The Greatest Secret: How Being God's Adopted Children Changes EverythingSample

Adoption – The meaning of life, the universe and everything

Adoption is what some might call a Cinderella subject. Just like the unwanted step-daughter in the fairy tale, the doctrine of adoption has been deemed to be an embarrassment, locked away from the public eye, not given the attention or honour it deserved, and definitely not permitted to come to the ball. It never gets invited to the worship parties or the conference main stage; instead it is banished to the cellar – perhaps it will be let out when all the endless chores are done. 

We know how the story ends. The silenced and forgotten one, the downtrodden, unacknowledged and unappreciated turns out to be more precious and beautiful than anyone could have imagined. Once discovered and given her rightful place, there is due honour. The whole kingdom celebrates.

It’s time for a Cinderella revolution. The neglected need to be celebrated. The forgotten need to be remembered. The suppressed need to be liberated. It’s time for a seismic reversal. We need to pull the doctrine of adoption out of the dust and ashes, and display it with all the glory that it deserves. And guess what? The shoe fits. We don’t have to cut our gospel down or squeeze it out of shape to awkwardly accommodate this strange new doctrine. Quite the opposite – they fit together perfectly because they were always meant to. Everything that we value most about life, faith and the universe makes better sense when we understand God’s adoption of us. It does not have to be a dirty secret. It is the key to unlocking untold riches, joys and treasures of the Christian faith. 

This claim is written in clear and unmistakable language in the world’s best-selling book, in one of its most influential sections of one of its most beloved chapters: Romans chapter 8. At the heart of the passage is the momentous revelation that our creation, our destination, our salvation – or, in other words, life, death and the universe – are all awaiting, building up to, straining towards … our adoption!

Adoption is arguably the Christian faith’s greatest secret. Great in its place in God’s plan for the universe. Great in its capacity to reform our life and faith. Great in its brilliance and promise and purpose.