1 Sunday, Octber 12, 2014 Grace Life Schl f Thelgy Grace Histry Prject Lessn 148 Snship Edificatin: Biblical Adptin Accrding t Snship Adptin Accrding t Snship As we saw in Lessn 143, the cncept f snship cmes ut f an understanding f adptin (Rmans 8:15, 23; 9:4; Galatians 4:5; Ephesians 1:5). Adptin is the spiritual prcess whereby believers are adpted int the family f Gd and given a psitin f fully grwn adult sns. As such, Gd deals with them as adults and nt as children wh are under the tutr and gvernr system f the law. Mst Bible teachers within the Grace Mvement wuld ffer a definitin f Biblical Adptin that is similar t the explanatin presented by C.R. Stam in Tw Minutes With the Bible (fllw link t read Stam s statement). Please recall the fllwing shrt definitin f Biblical Adptin that we cited frm the ntes f Mike McDaniel f Millennium Bible Institute: A father adpted his sn fr the purpse f installing and instilling his wisdm int his sn s that the sn wuld labr with his father in all his business. (McDaniel, Snship Orientatin, Lessn 5, Page 5) It is imprtant t nte that Snship Edificatin s (SE) understanding f Biblical adptin exhibited by McDaniel is different frm Stam s understanding cited abve. There is an additinal issue here that is nt present in Stam s explanatin f the adptin/snship. In rder t understand this difference we need t cnsider the varius types f sns identified in Scripture, accrding t SE. Bth Newbld and McDaniel identify five different ways that the wrd sn is used in Scripture: Paternal/Genetic Sn A Paternal/Genetic Sn Genesis 4:17 (1st use); II Samuel 19:4; Acts 16:1 The secnd Member f the Gdhead the Sn f Gd; the Lrd Jesus Christ Himself Matthew 11:27; 16:16; Luke 19:10 A Sn in the Faith Timthy & Titus I Timthy 1:2; Titus 1:4 A Regenerated Sn Jhn 1:11-13 Because f this passage, mst believers nly think f themselves as Gd s sns in the sense f, r in cnnectin with, belnging t the FAMILY OF GOD... It is a passage that has the basic issue f REGENERATION in view! These peple (the remnant f Israel) are in the family f Gd; they are CHILDREN f Gd thrugh regeneratin. (McDaniel, Snship Orientatin: Lessns 1-2, Page 3) Adpted Sns f Gd Rmans 8:14-15; Galatians 4:5 It is necessary fr yu t realize that snship is nt merely the issue f being a member f the family f Gd! Alng
2 with that, yu have gt t appreciate that the Father has tw ways f dealing with His heir: 1) as a child and 2) as a sn an adpted sn! Nt nly is their inheritance different, but the Father is ging t deal with thse tw heirs very differently. (McDaniel, Snship Orientatin: Lessns 1-2, Page 4) (Newbld, Rmans 8 (101-200), Pages 167-169) See Appendix A n page 10 fr extensive qutatins frm Newbld and McDaniel n the subject f Biblical Adptin. SE makes a distinctin between children f Gd in Rmans 8:16 and sns f Gd in Rmans 8:14. Practically, this means that all believers are CHIDLREN OF GOD but that nt all believers are SONS OF GOD r at least that is the implicatin. See Appendix B n page 12 fr extensive qutatins frm Newbld and McDaniel n the Difference Between Children f Gd and Sns f Gd. Whether wittingly r unwittingly Newbld and McDaniel have enunciated a psitin that maintains r at least implies that NOT ALL regenerated children f Gd are adpted sns f Gd. Fllwing this cnfused lgic wuld lead ne t believe that sme regenerated sns are still children in the sense that they ARE UNDER tutrs and gvernrs; meanwhile ther regenerated sns are adpted and dealt with as adults and are therefre NOT UNDER tutrs and gvernrs. Cnsider the fllwing qutatins frm McDaniel n the difference between sns in Rmans 8:14 and children in Rmans 8:16: Qute 1 Qute 2 There are tw items that tip yu ff that the use f the wrd sn in verse 14 is different frm what yu saw in Jhn 1:12. The first thing that indicates a different use f sn is the phrase as many as are led by the Spirit f Gd. Ntice, it des nt say, as many as have the Spirit f Gd. If it had said that, then we wuld be talking abut being regenerated and if that were the case, yu culd understand this use f the wrd sn the same way that we saw it in Jhn 1:12. But nt every child f Gd is being led by the Spirit f Gd. And when yu read that phrase, there is a natural thinking that cmes int yur mind that interprets that as sme kind f inner prmpting r intuitin r sme similar kind f leading aspect that the Spirit is ding in rder t smehw direct us r steer us in the way r activity He wants us t g and that is nt at all what being led by the Spirit means. Nw, we will get t that in due time, but I want t return t the pint that gt us ff n that; there are sme things that tip yu ff that this use f the wrd sn is different frm any ther Nw let s make sure we are n track mentally. All f these things have t d with the use f the wrd sns in Rmans 8:14 referring t an adpted sn. We als see the use f sn as it refers t an adpted sn in Galatians 4. This is ne f thse places where Paul des explain sme things pertaining t the issue f adptin as it applies t us in this dispensatin f grace. T see this, let s begin back in Galatians 3 where he begins his explanatin by saying that ye are all children f Gd.... (Qutes Galatians 3:26) Hw is it that we are children f Gd? We are children f Gd by faith in Christ. That is regeneratin. S it is true that when we trusted Christ, we became children f Gd and, as such, we are in Gd s family. But nw Paul is ging t explain smething abut n lnger being just children, but receiving the adptin f sns; he is ging t take the issue further... (Qutes Galatians 4:1-7)
3 way we have seen the wrd used. When yu prperly understand what being led by the Spirit means, then yu knw that this use f the wrd sn des nt just refer t being a regenerated sn. There is a secnd thing that cnnects t the issue f being the kind f sn that Rmans 8:14 refers t that differentiates this kind f sn t be the prduct, nt f regeneratin, but f a specialized prcess. In ther wrds, the sn f Rmans 8 is being referred t in a highly specialized way; a way that entails mre than just being regenerated. S, if my understanding f this is crrect (and I d nt say it that way because I have any dubts abut it) but if I am crrect, then the kind f sn being referred t in Rmans 8 is a further r additinal issue t that f being a regenerated sn... (Qutes Rmans 8:14-15) The phrase that lets us knw that the sns in these verses are mre than just regenerated children f Gd is ye have received the Spirit f adptin. Adptin is the specialized prcess; a prcess that Gd had nt ever dne befre, which makes us mre than just members f the family f Gd. Unfrtunately, if all yu think abut when yu read in Rmans 8 is that yu are a part f the family f Gd, then this is nt ging t have the impact n yu it is suppsed t have and yu are nt ging t cry Abba Father. In fact, yu wn t even understand what that cry f Abba, Father is all abut. When I say that adptin is a specialized prcess that makes the sns f Rmans 8:15 smething different than just being in the family f Gd r being children f Gd, what I am emphasizing is that the adptin f sns is a dispensatinal matter. (McDaniel, Snship Orientatin: Lessns 5-6, Pages 1-2) As we cvered last time, when yu were a child, yur Father treated yu very differently than He des as a sn. Thse tutrs and gvernrs culd nly teach a child abut the child s father, but hw much better it wuld be t be taken by the Father and have him instruct the sn persnally. Let s put this tgether and see what we have. When yu trusted Jesus Christ as yur Savir, yu became a child f Gd. And in that sense, yu are called a sn. That kind f sn is JUEL. That is exactly what the little flck was being described as in Jhn 1:12. They are saved, justified sns in the sense that they have been made part f the family f Gd. But in sanctificatin, there is a further issue f that being revealed t yu. S let me ask yu, Yu and me, in this dispensatin f grace, are we als sns in the sense that we are part f Gd s family? Of curse we are. We have been JUEL, we have been regenerated and we were made sns in the sense f being made part f Gd s family when we trusted Christ as ur all-sufficient Savir. But nw, in Rmans 8, we are presented with smething mre than just being sns in the sense f being children f Gd. Nw we are tld that we are sns in the sense f being adpted. And if yu knw what biblical adptin is, then yu realize that yu are n lnger being referred t as a child, but nw yu are being referred t as an adult, fr a sn can be a child r an adult. Nw that is nly ne aspect f being an adpted sn. It nt nly implies adulthd and the liberty that cmes alng with being an adult, the change in the relatinship that cmes frm being an adult, but it als pints t the fact that yu are ging t be extended the highest, mst prestigius hnr that culd be ffered t yu; yu are ging t be identified with yur heavenly Father in the mst intimate way. He is ging t take His adpted sn under His wing and begin t teach him everything abut His business including the business secrets that n ther sn will knw. He is ging t teach him hw t think like Him, hw t live like Him and hw t labr like Him. He is ging t d this thrugh an rganized, planned curriculum that will result in the Father putting His character int His sn. Biblical Adptin: A father adpted his sn fr the
4 purpse f installing and instilling his wisdm int his sn s that the sn wuld labr with his father in all his business. (McDaniel, Snship Orientatin: Lessns 5-6, Pages 4-6) At best, this explanatin is cnfused n accunt f the fact that in ther places McDaniel implies that ALL believers are adpted sns but that nt all believers respnd t this knwledge apprpriately by crying Abba Father. That thers were cnfused by these statements is evident judging by the cmments McDaniel made in Snship Orientatin Lessn 25 in which he stated: S the answer t the questin as t hw we are t get that gdly edificatin is answered in Gd s wn curriculum. Snship educatin is the prcess fr gdly edificatin. Snship educatin is the means by which Gd n lnger deals with yu as child, but He nw begins t deal with yu as an adult sn by that specialized prcess called adptin. Tday, in the dispensatin f grace, every believer is autmatically adpted by the Father, the very mment that persn is saved r justified unt eternal life. It becmes then, a questin f hw yu, as a believer in Christ, are ging t respnd t yur adptin as a sn f yur heavenly Father. (McDaniel, Snship Orientatin Lessns 25-26, Page 2) In ther wrds, by a saint failing t be suitably impressed with what is being ffered t him via their adptin sme believers will nt chse t cry Abba Father. Are thse wh fail t cry Abba Father nt adpted r are they simply failing t respnd t their adptin prperly? At best SE is incnsistent n this pint depending upn which lessn(s) ne watches r which set f ntes ne reads. At wrst SE teachers are saying that nt all REGENERATED SONS are adpted and therefre sme are still CHILDREN and cnsequently under tutrs and gvernrs. What is clear is that ne must respnd prperly t their Snship Orientatin, i.e., knwledge f having been adpted in Rmans 8:14-15 by crying Abba Father in rder t get their Snship educatin prperly underway. Crying Abba Father signifies t ur heavenly Father that ne is ready t be persnally educated by Gd himself in his business, accrding t SE. It wuld be gd fr us t remind urselves what we are ding and where this prcess is headed. Several sessins back we came t Rmans 8:14-15: Rmans 8:14 Fr as many as are led by the Spirit f Gd, they are the sns f Gd. 15 Fr ye have nt received the spirit f bndage again t fear; but ye have received the Spirit f adptin, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. In that verse we have nly briefly mentined that t be led by the Spirit f Gd refers t the Spirit leading yu thrugh the curriculum, as the adpted sn that yu are. The nly ther thing we have nted in these verses is the cry f Abba, Father. Abba, Father is the cry f a sn wh, realizing what is being ffered t him and what is expected f him as an adpted sn, wants t be taken and educated by his Father fr the purpse f ne day labring with His Father in His business. Abba, Father is saying yes t yur Father s invitatin t be invlved in everything that pertains t the adptin f sns. It is the fficial statement, s t speak, f the sn wh
5 desires t enter int this intimate Father/sn relatinship that will grm the sn fr participatin in the Father s business. Just as in a (traditinal) wedding ceremny, where bth the husband and the wife are asked if they prmise t fulfill certain respnsibilities t each ther fr the rest f their lives, if they agree t make that cmmitment t each ther, they say I d. Well, Abba, Father is yur I d t yur heavenly Father. Next, yu shuld ntice that Abba, Father is the cry f a sn. The verse des nt say whereby we say, Abba, Father. Neither des it say whereby we think, Abba, Father. It is a cry that cmes ut f yur heart and yur mind. When I say that cry cmes ut f mre than just yur heart, by that I mean that it is mre than just a cry f excitement that yu have been adpted. It is als mre than just a cry f relief that yur relatinship with Gd is nt ne mtivated by fear. I m nt saying that there wn t be excitement r relief, but I am saying that the cry f Abba, Father has t be mre than that. Abba, Father is a cry that has knwledge t it. In fact, withut that knwledge, that cry f Abba, Father cannt be fully made. It wuld be like saying yes t smene befre yu knew what they wuld ask f yu. Therefre, the cry f Abba, Father has an intelligent cmmitment in view. There are things yu have t knw, things yu have t understand, befre yu can really and truly make the kind f cry t yur Father that He is lking fr. That is the reasn we have taken the time t g back and lk at all the things we have lked at, s that when we get back t Rmans 8:14-15 yu really can make that cry f Abba, Father in the fullness that yur Father is lking fr. Just t underscre the imprtance f this, the way I understand this wrks is like this: until yu have all the cmpnents in place, yu can muth the wrds Abba, Father all yu want, but it will nt be what yur heavenly Father is lking fr in rder t begin yur snship educatin and edificatin. Think f it like this: yu cannt just have smene muth the wrds f a prayer t receive Christ as Savir and then think that they are saved just because they said the wrds. They have t understand what they are ding. There has t be sme knwledge abut what is being ffered t them and what is expected (and nt expected!) frm them. It is nly when a persn understands the gspel f grace in its true frm that they can believe in a way that is acceptable t Gd. Fr example, if they d nt fully understand the gspel f grace, they might think that they must call n Jesus (t be saved) AND then they must live a gd life (t stay saved). That is nt true salvatin and Gd des nt acknwledge it as such. In the same way, we are t cry Abba, Father in the way that is acceptable t ur heavenly Father. That way, when yu get back ver t Rmans 8:14-15, the cry that cmes frm yu will be, in every way, what yur Father was lking fr in rder t begin yur educatin as a sn.
6 Nt t belabr the pint, but t make sure that yu have the prper knwledge perating in yu t make that cry f Abba, Father, here is a shrt list f the necessary things yu shuld already understand: Yu are under grace (n lnger under tutrs and gvernrs) Yu are given great liberties as a sn (i.e. decisin-making) Yur relatinship with Gd is lve mtivated (nt fear) Yu are treated as an adult (nt as a child) Yur adptin is the ffer f yur Father t: Educate yu in gdliness Gd s wisdm vs. cmpeting wisdms Only Gd s wisdm can prperly educate yu Persnally take ver yur educatin Write the things in His heart n yur heart A man after Gd s wn heart (first requirement) Edify yu t labr in His business in the heavenly places Adptin is the purpse behind yur redemptin (Galatians 4:5) Yur adptin is THE big issue with Gd (nt just a big issue) Adptin is nt cnfined t the dispensatin f grace Gd dealt with Adam as an adpted sn Everything Gd will d with Israel will be thrugh adptin Everything Gd will d with us will be thrugh adptin Yu must desire t be educated Gd has given yu a curriculum in His wrd His Spirit will lead yu thrugh the curriculum Yur snship will be ppsed By the evil man the wisdm and evil f this wrld By the strange wman the plicy f evil Abba, Father is the cry f a sn (r daughter) wh understands that Gd their heavenly Father is freely ffering, by adptin, the pprtunity t be persnally educated by Him in gdliness (think, live and labr like their Father) thrugh an intimate, tw-way Father/sn relatinship, fr the purpse f (amng ther
7 things) equipping them t labr with Him in His business ut in the heavenly places fr all eternity, and that the sn nt nly desires his adptin, but he als understands what is being ffered t him, he sees that adptin educatin fr what it is, he thinks abut it what his Father thinks abut it, he values it as His heavenly Father values it (abve all else) and he is willing t cmmit himself, his time and his effrt t this educatin, this edificatin and this relatinship. (McDaniel, Snship Orientatin Lessns 21-22, 1-2) See Appendix C n page 14 fr additinal extensive qutatins frm Newbld and McDaniel n Crying Abba Father SE s ntin f Biblical Adptin appeals heavily t a cultural understanding f first century Grec-Rman adptin t sustain its definitin. Appeals are made t extra biblical surces such as ancient Syrian-Rman law bks t make this pint yet n surce citatins are made substantiating these claims. I have spent hurs reading extra biblical surces bth primary and secndary n first century adptin and cannt lcate even ne surce that wuld crrbrate the claims f SE regarding Biblical Adptin. See Appendix D n page 18 fr extensive qutatins frm Newbld and McDaniel n 1 st Century Grec-Rmans Adptin. On the basis f Rmans 9:4, SE views Israel s adptin as setting a pattern fr ur wn as members f the bdy f Christ living in the dispensatin f grace. Bth Newbld and McDaniel fill pages upn pages f ntes discussing hw the structure f adptin is the same fr Israel and the bdy f Christ but that the specific dctrine is different. They apply their definitin f Biblical Adptin t Gd and Adam, Jesse and David, and David and Slmn. Despite the fact that there is n clear verse f Scripture, bth Newbld and McDaniel bldly prclaim that Jesse adpted David. S David is that man after mine wn heart - and Jesse adpted David and taught David abut Gd s Jehvahness and grace. (Newbld, Rmans 8 (201-300), 228) (28:30) He nt nly begins t educate him as an adpted sn, and we saw that thing in Prverbs 3, remember where David said I was my father s sn and the nly belved f my mther, remember? He was the nly sn that they adpted. Why? He s the nly ne that had the heart fr it. He s the nly ne that had the right attitude abut it, and what Jesse saw in him made him special and different frm the ther bys. (29:00) Okay, s he s adpted by Jesse; I believe that, where s the verse that says Jesse adpted David? If yu really understd biblical adptin, yu knw what yu wuld knw. Every father was lking fr a sn t adpt. It wasn t the anmaly; it was the rule f the day. If a father had a business, hw was he ging t carry n that business after him? By adpting a sn r daughter and training them in the business. That s hw the business and the family name survived. Yu wuld be hard pressed t find anybdy in the Bible that didn t adpt smebdy. S fr me, I m nt ging ut n a limb when I say Jesse adpted David just cause there s nt a verse that says that.
8 (29:48) Yu d be ging ut n a limb t say that Jesse didn t adpt any f his bys, and if yu re gnna chse ne f his bys, well just lk at em. Which ne d yu think he chse? Wh d yu want t hand yur business ver t? Eliab, wh s standing up there and listening t a Philistine blaspheme him and his Gd and his natin and his uncle and everybdy else, and he ges, Well I just dn t really like that? Or yu gnna adpt David that says, Give me five rcks, I ll take care f him and his fur brthers. Wh d yu want in charge f the business? (30:24) It s nt rcket science. S when I g, I think Jesse adpted David, I can almst guarantee ya he adpted smebdy; and ut f all f his bys, unless Jesse was just a brain-dead, mrn wrapped in an idit, he adpted David. Excuse me, but I mean, I really think Jesse did better than that. I m just trying t make a pint. (30:49) Nw, David knws what time it is. What is that time? Right here {interlude f mercy between Israel s first and secnd cycles f judgment}. He knws the judgments have been rlled back. I m nt sure, nw I didn t channel David s I dn t really knw fr sure if he understd exactly why Gd was ding it when it gt dne, but he did understand, and we saw this last week, that s why we re nt gnna g back thrugh it; I m just reminding yu f it s we can take it up. He understd sme things abut, what, abut Gd had rlled thse judgments back. He understd at least five f the cmpund Jehvah names because thse things are already there and yu can see them. (31:36) Remember we talked abut the Jehvah-Nissi, Gd ur Cnquering Her? What des he say t Gliath? Gd is ging t deliver yu int ur hands. He understands that cncept. He understands, he shws he understands at least five f the seven Jehvah cmpund names. And s because he understands thse and he has a heart, he s a man after Gd s wn heart, he has that attitude in him; he has a desire fr the things that are in his father s heart t be written n his heart (talking abut Jesse), and he has a desire fr the things his heavenly Father has in his heart t be written n his heart, and Gd lks at him and says, That s the guy I want. (32:10) And he s nt just chsing him as King but he s saying, Because that s King, that s hw he s gnna labr with me in my business in eternity n this earth, s that s the guy I want. And even thugh David sinned, even thugh David had sme failures in his life, listen carefully, that heart was always there. That s what Gd was lking fr. (32:33) (McDaniel, Snship Orientatin Lessn 17 YuTube Vide 28:30 min thrugh 32:33 min) David had been adpted and educated by Jesse. (McDaniel, Snship Orientatin: Lessns 17-18, Page 2) See Appendix E n page 20 fr extensive qutatin frm Newbld and McDaniel n Jesse s Adptin f David. Snship Orientatin spends weeks studying Israel s cvenants, epically the New Cvenant, in an attempt t explain hw Biblical Adptin wrks and prperly rients believers t their snship
9 status s that they can intelligently cry Abba Father. An understanding f Israel s cvenants is viewed as necessary t this prcess. See Appendix F n page 23 fr extensive qutatins n the example f David and Slmn in setting frth Israel s Snship Curriculum. Given the fact that we have already taken up nine pages f ntes n this subject matter and we have nly scratched the surface f what SE has t say abut the matter, we cmmend t yu the fllwing subjects, ntes, and vides fr yur wn cnsideratin. Newbld Israel s adptin as a pattern fr ur wn as well as his cmments n the cvenants and hw they impact snship see Rmans (101-200), Rmans (201-300), and Rmans (301-400). McDaniel Israel s adptin as a pattern fr ur wn as well as his cmments n the cvenants and hw they impact snship see the ntes fr Snship Orientatin Lessns 7-25 r view the lessns n YuTube.
10 Appendix A Newbld and McDaniel n Biblical Adptin Newbld And perhaps the mst astunding r shcking aspect f ancient adptin is the fact that adptin didn t just pertain t sns that were utside the family and brught in frm sme ther family n ancient adptin included the family s wn genetic sns by bld!... The father wuld want a very strng sn and mst f all, he wuld want a sn that wuld pssess the wisdm and the thinking f his father. And the father wuld als want a sn wh wuld be able t take his business and carry n that business, nt just any ld way but t carry it n exactly as the father, himself wuld! And s the father wuld lk ver his sns, and if he fund ne that was willing and able t be educated as his sn, in his father s business then the father wuld adpt that sn and begin persnally teaching all abut his business, alng with the way he (the father) thught, and pass n all his wisdm and experience t his sn s that his sn wuld take n his father s thinking, and living, and then as he labred in his father s business, all f his dealings were as if it were the father, himself wh was engaged in the business. It wuld really be, Like father, like sn! But smetimes the father wuld lk ver his wn, natural brn sns, and still nt be able t find ne with the will, the drive, and the ability t be educated prperly as his sn and in that case the father culd lk utside the family and find a child that wuld fit the bill (s t speak), and he wuld then adpt that unnatural brn sn as his adpted sn, and then educate him t enter int labring with the father in all the father s business. And this was dne s that the integrity and the success and the character f the father and the father s business culd be successfully passed n frm generatin t generatin and it was a way t nt nly keep the integrity f the father s name and McDaniel Biblically, adptin was fr the natural-brn children f a family. That is, a Father wuld adpt His natural sn r daughter. And this was nt unusual, but rather, it was the rule. The primary mtivatin fr adptin was nt pit r sme strng emtin f rescue, but it had in mind the welfare f the family s name and the family s business. It is true that n ccasin, a man might adpt a sn r daughter utside f his wn natural children. It may be that he had n children f his wn. There is anther circumstance that may arise that wuld have a man adpting smene ther than his natural children, but we will discuss that a little later... In adptin, the father wuld be lking fr sme specific traits in the sn r daughter he wuld adpt. The father did nt just want a sn that wuld be able t carry n the family business, but ne that wuld carry n that business with the same cmmitment and dedicatin that he had. The father wuld want a sn that pssessed his wisdm and way f thinking. In ther wrds, the father wanted a sn wh wuld carry n the business exactly as the father himself wuld. T accmplish this adptin, the father wuld lk ver his sns, and if he fund ne that was willing and able t be educated in his father s business, then the father wuld adpt that sn and begin persnally teaching all abut his business. He wuld teach the sn the way he (the father) thught, and pass n all his wisdm and experience t his sn. This was s that his sn wuld take n his father s thinking, and living, and then as he labred in his father s business, all f his dealings were as if it were the father, himself wh was engaged in the business. It wuld really be, Like father, like sn! But smetimes the father wuld lk ver his wn, natural brn sns, and still nt be able t find ne with the desire, the drive, and the ability t be educated prperly as his sn. In that case, the father culd lk utside the family and find a child that wuld fit the bill (s t speak), and he wuld then adpt a child that was nt natural brn. The father
11 the father s business strng, but t insure that it wuld cntinue getting even strnger and mre pwerful as time went n in ther wrds is was a way t insure the father s business against crruptin and weakness and attack and ultimately, failure! (Newbld, Rmans 8 (101-200), Pages 171-173) wuld take that sn (r daughter) and begin t educate them s they culd enter int labring with father in all his business. This was dne s that the integrity and the success and the character f the father and the father s business culd be successfully passed n frm generatin t generatin. It was a way t nt nly keep the integrity f the father s name and the father s business strng, but t insure that it wuld cntinue getting even strnger and mre pwerful as time went n. In ther wrds, it is was a way t ensure the father s business against crruptin, weakness, attack and ultimately, failure! (McDaniel, Snship Orientatin: Lessns 1-2, 5-6)
12 Appendix B Newbld and McDaniel n the Difference Between Children f Gd and Sns f Gd Newbld But it s clear that Paul is NOT using sn that way in Rmans 8! Rmans 8:14-17 (:16) - (:14) sns (ui`,j ften times used t refer t an adult sn) - (:16) children (te,knn) Paul is making a definite distinctin between being a child f Gd and being a sn f Gd because as far as Paul is cncerned, being a child and being a sn AREN T the same thing! In ther wrds, we, in this dispensatin f grace, we re nt nly children f Gd (by being regenerated and members f the family f Gd) - but we re smething mre than that: we re sns f Gd by means f a specialized prcess! The way the apstle Paul uses the wrd sn here in Rmans 8:14 is different than the way yu find it in mst ther places in the Bible. And unfrtunately when mst peple read what Paul says abut us being sns f Gd either in Rmans 8 r ver in Galatians 4 what mst ften cmes t their minds is that passage in Jhn 1:12 12 But as many as received him, t them gave he pwer t becme the sns f Gd, even t them that believe n his name: But yu DO need t recgnize that Gd des, indeed, refer t yu as a sn in the Bible but there is a very special issue in cnnectin with it that sets it apart frm anything else, and every ther categry f sn that exists in the Bible! Here in Rmans 8:14, Paul nw brings up the issue f us being the sns f Gd - but as he des it, he makes it clear that it is a very special categry f sns nt nly because he distinguishes it frm being a child f regeneratin but als because he attaches ne very specialized issue n it that sets it McDaniel But that is nt the way Paul is using sns in Rmans 8. Because f the change in terminlgy, we are made t understand that Paul is making a distinctin between sns and children. Take a lk at these verses. Rmans 8:14 Fr as many as are led by the Spirit f Gd, they are the sns f Gd. Rmans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with ur spirit, that we are the children f Gd: S let s be clear abut this; the apstle Paul des nt cnsider sns and children as being the same thing. This distinctin shws up in that we, in this dispensatin f grace, are nt nly children f Gd (by being regenerated and members f the family f Gd,) but we re smething mre than that: we re sns f Gd by means f a specialized prcess. The way the apstle Paul uses the wrd sn here in Rmans 8:14 is different than the way yu find it in mst ther places in the Bible. Unfrtunately, when mst peple read what Paul says abut us being sns f Gd, (either in Rmans 8 r in Galatians 4) what mst ften cmes t their minds is that passage in Jhn 1:12. What yu need t recgnize is that Gd des indeed refer t yu as a sn in the Bible, but there is a very special issue in cnnectin with it that sets it apart frm anything else, and every ther categry f sn that exists in the Bible. Here in Rmans 8:14, Paul brings up the issue f us being the sns f Gd, but as he des it, he makes it clear that it is a very special categry f sns, nt nly because he distinguishes it frm being a child f regeneratin, but als because he attaches ne very specialized issue n it that sets it apart frm all ther aspects f being sns in Gd s wrd. And it is a dispensatinal issue! (McDaniel, Snship Orientatin: Lessns 1-2, Pages 3-4)
apart frm all ther aspects f being sns in Gd s wrd. (Newbld, Rmans 8 (101-200), Pages 168-169) 13
14 Appendix C Newbld and McDaniel n Crying Abba Father Newbld There is ne ther issue that I want t lk at anther issue that will give yu an appreciatin fr being treated as a sn fr crying, Abba Father! when yu have sme appreciatin fr what it s like t be treated as a child and the anticipatin yu shuld have fr being treated as a sn and t have sme measure (minimal thugh it may be) fr the snship cncept as it has been made knwn thrughut Gd s prgram with Israel is the issue f smething Gd did fr Israel and in Israel s prgram that put n display His J-ness and grace t d fr them what they culdn t d fr themselves. And these are just a cuple f minimal requirements (s t speak); because YOU really need t g and study these things ut n yur wn and pick up an understanding/appreciatin fr them yurself!. (Newbld, Rmans 8 (101-200), Pages 190) And t d that, I believe that it wuld be a big help t us t just get a gist appreciatin f that Palestinian Cvenant s that yu see sme f the details that Gd expected a prperly educated Israelite (and a prperly educated Christian tday) t have s that it all the mre enhances his understanding f being that adpted sn and receiving the adptin f sns and being nw treated as sns s that the crying f Abba Father has sme real punch and sme real zeal and sme real enthusiasm that is based upn much mre than the pastr trying t rev yu up but is based upn a realizatin that yu, yurself have f the greatness f being treated as sns that it really is GREAT t yu! (Newbld, Rmans 8 (101-200), Page 192) S much s, that by the time yu get t Rm. 8:14 & 15, and yu are tld that the capstne f yur gdly sanctificatin in this dispensatin f grace is that yu have received the Spirit f adptin - that alne shuld be enugh fr yur t cry, Abba, Father! (Newbld, Rmans 8 (201-300), Page 201) And this is imprtant t us. Because ne f the issues in crying, Abba, Father, (and ne f the McDaniel In Rmans 8:14 we are tld that we are sns f Gd and the fact that we have received that Spirit f adptin shuld result in ur crying Abba, Father. And that cry is nt sme emtinal utburst that cmes frm sme experience, but it is the intelligent cry f a sn r daughter wh, upn understanding that they have been adpted as sns, cries ut fr the heavenly Father t teach them; t educate them. While a persn may certainly feel emtin upn hearing f their adptin, since it is the mst thrilling news that a persn culd hear, that cry is nt ut f gratitude, emtin, exuberance r any such thing. It is ut f the heart s desire f a sn t nw be educated by his heavenly Father in all that it means t be a sn f Gd. That cry f Abba, Father is saying yes t yur Father s ffer t educate yu in His business. Actually, there are 3 cmpnents that yu are ging t learn abut that cry f Abba Father, but fr nw all yu shuld understand is that that cry indicates the desire f a sn t be educated by his Father in all his business. But there is smething mre that yur Father wants t d with yu than just educate yu in His business. He wants t install His very wn gdly character in yu. D yu knw why He wants t d that? He wants t d that because we represent Him and He wants it t be f such a nature that when we cnduct business (here and nw r in eternity) we d s with His integrity, making the same decisins that He wuld have made. That is having His gdly character installed int us. The result f which is that we learn t think, live and labr with Him. And mre than that, there are sme by-prducts f being educated as a sn f yur heavenly Father such as having the ability t give wise cunsel. Anther byprduct is wise decisin-making skills... And just s yu knw, the installment f gdly character is what every earthly Father shuld be wrking t put int their earthly sns and daughters. S, it makes perfect sense fr yur heavenly Father t install His character in us. And ur cry f Abba, Father is the cry t say t Him that we want that, we desire fr Him t d that with us. (McDaniel, Snship
15 cmpnents that prduces that cry in us), is t understand and appreciate just hw BIG f an issue this snship educatin and edificatin is t Gd t the Father, Himself!!! (Newbld, Rmans 8 (201-300), Page 238) And if all that is ringing true and cming acrss lud and clear - then in view f all that, I want t nw lk at ne mre issue that will start tying all these things tgether that will (r it shuld) increase yur jy and zeal and enthusiasm t a prper degree fr yu t be crying, Abba, Father I want t lk ne mre time at the Perfect Sn - the Lrd Jesus Christ Himself, and recgnize that in His earthly humanity He was adpted as a Sn, He was educated & edified as a Sn, and He perated as a Sn f His Father! (Newbld, Rmans 8 (201-300), Page 252) Nw fr the kicker - If seeing the issue f Gd s purpse and desire in creating man all alng as being a Father t him, and him being His sn and creating man withut being full f wisdm, but having t have wisdm frm Gd s heart imparted t his heart t be educated by his Father and if the issue f seeing that the Lrd Jesus Himself was educated as a Sn by His Father s that even in the final, grueling thrws f His life, the snship educatin and what it sught t achieve was the ultimate pririty f His life if that desn t just thrill yu t knw that yu have the pprtunity t be (as an adpted adult sn yurself) t be put int that exact same curriculum f snship educatin t have the exact same Instructr that Christ Himself had t have the exact same Spirit f Gd r Spirit f adptin t see t it that the infrmatin gets written n the right table f yur heart at the right place and at the right time and if yu are nt just exuberant and full f zeal & enthusiasm t get that educatin s that yu, t, can enter int yur Father s business if all that hasn t prduced the willingness t cry, Abba, Father yurself then try this n fr size... (speaks abut the BOC educating angles in Eph. 3:1-10) Yu shuld nw have at least a minimal requirement (s t speak) type understanding and appreciatin fr a number f things abut being adpted and educated by yur Heavenly Father as His sn that shuld nw be generating in yur inner man the prper zeal and exuberance and jy and enthusiasm t cry Abba, Father in respnse t yu being tld in Rmans Orientatin: Lessns 3-4, Page 1-2) In that verse we have nly briefly mentined that t be led by the Spirit f Gd refers t the Spirit, leading yu thrugh the curriculum, as the adpted sn that yu are. The nly ther thing we have nted in these verses is the cry f Abba, Father. Abba, Father is the cry f a sn wh, realizing what is being ffered t him and what is expected f him as an adpted sn, wants t be taken and educated by his Father fr the purpse f ne day labring with His Father in His business. Abba, Father is saying yes t yur Father s invitatin t be invlved in everything that pertains t the adptin f sns. It is the fficial statement, s t speak, f the sn wh desires t enter int this intimate Father/sn relatinship that will grm the sn fr participatin in the Father s business. Just as in a (traditinal) wedding ceremny, where bth the husband and the wife are asked if they prmise t fulfill certain respnsibilities t each ther fr the rest f their lives, if they agree t make that cmmitment t each ther, they say I d. Well, Abba, Father is yur I d t yur heavenly Father. Next, yu shuld ntice that Abba, Father is the cry f a sn. The verse des nt say whereby we say, Abba, Father. Neither des it say whereby we think, Abba, Father. It is a cry that cmes ut f yur heart and ur mind. When I say that cry cmes ut f mre than just yur heart, by that I mean that it is mre than just a cry f excitement that yu have been adpted. It is als mre than just a cry f relief that yur relatinship with Gd is nt ne mtivated by fear. I m nt saying that there wn t be excitement r relief, but I am saying that the cry f Abba, Father has t be mre than that. Abba, Father is a cry that has knwledge t it. In fact, withut that knwledge, that cry f Abba, Father cannt be fully made. It wuld be like saying yes t smene befre yu knew what they wuld ask f yu. Therefre, the cry f Abba, Father has an intelligent cmmitment in view. There are things yu have t knw, things yu have t understand, befre yu can really and truly make the kind f cry t yur Father that He is lking fr.
16 8:14-15. (Newbld, Rmans 8 (201-300), Pages 258-259) That is the reasn we have taken the time t g back and lk at all the things we have lked at, s that when we get back t Rmans 8:14-15 yu really can make that cry f Abba, Father in the fullness that yur Father is lking fr. Just t underscre the imprtance f this, the way I understand this wrks is like this: until yu have all the cmpnents in place, yu can muth the wrds Abba, Father all yu want, but it will nt be what yur heavenly Father is lking fr in rder t begin yur snship educatin and edificatin. Think f it like this: yu cannt just have smene muth the wrds f a prayer t receive Christ as Savir and then think that they are saved just because they said the wrds. They have t understand what they are ding. There has t be sme knwledge abut what is being ffered t them and what is expected (and nt expected!) frm them. It is nly when a persn understands the gspel f grace in its true frm that they can believe in a way that is acceptable t Gd. Fr example, if they d nt fully understand the gspel f grace, they might think that they must call n Jesus (t be saved) AND then they must live a gd life (t stay saved). That is nt true salvatin and Gd des nt acknwledge it as such. In the same way, we are t cry Abba, Father in the way that is acceptable t ur heavenly Father. That way, when yu get back ver t Rmans 8:14-15, the cry that cmes frm yu will be, in every way, what yur Father was lking fr in rder t begin yur educatin as a sn... Abba, Father is the cry f a sn (r daughter) wh understands that Gd their heavenly Father is freely ffering, by adptin, the pprtunity t be persnally educated by Him in gdliness (think, live and labr like their Father) thrugh an intimate, 2-way Father/sn relatinship, fr the purpse f (amng ther things) equipping them t labr with Him in His business ut in the heavenly places fr all eternity, and that the sn nt nly desires his adptin, but he als understands what is being ffered t him, he sees that adptin educatin fr what it is, he thinks abut it what his Father thinks abut it, he values it as His heavenly Father values it (abve all else) and he is willing t
cmmit himself, his time and his effrt t this educatin, this edificatin and this relatinship. (McDaniel, Snship Orientatin: Lessns 21-22, Page 1-2) 17
18 Appendix D Newbld and McDaniel n 1 st Century Grec-Rmans Adptin Newbld In the Grec-Rman wrld an unadpted child differed very little, ftentimes, frm a slave. But when adptin tk place, the change was dramatic! The adptin prcedure was usually a pretty frmal affair with a lt f symblic traditin cntained in it. It usually invlved the child exchanging his clthing the tga f his yuth was taken ff and he had put n him the tga virilis the tga f his adulthd. The adpted sn wuld receive his father s ring which gave him the same authrity ver his father s business and hldings and mney and it gave him the same pwerful stature as his father in the eyes f his cuntry. (remember this had t be dne, even with a natural brn sn!) And the result f all this ceremny f adptin was that the sn wuld nw enjy all the rights and hnr and privileges and liberty as that f the father. But perhaps ne f the mst striking aspect f being an adpted sn in the ancient wrld had t d with the psitin that the sn had nly thrugh being adpted that is, (and this is critical), an adpted sn had a far strnger psitin than a natural-brn child he had a permanently fixed, pwerfully strng legal standing that was greater than any naturally-brn sn r heir that hadn t been adpted! And that was a huge deal in cnnectin with estates and wills and cntracts and all the legal issues surrunding the father s hldings and the father s estate! In fact, an ancient Rman-Syrian lawbk lays dwn the principle that a father can never put away an adpted sn, and he cannt put away a real (natural-brn) sn withut gd legal grunds. McDaniel When I talk abut Bible-style adptin, I am referring t adptin as it was understd and practiced by the Greeks and the Hebrew peple. Adptin itself was different, the basis behind adptin was different and the wh invlved in adptin culd be very different... The Adptin that Paul refers t is different. It usually des nt invlve a child frm anther family and it is nt because a child has lst his parents and althugh there may be sme emtins invlved, that is far frm the primary thught and feeling invlved in the prcess. Biblically, adptin was fr the natural-brn children f a family. That is, a Father wuld adpt His natural sn r daughter. And this was nt unusual, but rather, it was the rule... In the Grec- Rman wrld, an unadpted child differed very little, ftentimes, frm a slave. But when adptin tk place, the change was dramatic! The adptin prcedure was usually a pretty frmal affair with a lt f symblic traditin cntained in it. It usually invlved the child exchanging his clthing; the tga f his yuth was taken ff and he had put n him the tga virilis (the tga f his adulthd.) The adpted sn wuld receive his father s ring, which gave him the same authrity ver his father s business, hldings and mney and it gave him the same pwerful stature as his father in the eyes f his cuntry. (Remember this had t be dne, even with a natural-brn sn!) The result f all this ceremny f adptin was that the sn wuld nw enjy all the rights, the hnr, the privileges and liberty as the father. But perhaps ne f the mst striking aspect f being an adpted sn in the ancient wrld had t d with the psitin that the sn had nly thrugh being adpted; that is, (and this is critical), an adpted sn had a far strnger psitin than a natural-brn child He had a permanently fixed, pwerfully strng legal standing that was greater than any naturally brn sn r heir that hadn t been adpted! That was very imprtant when it came t dealing with
19 And the remarkable fact is that the adpted sn held a strnger psitin than the sn by birth! In fact, this Rman-Syrian lawbk actually gives an accunt f a natural-brn sn wh had been put away by his father, and then restred t favr with his father but then he did smething t get himself put away a secnd time! And in this accunt the natural-brn sn cmplains that this secnd rejectin by his father is illegal inasmuch as his restratin t favr put him n a level with an adpted sn wh cannt be turned away in that fashin! And these are just sme f the issues cncerning the particular frame f mind behind the cncept f adptin as it was used in the ancient wrld and as it is being used by Paul in Rmans 8. But perhaps the mst critical thing f all t keep in mind in dealing with being an adpted sn f yur Heavenly Father is that when a child gets adpted as a sn he s cnsidered by the Father t be an ADULT SON! And therefre he nw has greater privilege and greater advantages, and mst f all he nw has the freedm and liberty that ges alng with being an adult sn! estates, wills, cntracts and all the legal issues surrunding the father s hldings and the father s estate. In fact, an ancient Rman-Syrian law bk lays dwn the principle that a father can never put away an adpted sn and he cannt put away a real (natural-brn) sn withut gd legal grunds. But the remarkable fact is that the adpted sn held a strnger psitin by his adptin than a natural sn had by birth. In fact, this Rman-Syrian law bk actually gives an accunt f a natural-brn sn wh had been put away by his father, and then restred t favr with his father, but then he did smething t get himself put away a secnd time. In this accunt the natural-brn sn cmplains that this secnd rejectin by his father is illegal inasmuch as his restratin t favr put him n a level with an adpted sn wh cannt be turned away in that fashin. It is interesting that the psitin he is turning t is the adpted psitin, nt the naturalsn psitin. These are just sme f the issues cncerning the particular frame f mind behind the cncept f adptin as it was used in the ancient wrld and this is exactly hw it is being used by Paul in Rmans 8. (McDaniel, Snship Orientatin: Lessns 1-2, 6-7) And that means that the Father is ging t treat his adpted sn DIFFERENT than He wuld treat his unadpted child! And when we re talking abut this Biblically, that difference has t d with hw the child (during childhd) was being raised and that was under the system f tutrs and gvernrs and all that was hw a child was raised under the law! (Newbld, Rmans 8 (101-200), Pages 173-174)
20 Appendix E Newbld and McDaniel n Jesse Adpting David Newbld Nne f which is t say that David s father, Jesse, didn t d a gd jb f educating David, because in fact he did. It s fascinating t see that ver in Isaiah when the dctrine f the Christ in cnnectin with the Davidic cvenant is being set befre Israel, just hw it is that Gd presents it t them: Isa. 11:1-4 - Ntice that the Christ will cme frth ut f the stem f Jesse - and ntice all the snship terminlgy packed in these verses! It s fascinating that Gd ges back ne previus generatin even thugh the Davidic cvenant calls the Christ David s sn but the fascinating thing that Gd is ding here in Isa. 11 is that He is describing the fullness f the Sn s wisdm, and the fullness f the Sn s capacity t rule and t reign and judge with equity fr the meek f the earth (which is a classic example f that critical, discerning judgment the Christ wuld have) and in cnnectin with all that, He s that stem ut f the rt f Jesse. And really as Gd presents it here, He sees the fundatin f all that in David s wn father! And David seems t be the nly sn, amng all the sns f Jesse wh respnded t it - t his snship educatin. David was the ne sn f Jesse that was a man after mine wn heart - he had just what the Father was lking fr in a sn t adpt and educate as His wn! S in the issue f snship educatin, ne f the first things the father is lking fr in a sn he will educate is this fundamental issue that he is a man after mine wn heart this sn wants his father s heart imparted t his heart this sn wants his father s thinking; his father s character; his father s wisdm; his father s integrity; his father s understanding and s frth, t becme ne with him all s that the ultimate gal f that sn can be McDaniel In view f that rejectin, in I Samuel 16, Samuel is sent by Gd t a man called Jesse, the Bethlehemite, t anint ne f his sns as the next king f Israel. Yu already knw that David was the ne chsen, but why was David chsen instead f his brthers and why was David the ne chsen as the example f snship educatin? Let s read the passage t see the answers t thse questins. (Qutes I Sam. 16:1-13)... This happens because David fully educated his sn, Slmn, thrughut his childhd fr all this adpted, adult-sn type educatin. Nne f which is t say that David s father, Jesse, didn t d a gd jb f educating David, because in fact he did. In fact, yu can see this ver in Isaiah when the dctrine f the Christ in cnnectin with the Davidic cvenant is being set befre Israel, just hw it is that Gd presents it t them: (qutes Isaiah 11:1-4) Ntice that the Christ will cme frth ut f the stem f Jesse. Did yu ntice all the snship terminlgy packed in these verses? It s interesting that Gd ges back ne previus generatin, even thugh the Davidic cvenant says that the Christ is David s sn. But what I want yu t ntice is that the fascinating thing that Gd is ding here in Isaiah 11 is that He is describing: the fullness f the Sn s wisdm, and the fullness f the Sn s capacity t rule and t reign and judge with equity fr the meek f the earth (which is a classic example f that critical, discerning judgment the Christ wuld have) and in cnnectin with all that, He s that stem ut f the rt f Jesse. And really as Gd presents it here, He sees the fundatin f all that in David s wn father.