateway passage=”GALATIANS 4:1-6″ display=”GALATIANS 4:1-6″] [biblegateway passage=”ROMANS 4:13-14 ” display=”ROMANS 4:13-14 “]
One major problem of the Church is about definitions. We lack correct definitions of certain crucial concepts and that distorts our value system. A child heir is definitely a king. However, he is a king in waiting. While waiting, he is put under the charge of tutors and governors though he is technically the Lord of all. He has to wait for the appointed time.
The promise of adoption and headship was given to Abraham’s seed. As close as Abraham was to God, the best he could be called by God was a friend. However, he had a promise that his heir would be God’s very son. Abraham was the progenitor of the awesome Covenant of Adoption.
The Covenant of Adoption predates the time of Moses. It is over and above the law of Moses. The covenant was not through the law but through the righteousness of faith. The attainment of heir-ship is not by self effort, it by the finished work of God. It is not instituted through the element of works though coming into this covenant requires some labour of love.
Adoption is the exchange of fatherhood. The first template of adoption in scriptures was Moses so that the Church today can have an example to follow. The Jews boast in the fact that Abraham is their father though God wanted them to know that He Himself could be their Father. The Fatherhood of Abraham is not enough to make anyone into a son. Apostle Paul in the Book of Acts reveals that Jewry is not necessarily a physically affair; it is, more importantly, spiritual.
[biblegateway passage=”HEBREWS 11:23-25″ display=”HEBREWS 11:23-25″]; [biblegateway passage=”GALATIANS 3:1-17 ” display=”GALATIANS 3:1-17 “]
Adoption entails a change of name, morality and world view to reflect the new paradigm. Adoption involves a total overhauling of one’s civilization. Moses was in line to be the next Pharaoh; he was trained to be a king. However, he gave up his rights and privileges. He would become a Prince of God rather than reign over the then world’s super power.
Though adoption may be free, there are obligations attached. Not living up to the obligations of adoption leads to the forfeiture of it. Your adoption is to the extent of your obedience to the faith of the Son of God. The faith of the Son of God is about His death and resurrection. Obeying that faith is willingly denying ourselves of things that will ruin our adoption. If we claim to be like Him, we must walk in His footsteps.
The Covenant of Adoption was 430 years older than the law. The law cannot bring any man into adoption. However, we must clearly distinguish between the law and God’s commandments. We have been redeemed from the curse of the law not from the commandments of God.
The Mosaic laws are so very many that no man could ever be able to please God by trying to obey them. Interestingly, there was a point where the Ten Commandments came up. When Jesus came, he reduced the commandments to two which are summarized in Love for God and Humanity. If we can obey the commandment of love, we will please God.
Our being adopted by God is a calling into a training unto son-ship. Son-ship is responsibility. It is as good as being God Himself. It is important for us to know that son-ship is not a fleshly affair. It is a spiritual ordination. The more we walk according to God’s commandments, the more we come into son-ship.
When we get born again, we technically become sons but we we have to grow into the rights and privileges of that reality. One way to grow into son-ship is to imbibe the fruit of the Spirit. The level to which the components of the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit manifest in us is the level to which we become sons.
We have to come to terms with the Covenant of Adoption so that we can get the full benefits of our calling!