....... that once we are adopted, He NEVER sends us back and loving us means "NEVER letting us go".
Good Morning America interviewed Melissa and Tony Wescott, who are fighting to return their adopted 11-year-old son to the state of Oklahoma because he has severe psychiatric problems. They say loving him now means "letting him go."
Scripture reference: Ephesians 1:3-14
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he has made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he has purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fullness of times (the 1,000 year reign of Christ on the earth known as the Millenuim) he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom you also trusted, having believed the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: you were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest (downpayment) of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory."
To use a word from Christmas shopping lexicon, the earnest downpayment until the redemption of the purchased possession is like being put on "lay-a-way" only God doesn't pay for us a little at a time and then redeems us, He purchased us in full at the cross but is waiting until the Rapture of the Church to rightfully claim us.
From the Scofield Reference Bible note on Ephesians 1:5
"Adoption" (Greek huiothesia, meaning placing as a son) is not so much a word of relationship as of position. In regeneration a Christian receives the nature of a child of God; in adoption he receives the position of a child of God. Every Christian obtains the place of a child and the right to be called a son the moment he believes (Gal 3:25-26). The indwelling Holy Spirit gives the realization of this in the Christian's present experience (Gal 4:6); but the full manifestation of his sonship awaits the resurrection, change, and translation of saints, which is called "the redemption of the body" (Eph 1:14 & Rom 8:23).
Notice that the Holy Spirit Himself is the seal. In the symbolism of scripture a seal signifies 3 things:
1) a finished transaction
2) ownership
3) security
Question... if the giving of the Holy Spirit has taken place to a believer, one adopted as a child of God based on trust in Christ, and the Holy Spirit seals the believer instantly, how could said believer ever be lost?
Answer... they can't. As noted above, this is a finished transaction where the believer is no longer their own but they are owned by God. God is not going to let anyone or anything take an adopted child away from Him... no matter how badly the adopted child acts. If the adopted child is rebellious, God has a way of dealing with them (see Hebrews ch. 12).
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