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March 26 – LD 13, Day 1: Only Begotten and Adopted Sons
Wednesday the 26th of March
in Heidelberg Catechism Meditations
John 1:12 “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.”
Sometimes we are confused by the fact that the Son of God is called the Only Begotten Son while we are also children of God.
We are taught in this Lord’s Day an important and beautiful distinction that is lost in many of the modern versions of the Bible which simply identify Jesus as the Son of God. Not only is that a bad translation, but that teaches bad theology.
There are two kinds of children in the family of God. Jesus is the natural Son while we are adopted children. The point of this Lord’s Day is to set forth the similarity, but also the distance that there is between Christ and believers. The difference is as great as that between the creature and the Creator. There is a huge chasm! But, at the same time we are made brothers of Jesus Christ by being taken into His family by adoption.
Adoption is a wonderful thing. A child, who had nothing, was not wanted by parents, who had an uncertain future, is given a home, security, and legal rights. The one who is adopted should be eternally grateful to God for the parents who took them into their homes and gave them their love. We, who are adopted into God’s family, likewise have reason for constant joy and thankfulness. God took us, fallen children in Adam who deserved to be destroyed with the devil and his family, and brought us into His household. Our adoption was based in no way on what we were or what we would be. But He adopted us so that we would be His children.
Think on that wonder today. Your value is not found in what you have been able to accomplish or what others think of you. Your value is found in the fact that the Living God of heaven and earth, the Creator of the universe has taken you into His family. You are a child of God, and no one can take that wonder from you!