Christmas Brings Adoption

Christmas Brings Adoption

By Touching Lives 

“Because you are His sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’” Galatians 4:6

The truth of what Christ has done for us in awe-inspiring. It is possible, however, to miss the fullness of our salvation. Jesus did not just come to free us from bondage and forgive us of our sins. He came to make us His own family. “Adoption” is a word that has become quite common today. But it resonated in a unique way 2000 years ago when the Apostle Paul used it in Galatians 4. When we think of adoption we think of children. But in the first century, no one adopted babies.

Adoption was primarily a Roman custom; and they adopted full-grown adults. An adoption was mainly carried out by the rich and for a very specific purpose. If a wealthy father did not trust his children with the estate they would inherit, or didn’t feel that they met his standards, he would go out and find a young man of good character that he felt was a good fit for his family. He would adopt this person if he proved worthy. Then he would raise the new son above his biological children so that he would inherit the estate.

What does this have to do with Christmas? God looked at us, not when we were good or worthy, but when we were bad and unworthy. It was in our unrighteousness and rebellion that God took us home, adopted us, and made us His own. It would have been more than enough if God had just forgiven us and wiped the slate clean. He could have just paid our sin debt and set us free, but He didn’t stop there. He doesn’t just give us forgiveness. He gives us His own name.

Because of Christmas, we can call God more than Savior and Lord…we can call Him, “Daddy.” No self-respecting Jew would ever address God as, “Abba, Father.” Yet because of Christmas Paul, a Jewish Rabbi, did just that. As Christians we are more than a bunch of people with similar beliefs. We are a family – part of God’s family, because Christmas brought us adoption.

Father, Thank You for not only forgiving me, but also bringing me into Your family and making me Your child. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.