"He Predestined Us to Adoption As Sons"

Our text is found in Ephesians 1:5-6. As Christ followers, the fact that God blessed us by predestining us to adoption as His children should motivate us to worship, thank, and praise Him for the glory of His amazing grace in Christ Jesus! The Word of God uses two very similar, yet different analogies to show our salvation from different perspectives. The first is that of being regenerated, or being born again. We become children of God by being born spiritually into His family (John 1:12-13; 3:1-8). How wonderful is that? Also, at the same time, we are God's adopted children. While the emphasis of being born again is that we receive new life from God, the emphasis of being adopted is that we receive a new legal standing and relationship with God because He chose us to be full members of His family! Are you excited yet? God did not save us to make much of us. He saved us so that we would make much of Jesus Christ! Anything that robs God of His glory in adopting us is not from Him. Paul said it best with these words, "To the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved" (Ephesians 1:6). The Hebrew word for "glory" has the literal meaning of "weightiness," and as such, points to God's worthiness, honor, and reputation. The Greek word for "glory" means "speaking words of excellence and ascribing highest status to God." In other words, it has the idea of God's reputation. God's glory is the revealed splendor of His presence. In our text, Paul emphasizes one attribute that causes us to praise and it's the glory of God's grace! The essence of sin is to fail to glorify God. So, the primary goal of our being adopted, which results from God choosing and predestining us, should be to bring us to a realization of God's glory, where we boast only in Him! Being adopted by God should cause us to praise Him for the glory of His amazing grace! Being adopted into God's family is a part of being "blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ" (v 3). For the Christ follower, it doesn't get any better! Your move. Be encouraged!