JOHN 8:39-59
HOPE OF OUR ADOPTION
JOHN 8:39-40
39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did.
JOHN 8:41-42
41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.
JOHN 8:43-44
43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
JOHN 8:45-47
45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”
JOHN 8
47…The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”
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48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge.
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51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say,
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‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?”
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54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.”
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57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
The Jews’ hope rested in their genetic lineage from Abraham. The recipient of God’s promise.
Their aim was to keep the laws passed down from Moses and added to by the Rabbinical rule of their ancestors.
Jesus saw that these people did not know God and therefore did not know Him.
God’s offer to Abraham was a relationship with Himself and the rescue that that relationship could offer.
The way of rescue for Abraham’s children was that God would extend that same relationship offer to them.
Most of these descendants preferred that God give them some rules to live by and freedom to live the life they wanted within the boundaries of those rules.
That is not how Abraham lived. They were not acting like his kids.
James 2:23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.
Family of Origin or birth.
Teaching or system of beliefs (Doctrine) of adoption.
Adoption was not common practice in the Jewish world.
A person’s standing was based on his birth.
If a man died, his brother was supposed to marry his widow.
The first son to be born of the new marriage would be legally considered the son of the dead brother so that his family line would continue.
This is why in John 3, when Jesus was speaking to Nicodemus, a Jewish leader, and He uses the Jewish concept of being born again (or born from above) to explain how one is brought into God’s family.
In the Roman world, adoption was a significant and common practice.
A man had to pass his wealth on to his sons. If a man had no sons or if he felt that his sons were incapable of managing his wealth or were unworthy of it, he would have to adopt someone who would make a worthy son.
These adoptions were not infant adoptions as is common today. Older boys and adult men were normally adopted.
Galatians 3
23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
Galatians 3
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.
Galatians 4
4 I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. 3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.
Galatians 4
4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
Romans 8:14
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 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!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I AM A CHILD OF GOD?
1 John 3:10
10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
Our need for salvation: The Bible claim that we begin with our status as slaves to Satan and sin
(1 John 3:10; Gal. 4:3)
Christ the redeemer gave himself for us slaves and lawbreakers because he loved us.
He took the curse (punishment) of the law that by rights should have fallen on us, not him (Gal. 3:13)
Through Christ’s work, we have gone from being slaves to sons (Gal. 4:7)
When we come to faith in Christ,
our debts are cancelled,
we are given a new name,
and we are given all the rights that heirs of God possess.
Christians are not adopted because God thinks they will make worthy heirs.
God adopts people who are completely unworthy, because He adopts on the basis of His grace.
As Christians we have been born into God’s family
and adopted into God’s family