Westminster Twelve: Of Adoption

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1. All those that are justified, God vouchsafeth, in and for His only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption (Eph. 1:5; Gal. 4:4–5), by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God (Rom. 8:17; John 1:12), have His name put upon them (Jer. 14:9; 2 Cor. 6:18; Rev. 3:12), receive the spirit of adoption (Rom. 8:15), have access to the throne of grace with boldness (Eph. 3:12; Rom. 5:2), are enabled to cry, Abba, Father (Gal. 4:6), are pitied (Ps. 103:13), protected (Prov. 14:26), provided for (Matt. 6:30, 32; 1 Pet. 5:7), and chastened by Him as by a Father (Heb. 12:6): yet never cast off (Lam. 3:31), but sealed to the day of redemption (Eph. 4:30); and inherit the promises (Heb. 6:12), as heirs of everlasting salvation (1 Pet. 1:3–4; Heb. 1:14).

As a consequence of justification, God promises to bring those justified into His family as adopted children. This inclusion is itself a grace, the grace of adoption. This grace of adoption into the family has many attendant privileges. The first is that we take on the name of the family; we are Christians. Not only are we adopted, we receive the spirit of adoption. Because we now belong to the household, we can walk right in. Our relationship to the Father is such that we may cry out to Him as Abba. He, in His capacity as Father, pities us, protects us, supplies our needs, and spanks us. The relationship cannot be undone, as we are sealed for the day of redemption, and will necessarily inherit the promises. We are heirs, in this family, of everlasting salvation.