Can We Lose Our Salvation? Part Two..

Our Condition: Adopted Children of God; Born of God

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13 ESV)

By God’s grace we are born of God, made children through Christ’s redemptive sacrifice. Most parents would tell you that as soon as they lay eyes on their child for the first time, or even before they lay eyes on them, there is a connection, a promise of loyalty and protection and care and love that cannot be revoked.

And yet, we have all heard stories of parents who give up their children, who do not care for them; so we must go deeper than using parenthood as an example, though God does make the statement that even if nursing mothers reject their babes, He will never reject His people. That said, let’s look into the term “adoption”.

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15)

And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (Romans 8:23)

...to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. (Galatians 4:5)

...he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, (Ephesians 1:5)

Adoption was a serious thing in Greco-Roman times. The law of adoption was rather complex, public, and irrevocable. Being adopted meant that you lost all ties (and all debts) that were connected with your former relations. You took on the inheritance of the family into which you were adopted. You were treated no differently from natural born sons. Essentially, adoption meant you changed loyalties from one party to another.

In light of this, we can surmise that adoption into the family of God, being freed in order to call God “Abba, Father”, means that all ties to our former life of sin and bondage have been severed. We are children of God, adopted sons. God has effectively signed a contract in front of witnesses that He has taken us into His family as His children. Would He revoke such a contract? We have been given the same inheritance as Christ in God's family, since we are co-heirs with Him. It is amazing to think of this. 

Allow me a moment to comment on the above verses in more detail. If you’ll notice, the first two verses from Romans 8 seem at first glance to contradict one another. The first says that we have received the adoption as sons through the Spirit; the second states that we are waiting for adoption. Which is it? I believe it is referencing the idea of the “now and not yet”; much like sanctification, where we are sanctified right now in Christ, and yet we are being sanctified, and will be sanctified in glory. They are not contradictions, but additions building up from the foundation. We are adopted right now, and we are waiting for the culmination of the adoption - that is, the redemption of our bodies. The adoption is not nullified in the waiting. Rather, it is enforced by future hope and longing.

The last two verses make it plain that it is through Christ’s redemption that we receive adoption. Ephesians touches on predestination - that is, that God has predestined believers for adoption - which we will not go into too much detail about. Suffice it to say that God planned from before the foundation of the world to make sinners sons. That is grace indeed. 

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. (1 John 5:4)

Are you not fascinated and overwhelmed by the grace of this word? Everyone - read again, everyone - who has been born of God overcomes the world. Do you see it? Our faith - true faith - is victory! We have overcome the world, with all its sinful desires and bondage to Satan. We are no longer under the power of the ruler of the earth, the prince of the principalities and powers, the leader of the demonic hosts against us. We have overcome. Our faith has found its resting place in Christ. Our faith is finalized and victorious in the death and resurrection of the Son of God. We can sing hallelujah without restraint when we consider this glorious grace by the mercy of God.

We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him. (1 John 5:18)

A small note here: true faith, the faith that overcomes the world, shows and proves itself. As the book of James says, faith without works is dead - and true faith necessarily leans away from sin. Of course, this does not mean that believers never sin; but believers have lost their taste for sin. It is bitter and unpalatable. Besides this, we are protected by Christ; the evil one does not touch us, even when we dwell in the mire. Satan has no more hold on us. The chains have been broken. The bonds are loosed. 

...since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; (1 Peter 1:23)

Those born of God – who have a living, abiding faith – overcome the world. We have victory in Christ. The world can no longer reach us, for we have been born of God. We are heirs of heaven, co-heirs with Christ, and victorious in His power. We are born of imperishable seed! That is, the seed of Christ and His righteousness. The seed of Christ’s blood and victory. The seed of Christ’s resurrection and glory. We have been born again into newness of life. It appears to me impossible to return to the old life, which has passed away. As long as God’s word is living and abiding, the seed of our newness of life is imperishable. Christ has said His words will not pass away. (Matthew 24:35)