Awesome! And what an honor to have Bob post on TOL!Bob Hill said:Our salvation is secure, not only because we are predestined to be holy and blameless once we trust Christ, but the more important aspects of our security are our adoption and sealing.
According to Gal 4:3-5 we went from slaves to adopted sons. Gal 4:3-5 “Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”
Now, what does this adoption mean? We read in Gal 3:13-18, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’, 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. 15 Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant [or will], yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it.
How could Paul write that? We can change a will any time we want to, in America today. But the Galatian cities were under Greek law. And it was different under ancient Greek law. The greatest archeologist of Turkey, William Ramsay, wrote a lot about adoption in his Historical Commentary of Galatians, pp 349-355. He showed how the adopted son could not be disinherited even though the natural child could be disinherited. That’s why Ephesians 1 tells us of the security of our adoption.
Eph 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.
We will enter into the full status of our inheritance and enjoyment of our adoption when the rapture takes place and we receive our glorified body, so the time of our adoption, at the rapture, is shown in Rom 8:14-23 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
We also have the present results of our adoption. Gal 4:4-7 “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
To show the surety of our adoption/salvation, God seals us and guarantees our inheritance and makes it all absolute by predestinating it. Eph 1:5-7,11-14 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works the all things [the body of Christ ] according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”
Our salvation is guaranteed and sealed by God. On top of that, it is all predestined. You can’t beat that.
In Christ,
Bob Hill
:first:
context
