The Ordo Salutis: What is adoption and when does it happen?

 

In the Reformed Christian tradition, there is a lot of theology surrounding the Ordo Salutis (the order of salvation.) Does regeneration come before faith or after faith? Are we elect before or after conversion? Does calling come before or after election? These are some soteriological questions they try to answer about the sequence of events in human salvation with their system of theology and their particular Ordo Salutis. 

In this article, we are going to be digging into adoption. What do the Reformed Calvinists believe adoption is? When do they think it happens? And above all, what does Scripture actually tell us about the topic? 

Before we dive in, we want to tip our hand to you so you know our view and where we're coming from on this topic. We will then unpack everything and show how we arrive at the view we hold. Our view is that adoption for Christians in Scripture refers to an event that happens to God's children. It's the redemption of physical bodies where they are made immortal and incorruptible. This redemption of physical bodies happens at the glorification of believers in the eschaton. This adoption is a future event that has not yet taken place. 

THE REFORMED VIEW ON WHAT ADOPTION IS

Ligonier Ministries: "In adoption, He makes the justified His beloved children with whom He dwells."   

John Calvin: "The end of adoption is simply that we should be considered His children." - Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God, p.126-127 

Tim Challies: "An act of God in which he makes us members of his family."  

We Are Reformed: "An act of God in which he makes us members of his family." 

Table Talk Magazine: "Adoption is the gracious act of God wherein He makes justified sinners His beloved children."

Westminster Shorter Catechism, 34: "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."  

Reformation 21: "For the apostle, the word “adoption” symbolized “God’s love and grace in accepting believers as His children, intimate members of His family.” 

 

THE REFORMED VIEW ON WHEN ADOPTION HAPPENS

Virtually everyone in the Reformed camp agrees that

in their Ordo Salutis Adoption happens after Justification but before Sanctification. This is the view of A Puritan's Mind, Westminster Shorter Catechism, ThirdMill, and Monergism to name a few. 

 

WHAT'S AT STAKE? WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT TO THE REFORMED POSITION? 

The underlying reason why it's so important for the Reformed Calvinists to believe that Christian adoption means to be made a member of God's family and that this occurs temporally immediately following justification is that in Reformed Theology there is a very important doctrine called Unconditional Election or sometimes referred to as the doctrine of Predestination. 

"Unconditional election is God’s free choice before creation, not based on foreseen faith, to which traitors he will grant faith and repentance, pardoning them and adopting them into his everlasting family of joy." - John Piper, Five Reasons to Embrace Unconditional Election

One of the key linchpins of this doctrine is Ephesians 1:5 which reads: 

Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Notice above that Piper actually mentioned adoption in his definition of what Unconditional Election is. Even Monergism cites the verse as a proof text for the doctrine. The verse is so critical that Reformed Wiki has it ranked as the #1 verse in the Bible about Unconditional Election. 

But what if the Reformed tradition was wrong about what adoption is and when it happens? If they were it would likely undermine and weaken their doctrine of Unconditional Election. 

ADOPTION IS PAULINE

Unlike some words in the Bible that have dozens of mentions to help us develop a robust understanding of what it means and its ranges, adoption is only mentioned specifically by name five times. All five of these mentions are in Paul's epistles. These verses are Romans 8:15, Romans 8:23, Romans 9:4, Galatians 4:5, and last but certainly not least Ephesians 1:5. While Paul doesn't go to great lengths to talk about adoption, what it means, and when it happens, it does become clear when we allow Paul to define his words for us and compare Scripture with Scripture.

  

THE BIBLICAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT ADOPTION IS

 

Beginning in Romans 5 through Romans 8, the Apostle Paul begins articulating the origin of human mortality, its consequences, its effects on humanity, and how God is working to rectify, correct, and reverse the mistakes made by his creatures to bring about the redemption of our bodies. 

Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Rom 7:22-25 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. 

Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.  

Rom 8:21-23 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.  

The Apostle Paul is quite clear in what he means when he uses the word adoption. He even defines it for us.  According to Paul, the adoption is the redemption of our physical body. That's the view we take. Adoption doesn't mean to be spiritually added to God's family like the Reformed position asserts. Adoption is the redemption of the body. 

THE BIBLICAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHEN ADOPTION HAPPENS 

 

Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 

In the same verse that we looked at above for what adoption is, we are also told when adoption happens. Paul says we are waiting for the adoption. The adoption has not yet happened to Christians. However, Paul says in the same breath that Christians do have the firstfruits of the Spirit. God has begun a work in Christians, but the completion of this work which is the redemption of our bodies has not happened yet. We are waiting for that miraculous work from our heavenly Father. 

Eph 1:12-14 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. 

Paul says that those who have trusted in the gospel of our salvation are sealed with the holy Spirit. It is extremely likely that this is what Paul is referring to in Romans 8:23 when he talks about Christians having the "firstfruits of the Spirit." In the same passage, Paul says that this is our inheritance until the redemption of Christians who are the purchased possession. This redemption hasn't happened yet in Paul's mind. Recall how Paul said the adoption is the redemption of our body. This is what Paul is referring to in Ephesians 1. The holy Spirit is God's promise and earnest payment to believers that demonstrates his seriousness, intention, and commitment to bodily redeem those who believe on the Son. 

Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 

Further into Ephesians we see Paul reference back to what he said in chapter 1. Christians are sealed by the Spirit of God unto the day of redemption. He is again referring to the redemption of the body which is adoption in Paul's mind. 

SO IF ADOPTION HASN'T HAPPENED YET, ARE WE NOT CHILDREN OF GOD YET?  

 

This is a great question. Believers are already children of God. They have been born of God spiritually by His working for those who have believed on the Son. John makes this quite clear for us. 

Joh 1:12-13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 

Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 

1Jn 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

Christians are the children of God spiritually. They have been born again. The adoption is the future physical redemption of the body which descends from Adam who is the father of our flesh. In adoption, our heavenly Father adopts our bodies from our physical father and takes them from corruption to incorruption. He takes them from mortal to immortal. He takes them from weakness to power. He takes them from dishonor to glory. 

Php 3:20-21 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. 

Rom 8:18-19 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Christians are already the sons of God. However, there is a future physical manifestation and redemption that we are looking for at Christ's return for his sheep. Then we will be given glorified bodies like him and physically adopted over from Adam.  

EXAMINING REFORMED PROOFTEXTS 

Prooftext #1

Gal 4:4-6 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 

Explanation #1 

Verse 5 of the above passage says "that we might receive the adoption of sons." This passage doesn't clearly articulate adoption happening after justification but before sanctification like the Reformed Ordo Salutis says. Christians receiving the adoption isn't the point of contention. The point of contention that needs to be resolved is proving to us that adoption isn't about the glorification of the body; and that it's rather something that happens after justification but before sanctification. 

Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 

1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 

The point of contention also is not whether or not Christians are already God's children. We most certainly are God's children. We simply understand that adoption is referring to the physical redemption of those who are spiritually God's children. These children have been born of Him spiritually through faith in the gospel. Adam is the father of our unregenerate flesh. In adoption, God adopts our bodies from our physical progenitor and makes them His own through glorification. Until that glorification, we have the firstfruits of the holy Spirit as God's seriousness, intention, and commitment to bodily redeem what has already been redeemed spiritually. Romans 8:23 parallels perfectly with Galatians 4:4-6. Christians do have the firstfruits of the Spirit. We are the sons of God now. However, we still groan within ourselves waiting for the adoption. The adoption of sons is the physical adoption that the spiritual sons of God will receive when Christ appears as 1 John 3:2 says. At that point we will be adopted. At that point we will be glorified. 

 

Prooftext #2 

Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 

Explanation #2 

This verse from Paul has some similar language to what was said in Galatians 4. Remember that in Galatians 4 we see that Christians receive the Spirit of adoption because we are sons. The Spirit of adoption doesn't make us a son of God. The Spirit of adoption is the holy Spirit. When we compare Romans 8 with Ephesians 1 we get a deeper grasp of this verse. 

Eph 1:13-14 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. 

 Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 

The holy Spirit is the Spirit of adoption because we are sealed by that Spirit until the adoption. We have the firstfruits of the Spirit now. However, we are waiting for the adoption which is the redemption of our bodies. To argue that Christians having the Spirit of adoption equates to adoption having already occurred is to pit Romans 8:15 and Romans 8:23 against one another.  

CONCLUSION & RAMIFICATIONS

 

Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 

Eph 1:11-14 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. 

Based on the data from Scripture we conclude that the Reformed perspective is in error on both what adoption is and when it happens. Adoption isn't God considering us his children. Adoption doesn't happen after justification and before sanctification. Adoption is the redemption of the body. Adoption occurs when Christ appears to gather his Church. Ephesians 1:5 is saying that Christians have been predestinated to bodily redemption and glorification. This predestination is apart of the inheritance that Christians have obtained. After someone trusts in Christ through hearing the gospel they receive the earnest of their inheritance. That earnest is being sealed with the holy Spirit which is God's promise that he will redeem the believer's body. The fact that this redemption will happen has already been predestined; meaning that it is a settled matter. 

These facts don't seem congruent with Ephesians 1:5 being proof of Unconditional Election. Adoption is Christocentric and corporate. It's Christocentric because our physical redemption, being raised from the grave, and defeating death are linked to Christ being first raised from the grave and defeating death. We are physically redeemed when Christ returns for us. There is no physical redemption outside of Christ. Adoption is corporate because it's a promise and a settled matter in advance for those who have first trusted Christ as Paul says in Ephesians 1. Because the Reformed view misses what adoption is and means in Ephesians 1:5 they jettison its connection with verses 11-14 in the same chapter. They are both talking about the redemption of the body and the believer's security unto that end through Christ.