I once again have gone back to Romans 8 (my favorite chapter) as I do from time-to-time as Paul sets so many things in place in that chapter regarding God’s remedy for mans’ complete ruin in sin … Christ Jesus. He has made us children of God and heirs in His kingdom, never to be separated from Him. But I wonder, do we really know what it means to be a child of God?

Rom 8:15 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!” ESV

As a new believer we have been fully justified (adopted) by God’s grace toward us and in His eyes we have been fully sanctified by His grace within us … His Holy Spirit. But there has been a great deal of confusion in this matter of adoption as many commentators and writers have confused it with the salvation. Adoption doesn’t have anything to do with our entrance into the family of God, it is something much higher. The one who is adopted becomes the legitimate and necessary heir of the one who adopts him, which not only means the inheritance of property but also the “name” of the deceased; all rights, relationships, dignities, and honors.

I have written many times concerning being an adopted son or daughter of God  (teknon) and becoming a “fully mature son or daughter” (huios). When we enter God’s family at our new birth we are teknon,  but God sees us a huiothesia; an adult son or daughter. The whole word means more than adoption, it means placing a fully mature (spiritually mature) son or daughter.

Look at it this way. Paul is not describing the adoption of a child into another family, but welcoming as a grown up man or woman the child that has been born again. We have received the spirit of a son or daughter that has spiritually “come of age” in the eyes of the Father. But in reality, we are not yet that son or daughter in reality.

This is what Paul is getting at:

Phil 2:12 … work out your own salvation with fear and trembling ESV

We are not working to “gain” our salvation, we are working out our “sanctification.” Sanctification is a part of salvation in that we are set aside (consecrated) to God eternally. Our part as His sons and daughters is to become that fully mature son and daughter He has created us to be.

Rom 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. ESV

We are to become just like our elder brother, Jesus. And that is our challenge as we live out this life here on earth. Becoming more like Jesus, revealing more of His character that is within us by God’s grace. We can’t keep Jesus on the cross. He is no longer there and our journey is to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit to become all that we were created to be in His kingdom, fully His ambassadors here on earth … sharing the gospel and making disciples. And we cannot disciple others unless we are being discipled, growing more spiritually mature day-by-day.

So what has earth day got to do with it? Let’s go back a few verses …

Rom 8:19-23 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. ESV

Want to guess who the sons of God are?

That’s right… huiothesia. The earth and all of creation are waiting for the sons and daughters of God to become who they were created to be …. the fully mature sons and daughters conformed into the image of Jesus.

The world may celebrate “earth day” but all creation is awaiting The Earth Day, the new earth that will be free of corruption and inhabited by the sons and daughters that are just like Jesus.  In the interim we have our marching orders to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he [Jesus] might be the firstborn among many brothers [us]. 

What an awesome Earth Day that will be to enjoy forever with our Elder Brother!