The adopted children of God
It is through faith that all of you are God’s children in union with Christ Jesus. You were baptised into union with Christ, and now you are clothed, so to speak, with the life of Christ himself. So there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, between slaves and free people, between men and women; you are all one in union with Christ Jesus. (verses 26-28)
In ancient times if a Roman official wasn’t impressed by his own children, he would sometimes adopt someone (often one of his slaves) to become his son. The adopted person became a real son with full rights. And he became an heir to everything his adoptive father had. Being adopted wasn’t something with a stigma to it; it was a special privilege.
We are the adopted children of God. In baptism we were made part of his family, no longer slaves but sons and daughters. God restored to us the relationship he has with his own, natural Son.
We have a close family relationship with him. We are also heirs to his kingdom.
When we stand at the foot of Jesus’ cross there is no room for discrimination. Rich or poor, whatever our gender or ethnic background, we stand there as forgiven people, empowered by God to live as his new creation. We stand there washed clean, dressed in the sparkling clean clothes that we have in Jesus. And if you’ve ever got really dirty, covered in mud and grime, and had a bath or a shower and put on new clothes, you know how good that feels.
Thank you, Father, for making me your child. Thank you, Jesus, for making it possible. Amen.
by Robert Turnbull, in ‘Living Water for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2001)
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