Greenville, South Carolina: Together for Adoption

It is always overlooked! Many times in life the highest blessing of the gospel can easily be forgotten throughout the years and travels of the Christian walk. However, a dear friend of mine, Dan Cruver, has put together a ministry called Together for Adoption that reminds us of this blessing. You may be wondering what Together for Adoption is. I’ll rob Dan’s own answer by quoting him as he explains,

“Together for Adoption (T4A) sponsors regional adoption conferences that focus primarily on vertical adoption (i.e., God adopting us in Christ), with a secondary focus on its implications for orphan care and horizontal adoption (i.e., couples adopting children).  In fulfillment of our objectives, we desire to see conference attendees walk away from a T4A event understanding why it is that vertical adoption is the highest blessing of the gospel, rejoicing afresh in the gospel, and moved to act on James 1:27 both locally and globally.”

The importance of constantly preaching the gospel to the believer is seen through the value of knowing and understanding adoption as beautiful as it truly is, and living the truth of being heirs with Christ every day. From the day I first met Dan, I saw clearly that his passion and love is always the gospel first and foremost! His love for the cross, Christ, and relaying the climax of the whole Scriptures to those who sit under his ministry is easily seen. When it comes to adoption, it is no different. Dan’s passion is always evident throughout his conversation and teaching, as he desires to see believers today grasp this essential doctrine that is so influential to the gospel and work of Jesus Christ. The truths of adoption that lie in the gospel and are blessings to the true believer’s life are the very heart and core of the gospel, given for the believer to fully and everlastingly enjoy it. Truths like:

1.     When we are adopted, “the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” We have intimate fellowship with Christ and God because of this. (Gal. 4:7)

2.     When we are adopted, not only is there this intimate fellowship, but there is also the blessing of the guidance of this Spirit that cries “Abba, Father.” This is how one knows he is a part of the family of God. (Rom. 8:14)

3.     When we are adopted we are given another blessing, as the Spirit gives His presence to always assure the believer of their status as a child of God. (Rom. 8:16)

4.     When we are adopted, it is a blessing to the believer who bears the Spirit that their heart is in perfect relationship with the Father, God. (Rom. 8:14)

5.     When we are adopted, the utmost privilege for the believer is that they have now become heirs with God, which is a joint heir to Christ. (Rom. 8:17)

6.     Sixthly, God’s adopted family will bear the likeness of Christ in glory. (1 John 3:2)

7.     Lastly, the blessing that the believer receives in adoption includes the inheritance of all things since the believer is adopted in being a son of God. (1 Cor. 3:21-23)

As people study the Scriptures today they often try to look deep into theology, care most for history, or aim to become language scholars. But it is vital that simple but beautiful truths like those noted above be preached to every believer so that they may enjoy the work of Christ above all else. At times it seems that even believers tend to go elsewhere to look for enjoyment. They seek enjoyment of this world in friendships, a buzz, a new kind of fad, clothes to look cool… anything that the world has to offer in a tangible way, so that they can enjoy their own life. However Christ’s cross has made the availability for the believer to enjoy Him in a way that lasts eternally, like nothing that this world may have to offer. So how does adoption help this? The answer is simple: Focusing on Christ as your brother and God as your Father, is far superior than any enjoyment that one can feel, see, taste, hear, or know about in this world.

The fact that we are adopted heirs to God with Christ, through the crying of the Spirit, should stir up a joy that fills our heart at all times, until we are glorified with Him, which will then be ultimate joy forever. This enjoyment of adoption means that the believer – as heirs of God – may enjoy Him for what He did… for Christ dying, the Spirit crying, and what He does in allowing us to be a part of His family. This happiness lies in the simple truth of adoption, and moreover, the One to whom you have been adopted. Those who are a part of the family should be content with something that more than three-quarters of this world may never find in life or know about in life. Think about this. Oftentimes people in today’s world look for their place to fit in, or something that makes them feel well liked. It is often that people try to fit in to a society of people or a family of close-knit individuals that they never actually belong to, just so that they feel liked or loved. However, this leads to only a temporary fulfillment in one’s soul.

In order for the believer to enjoy the family of God to its highest, the adopted individual doesn’t look for other societies or other means of finding enjoyment, besides that of which they were called into. The need for placement in today’s culture seems to be a must. But I must remind the believer that there is no greater place to be than being adopted in this family. The culture in which we live today tries to find their spirituality from somewhere else than in the family of God. But the believer has infinite enjoyment in that he has his spirituality and all of his needs met in this family – God’s family. St. Augustine saw this best in his life when God adopted him. Augustine, having everything he ever wanted, said this after being adopted into the family of God: “Thou hast formed us for thyself. That is our true place. And our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.”^[1] Augustine makes it clear that all of mankind seeks for this adoption – this partaking in the family of God – and will never find enjoyment and rest in life until they find this. That which Christ has paid for (for His elect), which the Spirit can cry for, and which God allows, is that mankind can become heirs of His – and there is nothing sweeter than that. There is nothing to enjoy more in life than this family. It is the highest blessing of the gospel, that you – a sinner and slave of Satan – can now partake in the greatest truth – which is to forever be a part of God’s family.