I Am Adopted

Identity Crisis
I Am Adopted
Romans 8:14-17

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Does my life reflect my heritage?

• Being “in Christ” secures our Legal relationship with God. In justification, God declares us righteous in Christ.
• Adoption secures our Family relationship with God. Through adoption, God makes us His children.
• These two relationships are Distinct but they can never be Separated.

As God’s Child, God…

Conforms you to Christ’s character

“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.” (Romans 8:29)

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” (Ephesians 5:1)

Action: Invite God to work in your life to conform you to the image of His Son

Hears you when you pray

“Pray then like this: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.'" (Matthew 6:9)

“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” (1 John 5:14)

Authentic prayer also involves hearing From God

Action: Carve Out time to cultivate the privilege of prayer

Indwells you with His Holy Spirit

“And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!'” (Galatians 4:6)

“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13–14)

Action: Daily allow God’s Holy Spirit to fill you (Ephesians 5:18) by Preparing your life through confession and asking Him to fill you in sincere faith and trust

Loves you unconditionally

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” (1 John 3:1)

4 Aspects of God’s Love

• Untiring love

“the LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

• Unselfish love

“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:9–10)

• Unfathomable love

“so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17–19)

• Unstoppable love

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38–39)

Action: Regularly Reflect On and Rejoice In the love of God

Disciplines you lovingly

“Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:9–11)

Satan condemns us so we will Give Up, but God corrects us so we will Grow Up

“Repentance is a turning away from the sin that ails you to the bounty God promises you.” Bruce Wilkinson

Action: Respond to God’s loving discipline with repentance

Making It Personal

• Am I one of God’s children?

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12–13)

• Am I living up to my heritage?

“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'” (1 Peter 1:14–16)

• Am I rightly relating to God’s family?

“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” (Romans 12:10)