“As we become more attuned to the gospel, we’ll have more of a burden for orphans. As we become more adoption-friendly, we’ll be better able to understand the gospel.”
The opening chapter introduces us to some great ideas about the interconnectedness of God’s adoption of us and how that is reflected in our adoption of children. Russel Moore begins to tell us about his own journey of preaching and thinking about the “theology” of adoption without ever thinking about how that relates to earthly adoption of orphans. He does a great job of showing how we cannot appreciate one fully without the other.
Please take a minute to comment on one of the following questions:
“Without the theological aspect, the emphasis on adoption too easily is seen as mere charity. Without the missional aspect, the doctrine of adoption is too easily seen as mere metaphor.” (p.18)
1. What do you think that statement means? How have you seen this to be true in your own life?
2. When thinking about God’s adoption of us, why is it important for us to understand it beyond “mere metaphor”?
3. How does interlinking the two help us see adoption of orphans as more then just charity or a good deed?
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2 comments:
This discussion and the paralel he draws to adoption of children and our adoption by God is excellent. It is one of the things I have been saying that God has done through our adoption experience with Marcel and Mya. Of course, I always had a fundamental understanding and appreciation of what it means that God has adopted me as His son. But something really phenominal happened in my understanding.
The moment I knew that the two of them were part of our family, I chose to love them in a deep and permanent way. Over the past several months, as I have noticed my love for them continuing to grow more deeply, I have come to appreciate the love the Father has for me. It is hard to even explain, but it is more real than ever before. I am more sure of my standing with Him, of His love for me, because of the love I have for those two children. It is awesome!
When people - especially non-believers - ask why we chose to foster/adopt, it seems as if nothing we say makes sense to them. I think people who don't understand the theology of adoption or God's love for them are suspicious of why we do what we do.
I think without knowing God's love, caring for "someone else's kid" seems crazy. Once you understand how great His love is and how he adopted us and didn't even need to, that is when adoption and foster care seems like something that has to be done on this earth.
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