Adoption is not horizontal

Ephesians: 3 - 14 ³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵he^{c]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[c]} predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace ⁸that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. ⁹And he^{d]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[d]} made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, ¹⁰to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.¹¹In him we were also chosen,^{e]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[e]} having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, ¹²in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. ¹³And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.


Stay with me on this one! If he choose us BEFORE the world existed then adoption brings the world to its fulfillment. Adoption becomes MUCH MORE than adoption! I know it sounds like I am talking in circles, but what I mean is that adoption is not just HORIZONTAL (meaning of this world) but VERTICAL! Adoption must be looked at through the lens of Jesus because he adopted us first! Cool?

Galatians 4:4-7

⁴But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, ⁵to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. ⁶Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba,^{a]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[a]} Father." ⁷So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. We get the Trinity with adoption! All 3 are mentioned in reference to this adoption. What a great thing our might God has done for us! I know I get on my soapboxes and this is only ONE of them, but even if you aren't adopting or even considering it, I bet you have friends who have or are and you support them. I know many of support me my family in SO many ways. Thank you for that!