Compelled by Theology

Although Jennifer and I were both raised by our biological parents, our lives have been directly touched by adoption. We have been adopted into the family of God through Jesus Christ:

Romans 8:15 (ESV)
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"

In Christ, according to the above passage, we have received the Spirit of adoption. That means we were once outside God's family, but through the work of Christ we have become His children. We have been grafted into a family that we were not "naturally" born into, and it has radically changed our lives. Our own adoption into God's family compels us to pursue adopting a daughter from China.

The Bible indicates that an adopted child has the same status within the family as one who is "natural born." This principle is evident in Jesus' life. Both Matthew and Luke trace Jesus' genealogy not through Mary, but through Joseph (Matthew 1:16 and Luke 3:23ff). In other words, they establish Jesus' relationship to people like David, Abraham, and Adam through his adoptive father Joseph. Jesus' link to these figures is no small matter theologically. His pedigree, in part, identifes Him as the long-awaited Savior prophesied throughout the Older Testament. From the perspective of the inspired authors of the gospels, Jesus' geneaology was exactly the same as if he had been Joseph's biological son.

As we observe that adopted children are no different in status than biological children within the family, we are also motivated to adopt by the Lord's covenant promises. For example, Genesis 17:7-8 (ESV) says:

And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.

Some Christians believe that these promises applied only to the nation of Israel, and therefore cannot apply to believers now. We find no evidence in the New Testament, however, that believers in Christ have been excluded from the covenant or the promises. On the contrary under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul speaks of the divison between Jew and Gentile being broken down (Ephesians 2:11-22). Then he makes this striking statement:

Ephesians 3:6 (ESV)
This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Both Jews and Gentiles are fellow heirs and partakers of the promise through the gospel. The covenant is of major importance throughout the Old Testament. Had God decided to set aside His covenant, we would expect explicit teaching indicating the change. We are convinced no such statement exists. On the contrary, as Peter is proclaiming the gospel at Pentecost, he affirms the pattern that has been firmly in place throughout redemptive history:

Acts 2:37-39 (ESV)
Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself."

God's promise stands to this very day for those who are in Christ. His covenant is not only for us, but also for our children after us. It is in this hope that we are excited to adopt a daughter from China. We believe God's promise, and look forward to His work in her life, as we do for our other children.