It was the Reformed luminary J.I. Packer who famously wrote, “If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God's child, and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means that he does not understand Christianity very well at all.” In this sermon, Rob Ventura will take up the topic of our spiritual adoption, explaining how we can enjoy more fully all of the spiritual blessings which are ours as God's children.

Before I begin, I do want to thank the host of this conference, those who have put it together, so thankful for Scott Brown and all the people through this ministry here. It's just a privilege to be here once again and to minister God's Word to you. And so brethren, as we come this morning to take up the glorious theme of enjoying the adopted life I ask you please to turn with me in your copy of the scriptures to Ephesians chapter 1 Ephesians chapter 1 Ephesians chapter 1 Here is the Apostle Paul writes to the church at Ephesus about how spiritually rich they were by virtue of their union with the risen and enthroned Lord Jesus Christ he writes the following picking up at verse 3 of this chapter and I'll read to verse 6 in your hearing Ephesians chapter 1 at verse 3 the Apostle Paul by the direction and aid of the Holy Spirit, writes the following and says, Ephesians 1 at verse 3, he says, 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, 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.

Verse 5, having predestinated us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. Brethren, let's pray together. Our great and glorious God, We are so thankful That you are our God We are thankful O God that for many in this place you have made us your very children And we rejoice O God because we know that salvation is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth, but of God who shows mercy. And we thank you, O God, that for many in this place we have received so much mercy from You. We thank You, O God, that for many in this room You have made us, who are once not a people, to now be the very people of God.

Our Father, we bless Your name. We thank You for the great love that You have set upon us. And Lord, as we come this morning, we are coming as Your children. And we're asking, O God, that You would give to us, even from this early hour, copious measures of the Holy Spirit sent down from above or ask you God that you would do us good and feed our souls with the finest wheat of thy word Oh Lord Jesus come take center stage this day and for all of these things we will praise and bless your most wonderful name. We ask them through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen. It was the well-known Christian author named J.I. Packer who famously wrote that If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, then find out how much he makes of the thought of being God's child and having God as his heavenly Father. He said, and if this thought is not that which prompts and controls his worship and his prayers, and yes, Packer says, his whole outlook on life, then it means that he does not understand Christianity very well at all. Well dear brothers and sisters here this morning, to be sure J.I.

Packer is correct in what he says, and I say this because knowing God as our Heavenly Father is at the core, is at the heart and center of all true biblical Christianity. In fact, to quote Mr. Packer again, he says that the revelation to the believer that God is his Father is in a sense the very climax of the Bible. Now Unfortunately, knowing God like this at times in our lives is not always felt to be the case for all of the people of God. Sadly, this is so for various reasons, and because it is, my prayer for this morning is that this message will be a real help for all of us and this in order to assist us to better understand and embrace from the heart our subject at hand now it is this matter of our spiritual adoption that the Apostle Paul speaks about in our passage in view specifically in verse 5 of Ephesians chapter 1 in one of the five places where this word adoption appears in his letters.

This subject is one which the Apostle Paul is quite fond of and scholars tell us that he borrowed this concept of adoption in part from a Roman custom in his day whereby a person could become a son to a father by a father adopting a son into his family who was not his son by natural generation. This was the case, and when this happened, it secured for the adopted child the right to the name and the property of the person who had adopted Him, and it meant that someone very special had set His love upon Him. Well, in drawing from this ancient practice, the Apostle Paul used this word adoption in Holy Scripture metaphorically or we could say symbolically in order to point you and I who are Christians to our relationship with God. This is the case and all of this was meant to show us that out of His free and sovereign grace toward us in the Lord Jesus Christ, God Almighty has made us, us who are believers, to be His spiritual children and members of His spiritual family, and this so that we are now His heirs and joint heirs with Jesus Christ our Lord.

Now to be sure, dear brothers and sisters here this morning, this is good news, amen? This is very good news and this is what makes our subject at hand so glorious. And so you see, if you're taking notes listen carefully. Whereas in regeneration, God the Holy Spirit makes us the children of God, and how? By giving us new natures.

And in justification, He forgives us of all of our sins and imputes to us the perfect righteousness and virtue of the Lord Jesus Christ. Dear ones, here this day I say that in adoption God Almighty actually brings us into His family. He brings us into His family in adoption. Listen clearly. He gives you and I who are Christians the status of sons and daughters and this so that according to our excellent London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689, we are now, quote, taken into the number of God's people and enjoy the liberties and the privileges of the children of God, such as being pitied and protected and provided for by Him, and being able to cry out to God, saying, Abba, Father, which is to say, our dearest Father who is in heaven.

Well, before speaking specifically then about our subject at hand of spiritual adoption from our main text in verse 5 of this pericope, you should note that Paul first here speaks about two other very important matters in the previous verses and the first is that God has blessed us who are believers and the second is that he has chosen us to be his very own. Now concerning these matters I'll speak about them to you for just a few minutes briefly. And so firstly note that as Paul speaks here about the fact that God has blessed us who are Christians, he says in verse 3 of this chapter, Note the words again there in your Bibles. He writes saying, verse 3, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has done what? Note the language.

Blessed us. How? The prepositional phrase answering the question. With every spiritual blessing where? In the heavenly places in Christ.

Now obviously there's much that could be said about these words before us now. There's much that could be said. However in summary you should note that what the Apostle Paul is doing in these opening words is glorying in the many spiritual blessings which the triune God has blessed us with in Christ. Now, as true as this is, it's also interesting to note as somewhat of a side note here that as Paul begins these words in verse 3 of this chapter concerning all the desires in the Lord Jesus Christ, He does not underscore it. He does not begin by speaking negatively with reference to the doctrines of election and predestination of which He will speak in the following words.

And so why then do I bring up this matter? Why even mention it right now? Well I do so because as you may know, no doubt, there are some in our day who when we mention these subjects of election and predestination, they get all upset with us. They get all upset when they hear these terms election and predestination and they say to us oh that's what John Calvin taught they say oh that's Calvinism but dear ones I reply and say no that's Paul ism That's biblicism in the right sense of the word so that again As the Apostle Paul speaks here about our salvation in Christ He begins with great gratitude to God saying, not all what horrible doctrines these are of predestination and election, oh God, no, rather he says, verse 3, noted in your Bibles, blessed, blessed, he says, Praise be to God the Father who has blessed us in the Lord Jesus Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Well, having said this, Paul goes on next then.

In the beginning of verse four of this chapter to speak about some of the specific spiritual blessings which are ours in Christ. Note the words with me there in your Bibles. Here, as he speaks about our first spiritual blessing, he writes in verse 4 saying once more, look at the words, just as. He again God the Father chose us in Him again Christ the Son. And this giving the time frame before the foundation of the world, that, or better translated, for the purpose that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.

Now obviously, again, as with the last verse, there is much that could be said about our passage in view. I mean Countless sermons have been preached on this text in view However, in summary we can say that the Apostle Paul here in verse 4 lists four specific things about this first spiritual blessings four specific things if you're taking notes and the first is Concerning its substance its substance its substance which is to say That God the Father has look at the language chosen us or we might say hand-picked us who are Christians and this out of the fallen mass of mankind in order that we might be His own. But secondly, Paul speaks here about the sphere, or we might say the realm, but realm doesn't start with an S, so I've got to go with sphere. Paul speaks about the sphere of our choosing. When he says, note the language, that he chose us in him, which is to say in Christ, or we might say in spiritual union with Him.

Third, Paul speaks about the schedule of our choosing in Christ. When he says, note the words in your Bibles, that all of this happened, quote, before the foundation of the world. And then fourthly, he speaks about the scope of our choosing when again he writes saying that it was so that. To what end? Here it is.

That you and I who are Christians who have been predestinated before God for salvation even from before the foundation of the world the scope is that we should be holy and without blame before God in love now again to be sure dear brothers and sisters here this morning these are some amazing things right I mean here the Apostle Paul puts forth for us why it is that you and I, who are true Christians, should bless the Lord our God all of our days and this is because in love he chose us to be his very own even from all Eternity it's because in grace dear Christian here this day younger person older person whoever you are If you're truly born again He marked you out in Christ and this so that in the fullness of time You might be saved through the Gospel. Well, as the Apostle Paul goes on next then, in verses 5 and 6 of this chapter, he speaks about the second spiritual blessing which is ours who are Christians and as he does this he brings us directly To our topic in view for this morning look again at his words in your Bibles here As the Apostle continues to speak about what God and Jesus has done for us who are the redeemed, He writes saying, and follow with me closely, having predestinated us or perhaps better understood, having Determined our destinies in advance to or we could say with a view to Adoption as sons and this by or we might say through the agency of Jesus Christ to himself that is to God the Father and this according to or we might say in line with the Greek word kata, the good pleasure of His will, and then in stating the only proper response to all of these things, Paul writes saying next in verse 6 of this chapter, note the words too, or we might say, with the goal being, what is it Paul?

The praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved, which is to say the Beloved Lord Jesus Christ." Well, while these words here are quite straightforward, I believe, I want to think upon them for a few minutes Together with you you see here specifically in verse 5 of this chapter as the Apostle speaks about what God and love predestinated us who are believers to he says look at the words carefully with me in your Bibles What did he predestinate us to? He says that it was to or we might say so that we can have the adoption as sons. To what will we predestinate it to? That we might have the adoption as sons. Now, perhaps you're here this day, and you never really notice the great end of your predestination by God in these words.

Perhaps, maybe as a new Calvinist you just saw these words that I'm predestined and you rejoice and then you go and seek to convert all your Arminian friends. But brethren, you and I must not stop with just this matter of being predestined, hand-picked from before the foundation of the world. As good as that is, don't miss the goal. Don't miss the end in view. Predestined to adoption as sons.

And so again, maybe you're here this day and you've just read, predestined and rejoiced in that. But friends, there's more to it than this. I say, beloved brethren, here this day that if you and I don't read the rest of these words then really we are missing the big point altogether. We're missing the emphasis of the passage which, according to Paul, is that a central component of our being predestinated by God the Father for salvation is that he wants to enter into a very special relationship with us. Now that's encouraging, right?

That's super encouraging. Oh brethren, Let me put it this way and say listen That are being predestinated To the Father look at the language himself Was so that you and I who are Christians could personally know and Enjoy Him forever and ever. Can anyone say, Amen? That's what's in view here, dear ones. Not just being hand-picked, but hand-picked to be part of God's family.

To be part of His redeemed in the earth. Now concerning our word adoption here in our verse, You should also note that this word is derived from two Greek words, which literally means to place in the position as sons. Here the idea is to give one the status of a son, hence to adopt a son. And again, this is exactly what God in free and sovereign grace has done for us who are believers. This is what happened to us, who are true Christians in this place, spiritually speaking, once for all time, the very moment we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ alone for life and salvation.

As Paul says in Galatians 3 and verse 26, we are all, quote, sons of God, and this through faith in Christ Jesus. Ah, but perhaps you're here this morning, and you ask, so pastor Ventura, what's the big deal about all of this you asked really what's so significant about it Well, dear ones what's so significant about it is that before you and I, who are now Christians, were brought into God's spiritual family, Spiritually speaking, you and I were children of the devil. Children of the devil. Oh brethren, I say that according to the Word of God, listen, you and I were once lost. We were once dead in our trespasses and sins.

You and I were in the world without any hope, being children of wrath, even as the rest. Just as Paul says in the next chapter of this book. Ah, but beloved ones, here this day, having said all of this, the good news of the Bible is that while this was once so for us, nevertheless, God, who is rich in mercy not only saved our never-dying souls no but he also made us to be part of his family The good news is that although at one time you and I were aliens and strangers from the covenant of promise, now however, by God's great grace, toward us in Jesus, He ordained that we would be his very own spiritual sons and daughters having all the rights, privileges, and blessings thereof. And so you see, while there are many doctrines in the Word of God which should get us very excited and encouraged even at this early hour in the morning. I must say brethren that this doctrine of adoption ought to be at the top of the list.

I say that it should rank very high in our hearts, and this is because we who are Christians must never forget that it's not just that in salvation God has forgiven us of all of our sins and now we are on our way to heaven. No, for even beyond this in God saving us, He wants to be in a very warm and loving relationship with us and nothing will ever change this fact. Glory be to His name. Now of course, having said this, what you and I must never forget is that none of this, everything that I just mentioned in your hearing a moment ago, none of this comes to us because of who we are or because of who we will ever be. No, this is not the case.

Rather, all of that just said, all of those spiritual blessings in connection to adoption take place in our lives. Look at the passage, quote, by Jesus Christ. Not because of who we are, no, but because of the agency, because of the mediatorial role of our Savior Not because of us not because of who we are But they come to us by means of Jesus Christ Dear ones here this morning. I say that it comes to us all because of The work which are lovely and living Lord Jesus Christ accomplished on our behalf 2, 000 years ago When he and love died on the cross in our place on account of our sins. Consequently, Paul could say in Galatians chapter 4 that when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son.

How did He do it? Born of a woman, born under the law. And this to what end? He tells us, quote, to redeem those who were under the law that we might receive the adoption as sons. It's all because of Jesus Christ, our wonderful, loving, and living Lord.

Well, because all of this was, as Paul says in our passage, look at it, according to the good pleasure of God's will, what shall we say then but praise be to God? In view of this, I say, dear Christian, here this day you and I should regularly exclaim with the Apostle John of old the words which he said in 1 John 3 and verse 1. Or, yeah, 1 John 3 and verse 1. When he wrote saying, Behold! Or look and see what manner.

John is so caught up with it. Look and see, John says, attempt to comprehend what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we, John says, even we ourselves should be called the children of God. Well, perhaps in me speaking about our subject at hand for this morning, There's someone here today who having heard what I've just put forth, perhaps someone's here this day, maybe some of you are younger children, teens, or whoever else. Maybe you're wondering if in fact you are a true son or daughter of the living God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Sometimes young children being raised in Christian homes.

It's hard for them to know if in fact they are in a state of grace, if you really are a true child of God. And so how can you know, my dear friends here this day? Well, no doubt there are many ways to come to understand this, but I want to give you three simple ones for this morning, three clear distinguishing marks of a truly adopted child of God, spiritually speaking, and they are faith, love, and obedience. This is like a three-legged stool for Christian assurance. How can I know that I'm part of God's family that I've been wrought upon that I'm born again?

How can you hear this day my dear? Friend listening to me this morning. How could you know? If you've been spiritually adopted into God's kingdom three ways faith love and obedience and so first there's faith do you have faith alone in Jesus Christ alone as your only acceptance before God faith in Christ alone in his accomplishment there on Calvary's Hill when he died as the just one for the unjust ones that he might bring us to God faith alone in the finished work of Christ alone faith not your works not your so-called righteousness no but rather a complete trust in Jesus the Son of God God the Son who lived the life you should have lived but didn't and died the death that you deserve to die but dare not die it. You put your trust in His accomplishment alone for salvation.

For as Paul says in Ephesians 2 verses 8 and 9, for by grace we have been saved through faith and that not of ourselves it is the gift of God but secondly secondly there is the matter of love how can you know if you're a true child of God younger person older person a teen here this day you're wrestling with this issue well secondly there is this matter of love which is to say love for Christ and love for his people. First Paul says in 1 Corinthians 16 and verse 22, if anyone does not love our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be what? Anathema. If anyone doesn't love Christ, let him be anathema. Then the Apostle John says In 1 John 3 and verse 14, we know, what John?

We know that we have passed from death to life. How do we know it, John? Because we love the brethren. Secondly, love to Christ and love to the people of God. Well, thirdly, then, in this regard, there is the matter of obedience to God.

Obedience. Love and faith could come across as subjective in someone's life. Yes, of course, I'm trusting in Christ alone for salvation. Of course I love Him and His people. But what's the external verification, if you will?

Well, brethren, it is obedience to God, which is to say gospel obedience to His commandments. Or as the Puritans like to say, evangelical obedience to the Word of God, which springs from a heart of genuine gratitude for all that He's done for us in Jesus Christ. For as John says in 1 John 2 and verse 4, whoever says, I know him, that is to say, I am a true Christian and does not keep his commandments. John does not say, He's a carnal Christian, no. John says he's a liar and the truth is not in him.

And so here, for you here this morning, is a threefold way for you and I to know if in fact we are the true children of God. Well brethren, I say that if you want to know if you are part of God's family as one of his truly redeemed children, then ask yourself these three questions. Number one, am I trusting in Christ alone for life and salvation? Trusting in Christ alone, his person and work as my only ground of acceptance before a holy God? Secondly, do I love Christ?

Not perfectly, of course, but purposefully. I love Him, as we heard in one of the messages, because He first loved me. And do you love his people as well? And then thirdly, by God's grace, ask yourself, am I seeking to follow hard after the Lord Jesus Christ in evangelical obedience, gospel-driven, Holy Spirit-wrought obedience to the commandments of God so that wherever he speaks to me in his word I seek to obey him again not perfectly no but purposefully by his grace." Well if you can say yes to all of these things, then praise God. But what if you're here this morning and you can't do this?

Well, if this is the case, then I say to you, my dear younger person, older person, whoever you might be, that while it's true that you are a creation of God, becoming a redeemed child of God is something altogether different. You see, sadly, there's a false notion in the world which teaches the universal fatherhood of God toward all people, which is to say we are all God's children, whether we are truly born again or not. Now, brethren, let me just say that this is a doctrine from hell. Let me just say that nothing could be further from the truth. And so maybe you're here this morning and you know that you're not truly saved you know that you're not really a true child of God because there's no gospel fruit coming forth from your life.

Oh, but maybe you say this morning, but I do want to become a true child of God. You say, I do want to be saved. I do want to be part of God's spiritual family on the earth and then ultimately heaven. And so you ask, what must you do to be saved? What must you do to become part of God's family?

Well, let me just say to you, dear one here this day, that the answer to this question is very plain, and it's found in John chapter 1 and verse 12, and I'll just quote it to you now. For there in speaking about this matter, from the human side of things, the Apostle John says concerning our Lord Jesus Christ, but as many as have received him to them and them only he gave them the right to become the children of God to those who believe in His name. And so be clear with me, my dear friend here this day, you who are not saved, You know you need to be saved. You know you should be saved You know your parents are praying that you might be saved your pastors are praying that you might be saved That you might be delivered from your own sin from Satan From yourself and ultimately the wrath of God, you know that this must take place in your life. What must you do?

How can you become God's child? The answer to the Bible is plain. Make no mistake about it. Don't be fuzzy about this matter at all. John says, but as many as have received Jesus what does it mean to receive Jesus means to welcome him into your life receive him it means to Embrace him as Lord Savior God and Master It means this day you say oh Lord.

I am done with this life of sin and rebellion against God I'm done being an outsider to the people of God I repent of my sins and I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ who loved me and gave himself for me I receive him you cry out to him Oh Lord please save my soul make me a Christian I realize that I'm lost I realize that I'm undone I realize that I'm stinking in your nostrils. It doesn't matter that I was born in a Christian home, I must be born again and become part of God's home and God's family. We don't become God's children through natural procreation, no, rather we become God's children through spiritual regeneration. And we can't quicken ourselves. You can't quicken yourself.

You can't make yourself a true child of God this day. Ah, but there's one who could do it, and his name is Jesus. And the Bible say all that receive him, all that Welcome him into their lives. Lord, I need you to do for me what I cannot do for myself. Oh, Lord Jesus Christ, make me a Christian.

Save my never-dying soul. Grant me repentance toward your Father in heaven. Change my heart. Grant me the gift of everlasting life. And my dear young ones here this day, children listen up.

The Bible tells us that Jesus loves to receive sinners, but as we see in the Word of God, He also loves inviting little children to himself. Let the little children come to me. Now I might not push it so far and say that Jesus has a special affinity for little children, but certainly as the song goes Jesus loves the little children and he invites them to himself. Come to me, Jesus says, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I myself will give you rest. And so young ones here this day, anyone else, older person, you may not be converted.

Come to Christ. Why? Because He's a willing and enabled Savior. And He invites guilty people to Himself for salvation. You read the Word of God, Jesus directs people to one place.

He directs people to one person. It's Himself. And I remember as a non-Christian reading the word of God and I just see Jesus words, I am the way the truth and the life he that comes to me. No one comes to the Father but through me. I am the door he that enters in through me will be saved.

Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. The one that comes to me, I will in no wise cast aside." And I'm reading my Bible, I'm 22 years old, I'm thinking, I got to get to Christ because He's inviting me to Himself. Not the church, not the pastor, and God forbid, not the altar in front of the church, no. But to Christ, who is the altar. Christ who is the Savior of sinners, who not only died for our sins but was buried and rose again on the third day and lives even now, my dear, unsaved friend, to make you a Christian if you come to Him by faith and by faith alone.

And so come to Christ. Come to Christ. Recall there again, when I was seeing these things in the Word of God that I must get to Jesus. I asked my pastors at that time while I was living in New York City, people asked, can anything good come out of Manhattan? Well, one thing did, I got saved.

And I asked my pastor, so what must I do to be saved? I get it, I can't save myself. What a baptism can't save me. My good works can't save me. What must I do to be saved?

To which they answered, saying, ask Jesus to save you. Wow, what an amazing idea. Ask the Savior to save me? Why would I do that? Because that's what he does.

First Paul says in Romans chapter 10, whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. So my dear non-Christian friend here this day, call upon the Lord and be saved and find him to be a willing and able and a gracious, loving Savior. As the hymn writer says, none but Jesus, none but Jesus can do helpless sinners good. Another hymn writer says, and who would not know him? Is there anyone here who's been saved who's now sorry that you've been saved?

Of course not. The great bane of our lives is that we weren't saved years prior. We're so grateful that God saved us and made us his children. What a wonderful thing it is to be a child of God, amen? And we who are Christians would never, never, ever desire our old lives to be back in the world, to be alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance which was within us.

We would never want to go back to Egypt. We love Christ because He first loved us. And so might it be that some here today who are not true Christians, that by faith you will call out to Jesus to save you that it would be even this morning here in this great room you'd say oh Lord I need you I need you to do for me what I can't do for myself, take out my heart of stone, give a heart of flesh, make me a true Christian, oh Lord, for only you can do this. Call upon him, my dear non-Christian friend, this morning and find Jesus to be a willing and able Savior. Well, as I begin to wind down then, I want to do so by speaking to those of you here this morning who are the true people of God.

I want to wind down by giving you three applications and this in order to help you to grow more and more in your enjoyment of your adoption by God, what we've been considering for the last 35 minutes. You're here today. You've been redeemed. You've been saved by God's great grace towards you and Jesus. And so what applications can I give you in order to help you to grow more and more in your enjoyment of your spiritual adoption by God?

Three things, I'll rattle them off then I'll come back to them. Number one, dear brother, dear sister here this day, you do this by regularly reflecting on this stunning teaching of Scripture and all that it means for you personally. Secondly, you do this by regularly repenting of all known sins so that your communion with God will not be hindered and then third you do this by regularly rejoicing in the fact that you are now one of God's adopted spiritual children and that because this is the case you will one day receive the full redemption of your body and Dwell with Christ forevermore in that eternal state and so three things for you here my dear brother my dear sister applications to help you to grow in your enjoyment of your adoption by God number one you do this by regularly reflecting upon this stunning teaching of Scripture and all that it means for you personally Personally my dear brother my dear sister you have been loved personally by God individually by God specifically by God himself Again and this is why John can say, behold or look and see what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we, even we ourselves, should be called the children of God.

What a marvel it is. We were once children of the devil, but no longer! Now we are God's precious children. And all the blessings and privileges of this great spiritual status, which will never end, are ours forevermore! And as we think upon these things, as I've been meditating upon these things in recent weeks, I said, oh God, expand my understanding of this glorious truth.

Again, as Calvinists here, we love to think on and preach this whole matter of definite atonement. Christ died definitely for us, his people. That's true. But do we really take the implications of that to our hearts I think about and I think there's my Savior suffering and dying for me me specifically as Paul says Christ loved Me and gave himself for me you see how individual it was Yes, he died for the church, but the church is not just some generic Thing out there the church is made up of Christ redeemed people His blood bought ones and as I think upon Christ dying in my room and in my stead, I say, oh, there was a drop of blood that had my name on it. Had my name on it.

And that's true for you, my dear brother, my dear sister here this day. And as you meditate upon that, this stunning teaching from Scripture, you will grow in your enjoyment of your adoption by God. You do this by regularly repenting of all known sin so that your communion with God will not be hindered. Notice I said communion, not union. Our union with God can never be broken, but our communion with God, our fellowship with Him can be hindered.

And so you ask yourself this morning, dear brother, dear sister, in the theater of your own conscience, Is there anything in your life that you're doing that you know you ought not to do? Anything you're looking at, listening to, people you're hanging out with. You know they're not helping you on your way to heaven. You know that evil company corrupts good morals. What is it in your life dear Christian that might be hindering your communion with God your Father?

What is it? Is the Holy Ghost putting his finger right now upon something this morning? A pride or a lust of something with reference to covetousness etc. Whatever it is, dear brother, dear sister, repent of it now. It's not worth it and I pray that God will make you miserable until you repent of it.

I love what Spurton says. He says that God does not let his people sin successfully. I'm so thankful. God, If you're a true Christian, a Holy Ghost is in you. He's not going to allow you to sin successfully.

That thing is going to continue to prick your conscience, friend. If there's something this day, this morning, you're saying, oh yeah, it's that one thing. The Spirit of God has been putting his finger on it again and again. Friend, it's hindering your communion with God. It ain't worth it.

There's nothing as sweet as communion with God. And so if something comes to mind this morning, confess it! Repent of it! And go to Christ afresh, O Lord, wash me from this thing! Break the back of it, O Savior!

Remembering that according to 1 John, if we confess our sins, God is not only faithful, but He's faithful and just to forgive us of all of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Renew, my dear Christian brother, my dear Christian sister this day, fresh communion with God, and then thirdly, and I close with this, you grow in your enjoyment of your adoption by God by regularly rejoicing in the fact that you are now one of God's children and that because this is the case you will one day receive the full redemption of your body and dwell with Christ forevermore in that eternal state in the new heavens and in the new earth just as Paul teaches in Romans chapter 8 let's close by turning there in our Bibles, Romans chapter 8. The Holy Ghost is the first gift of our adoption as the children of God, but I would fall short of this doctrine without mentioning the glorious end. Romans 8, picking up at verse 18, Paul says, for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.

Why? For The earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of, note the language, the sons of God, our topic at hand. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, no, but because of Him who subjected it, how? In hope. Because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

For we know that the whole creation, that's right now, groans currently and labors, how? With birth pangs until now. Verse 23, Not only that, but we also have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves, grown within ourselves to what end? Eagerly waiting, note the language, for the adoption. What adoption, Paul?

Here's the answer. The redemption of our body. So we already have the adoption. We've been already adopted into God's family through faith in Christ. We become the sons of God.

Thus we are now adopted into God's spiritual family, but there is this which is coming when Christ returns. We could call it the eschatological adoption. What is it? The redemption of our bodies. And so I say dear ones here this day, if you're going to grow in your enjoyment of your present sonship, daughtership with God, thank him for what you currently have now, the earnest, the down payment of the Holy Spirit but remember there's more to it there is a B side to the record as it were and what is it when the Lord returns we're gonna be glorified We had died already, our souls will be joined with glorified bodies.

God having redeemed us in this life promises that because this is so, He's going to glorify us in the life to come. And so rejoice now in all the privileges that are yours in Christ. But rejoice looking forward knowing that one day you're going to be fully redeemed even in this current body and in that state you will worship Jesus Christ the Lord, days without end. Is anyone here looking forward to that time? Can anyone here this day say with the Apostle John, even so, come Lord Jesus, come.

Let's pray together. Our great and glorious God, we bless your name this morning. We thank you for making many in this room who were once not the people of God to now be your people. And I pray, oh God, for every Christian in this place that you would encourage them, that they would know even afresh this day that you have loved them with an everlasting love and that having adopted them into your family, nothing will ever change this fact. Might they grow in their love for you, and might they continue to sense your nearness to them, which will be their great good.

We pray and ask all of these things through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.