Ephesians 1:5 continues by saying, “having predestined us to adoption…” Being predestinated is not what some erroneously interpret and teach, that certain ones are chosen to be saved while others are predestined to damnation. This twisted doctrine does not fly in the face of overall Biblical teaching which is that “God…desires all men (mankind) to be saved…” 1 Timothy 2:3-4. Romans 8:29 gives us clarification on the doctrine of predestination, saying “whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son…” So predestination is connected to His foreknowledge in which He knows in advance those who will receive Him and has predestined them to be “conformed to the image of His Son…” Jesus Said “the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out” John 6:37. Thus God’s predetermined purpose is that everyone that comes to Him by Christ Jesus would be adopted into His family (see John 1:12; Hebrews 7:25). There are two parts of our salvation, first is the new birth of our spirit as Jesus tells Nicodemus and us in John 3:5 “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” This is where we become “a new creation (in which) old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new” 2 Corinthians 5:17. The other part is adoption, the bringing into one’s own family, a process in which the adopted is given the family name with all the family rights and provisions. But could not the new birth place us in this position? Well, yes, we remember that “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed (transferred) us into the kingdom of the Son of His love” Colossians 1:13. But God wants us to understand the full spectrum of His work in us and gives us different angles from which to view it; in the new birth our relationship with Him is restored; in adoption the family name, rights, provisions, inheritance, Etc. are restored and given back to us! cf. Romans 8:15-17.
Of God’s family
By Rose Hill
Being part of God’s family,
And in Him we believe.
Then the spirit of adoption,
We are blessed to receive.
Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version copyright …1982 by Thomas Nelson Co. used by permission.