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Adoption

✚ Soteriology

An act of God's free grace, by which all those who are justified are received into the number of his children, have his name put upon them, receive the Spirit of adoption, have access to the throne of grace with boldness, and are entitled to the privileges of the children of God. WCF XII is a single, densely packed section.

Westminster Confession

1 section
XII.1
Of Adoption →

All those that are justified God vouchsafeth, in and for his only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption; by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God; have his name put upon them; receive the Spirit of adoption; have access to the throne of grace with boldness; are enabled to cry, Abba, Father; are pitied, protected, provided for, and chastened by him as by a father; yet never cast off, but sealed to the day of redemption, and inherit the promises, as heirs of everlasting salvation.

Shorter Catechism

1 question
Q.34
What is adoption? →

Adoption is an act of God's free grace, whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges, of the sons of God.

Larger Catechism

1 question
Q.74
What is adoption? →

Adoption is an act of the free grace of God, in and for his only Son Jesus Christ, whereby all those that are justified are received into the number of his children, have his name put upon them, the Spirit of his Son given to them, are under his fatherly care and dispensations, admitted to all the liberties and privileges of the sons of God, made heirs of all the promises, and fellow heirs with Christ in glory.

Sum of Saving Knowledge

1 section
Head IV. The blessings which are effectually conveyed by these means to the Lord's elect §4 →
By those outward ordinances, as our Lord makes the reprobate inexcusable, so, by the power of his Spirit, he applies to the elect, effectually, all saving graces purchased to them in the covenant of redemption, and makes a change in their persons. In particular:

He does convert or regenerate them, by giving spiritual life to them, in opening their understandings, renewing their wills, affections, and faculties, for giving spiritual obedience to his commands.

He gives them saving faith, by making them, in the sense of deserved condemnation, to give their consent heartily to the covenant of grace, and to embrace Jesus Christ unfeignedly.

He gives them repentance, by making them, with godly sorrow, in the hatred of sin, and love of righteousness, turn from all iniquity to the service of God.

He sanctifies them, by making them go on and persevere in faith and spiritual obedience to the law of God, manifested by fruitfulness in all duties, and doing good works, as God offers occasion.

Together with this inward change of their persons, God changes also their state: for, so soon as they are brought by faith into the covenant of grace, he justifies them, by imputing to them that perfect obedience which Christ gave to the law, and the satisfaction also which upon the cross Christ gave to justice in their name.

He reconciles them, and makes them friends to God, who were before enemies of God. He adopts them, that they shall be no more children of Satan, but children of God, enriched with all spiritual privileges of his sons.

And, last of all, after their warfare in this life is ended, he perfects the holiness and blessedness, first of their souls at their death, and then both of their souls and their bodies, being joyfully joined together again in the resurrection, at the day of his glorious coming to judgment, when all the wicked shall be sent away to hell, with Satan whom they have served: but Christ's own chosen and redeemed ones, true believers, students of holiness, shall remain with himself for ever, in the state of glorification.

→ This section in the Sum of Saving Knowledge