Adoption and Its Implications for Sin and Holiness Theology

Adoption, in a theological context, refers to the act of God's grace by which believers are brought into his redeemed family, receiving the name, place, and privileges of a son or daughter, though not by natural birth ^{[3, 1]}. This concept is prominently used by the Apostle Paul to describe the present and future privileges of Christians ^[1]. It draws an analogy from the Roman custom where a person without natural children could adopt someone born of other parents, establishing a relationship that was, in all legal and social aspects, identical to that of a natural father and son ^[1].

The biblical understanding of adoption highlights a profound shift in relationship with God. Before adoption, humanity is universally under the power of sin, unable to find favor with God through their own actions ^[11]. All human beings are born with a sinful nature ^[7], and sin is characterized by acts of vanity, disobedience, and rebellion against God ^{[8, 9, 10]}. The concept of sin encompasses both the corrupt nature inherited and the actual transgressions committed, even after conversion ^[12]. God's anger is a necessary, holy response to this sin ^[11].

Through adoption, believers are received into God's family from the world ^[1]. This act is entirely by God's grace ^[2]. It is accomplished through Christ, who makes it possible for those who believe in him to become children of God ^[2]. The Holy Spirit serves as a witness to this adoption, and being led by the Spirit is an evidence of it ^[2]. This new relationship is not merely a legal declaration but involves a spiritual transformation, often connected with the new birth ^[2].

The implications of adoption for sin and holiness theology are significant. As adopted children of God, believers are called to a life of holiness. Holiness, in its highest sense, belongs to God himself ^[6]. For Christians, holiness means being consecrated to God's service and conforming to his will in all things ^[6]. This is not an instantaneous achievement but a work of gradual development, requiring watchfulness, prayer, and perseverance ^[6]. God's will for believers is to be holy, embracing all aspects of a person's life ^[16].

The example of Christ is central to understanding the call to holiness for the adopted. Christ's example is perfect, and conformity to it is required in righteousness, purity, love, humility, meekness, obedience, and self-denial ^[4]. The very object of Christ's manifestation was to take away sins, and in him there is no sin ^[15]. Therefore, those adopted into God's family are called to reflect this purity ^[15].

The contrast between the state of sin and the call to holiness is stark. Before adoption, individuals are characterized by sin, which can be understood as deliberate acts of rebellion ^[10]. The wicked indulge their sinful nature, while the godly fight against it ^[7]. Sin is not merely an external act but stems from a corrupt nature ^[12]. The sin offering in the Old Testament, such as the bullock brought by Aaron and his sons, served as a public and solemn confession of personal sins and a transference of guilt to a typical victim ^[17].

Adoption introduces believers into a new identity where they are claimed by Christ and ultimately by God ^[13]. This new identity means that believers are to welcome other believers, with all their flaws and sins, into fellowship, just as Christ has accepted them ^[14]. This acceptance, however, does not negate the call to holiness but rather provides the foundation for it. The inward and spiritual grace of regeneration, signified by baptism, is connected to the remission of sins and the unity of the church ^[5].

The concept of adoption underscores the radical change in status and relationship that occurs for believers. It moves them from a state of alienation due to sin to a position of intimate familial relationship with God. This new relationship brings with it both privileges and responsibilities, particularly the pursuit of holiness as a reflection of their divine parentage.

Sources

Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Adoption — an expression used by St. Paul in reference to the present and prospective privileges of Christians. (Romans 8:15,23; Galatians 4:5; Ephesians 1:5) He probably alludes to the Roman custom by which a person not having children of his own might adopt as his son one born of other parents. The relationship was to all intents and purposes the same as existed between a natural father and son. The term is used figuratively to show the close relationship to God of the Christian. (Galatians 4:4,5; Romans 8:14-17) He is received into God's family from the world, and ”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Adoption — Explained -- 2Co 6:18. Is according to promise -- Ro 9:8; Ga 3:29. Is by faith -- Ga 3:7,26. Is of God's grace -- Eze 16:3-6; Ro 4:16,17; Eph 1:5,6,11. Is through Christ -- Joh 1:12; Ga 4:4,5; Eph 1:5; Heb 2:10,13. Saints predestinated to -- Ro 8:29; Eph 1:5,11. Of Gentiles, predicted -- Ho 2:23; Ro 9:24-26; Eph 3:6. The Adopted are gathered together in one by Christ -- Joh 11:52. New birth connected with -- Joh 1:12,13. The Holy Spirit is a Witness of -- Ro 8:16. Being led by the Spirit is an evidence of -- Ro 8:14. Saints receive the Spirit of -- Ro 8:15”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Adoption — The giving to any one the name and place and privileges of a son who is not a son by birth. (1.) Natural. Thus Pharaoh's daughter adopted Moses (Ex. 2:10), and Mordecai Esther (Esther 2:7). (2.) National. God adopted Israel (Ex. 4:22; Deut. 7:6; Hos. 11:1; Rom. 9:4). (3.) Spiritual. An act of God's grace by which he brings men into the number of his redeemed family, and makes them partakers of all the blessings he has provided for them. Adoption represents the new relations into which the believer is introduced by justification, and the privileges connecte”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Example of Christ, The — Is perfect -- Heb 7:26. Conformity to, required in Holiness. -- 1Pe 1:15,16; Ro 1:6. Righteousness. -- 1Jo 2:6. Purity. -- 1Jo 3:3. Love. -- Joh 13:34; Eph 5:2; 1Jo 3:16. Humility. -- Lu 22:27; Php 2:5,7. Meekness. -- Mt 11:29. Obedience. -- Joh 15:10. Self-denial. -- Mt 16:24; Ro 15:3. Ministering to others. -- Mt 20:28; Joh 13:14,15. Benevolence. -- Ac 20:35; 2Co 8:7,9. Forgiving injuries. -- Col 3:13. Overcoming the world. -- Joh 16:33; 1Jo 5:4. Being not of the world. -- Joh 17:16. Being guileless. -- 1Pe 2:21-22. Suffering wrongfully. --”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Baptism — As administered by John -- Mt 3:5-12; Joh 3:23; Ac 13:24; 19:4. Sanctioned by Christ's submission to it -- Mt 3:13-15; Lu 3:21. Adopted by Christ -- Joh 3:22; 4:1,2. Appointed an ordinance of the Christian church -- Mt 28:19,20; Mr 16:15,16. To be administered in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- Mt 28:19. Water, the outward and visible sign in -- Ac 8:36; 10:47. Regeneration, the inward and spiritual grace of -- Joh 3:3,5,6; Ro 6:3,4,11. Remission of sins, signified by -- Ac 2:38; 22:16. Unity of the Church effected by -- 1Co 12:13; Ga 3:27,2”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Holiness — In the highest sense belongs to God (Isa. 6:3; Rev. 15:4), and to Christians as consecrated to God's service, and in so far as they are conformed in all things to the will of God (Rom. 6:19, 22; Eph. 1:4; Titus 1:8; 1 Pet. 1:15). Personal holiness is a work of gradual development. It is carried on under many hindrances, hence the frequent admonitions to watchfulness, prayer, and perseverance (1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 7:1; Eph. 4:23, 24). (See [280]SANCTIFICATION.)”
Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 58:3: 58:3 All human beings are born sinners (see 51:5); however, whereas the wicked indulge their sinful nature, the godly fight against it (Rom 7:19-23; Jas 4:1-10).”
Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 30:8: vanity--all sorts of sinful acts (Job 11:11; Isa 5:18).”
Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 3:13: beguiled--cajoled by flattering lies. This sin of the first pair was heinous and aggravated--it was not simply eating an apple, but a love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude to a benefactor, disobedience to the best of Masters--a preference of the creature to the Creator.”
Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 19:13: 19:13 An individual who commits deliberate sins does so with an insolent (86:14) or arrogant (119:21, 69) attitude. • The great sin is rebellion (see 32:1).”
Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 1:18: 1:18–3:20 Paul delays exploring the theme of righteousness through faith (see 3:21) until after he first teaches about universal sinfulness. Gentiles (1:18-32) and Jews (2:1–3:8) are equally under sin’s power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own (3:9-20). 1:18 God’s anger is not a spontaneous emotional outburst, but the holy God’s necessary response to sin. The Old Testament often depicts God’s anger (Exod 32:10-12; Num 11:1; Jer 21:3-7) and predicts a decisive outpouring of God’s wrath on human sin at the end of history. While Paul usually de”
1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 1:10: Parallel to Jo1 1:8. we have not sinned--referring to the commission of actual sins, even after regeneration and conversion; whereas in Jo1 1:8, "we have no sin," refers to the present GUILT remaining (until cleansed) from the actual sins committed, and to the SIN of our corrupt old nature still adhering to us. The perfect "have . . . sinned" brings down the commission of sins to the present time, not merely sins committed before, but since, conversion. we make him a liar--a gradation; Jo1 1:6, "we lie"; Jo1 1:8, "we deceive ourselves"; worst of al”
1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 3:23: 3:23 Just as they may now claim everything as their own, so Christ has claimed them for himself (see Rom 14:7-9), and in Christ they are ultimately claimed by God (see 1 Cor 6:19-20; 7:23).”
Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 15:7: 15:7 To accept each other means more than grudgingly putting up with each other. We are to welcome other believers, with all their flaws and sins, into our fellowship and treat them as family (see study note on 12:10), just as Christ has accepted us, with all our flaws and sins, into his fellowship and family (5:8-11).”
1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 3:5: Additional proof of the incompatibility of sin and sonship; the very object of Christ's manifestation in the flesh was to take away (by one act, and entirely, aorist) all sins, as the scapegoat did typically. and--another proof of the same. in him is no sin--not "was," but "is," as in Jo1 3:7, "He is righteous," and Jo1 3:3, "He is pure." Therefore we are to be so.”
1 Thessalonians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Thessalonians 4:3: 4:3 God’s will is for you to be holy: The foundation of Christian ethics is not philosophical speculation about virtue but doing God’s will (Rom 12:1-2; Eph 6:6; Heb 10:36; 13:20-21). Holiness (1 Thes 4:4, 7) embraces all of a person’s life (5:23); here it involves staying away from sexual sin (Greek porneia, any sexual union outside marriage).”
Leviticus (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Leviticus 8:14: brought the bullock for the sin offering, &c.--a timely expression of their sense of unworthiness--a public and solemn confession of their personal sins and a transference of their guilt to the typical victim.”

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