Thoughts on Christian Living Book #2 by Dr. W. A. Dillard - HTML preview

“ADOPTION,” A MISUNDERSTOOD BIBLE WORD

In human relations, “Adoption” is a legal term describing the process of one becoming a legal son and heir who was not born into the family unit of those doing the adopting. By this definition, the word has no practical meaning in the spiritual world since there is only one way for one to become a child of God, and that is being born from above by the Holy Spirit on the merits of Christ Jesus. So, please do not read this legal definition into the status of a Christian.

This Bible term comes to us as a translation of a composite Greek word, “Huiothesia” (whios, mature son, + thesia, to set or place). “Adoption” is used five times in the New Testament, and each time it is a translation of this same Greek word. Contexts show it to be a term of position rather than relationship.

So, “Adoption” here is not a word of relationship, but of position or status. As it applies to the physical body (Romans 8:23) it references the highest or final status or position of the resurrected body awaiting each of His people. As it applies to the church, (Rom. 8:15, 9:4, Gal. 4:5, Eph. 1:5) it is contrasted with the status of God’s people under the Law: which were

“children.” in the spiritual sense. However, the church being the final system of man’s six days (6.000 years) on earth, it is designed as the positional agency in which God’s people are to achieve the highest degree of spiritual maturity that will enable them to rule and to reign with Jesus in the Millennial Kingdom. Bona fide churches are blessed to be in that position. It remains up to the individual members how what level of maturity they achieve, and subsequently, how great the reward will be at the Judgment Seat of Christ, before Whom all His people must stand.

There are three primary Greek words that designate offspring. They are “Pas” a child in training; “Teknon” a born child; “Huios,” a mature son capable of administering the affairs of life. It is unfortunate that these words are not used with careful discrimination in English translations. Still, the context of their usage is sufficient for the Bible student to understand, discriminately.

One question that plagued this writer is the absence of “Huios” in the writing of John. While Paul is very discriminate in the usage of these words, John will not apply “Huios” to any man except Jesus. References to spiritual men are restricted to “Teknon,” as an indication of the processes of spiritual maturity. Knowing this helps one to understand

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