A Failed Russian Adoption and The Eclipse of the Gospel

Al Mohler:

Of course, far more is at stake here, Christians understand that adoption is a central metaphor of our salvation in Christ. As the Apostle Paul writes:

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. [Romans 8:14-17]

We who through the redemption accomplished by Christ have “received the Spirit of adoption as sons” are now “children of God, and if children, then heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.” Central to this adoption we have received in Christ is its irreversibility. We are not adopted for a term, but for eternity. We are no longer orphans, but are now and forever by the mercy of Christ the children of God and heirs with Christ. The adoption we have received in Christ is not reversible or conditional — it is eternal and unconditional.

We are told that Torry Hansen wanted a child to love, but found that the boy she adopted from Russia was not that child. She claims that the boy has serious psychiatric issues and that she could not handle him. She sent him back to Russia as boy rejected by his adoptive mother.

This is not only a rejection of a boy, unspeakably tragic and ugly as that act is — it is a refutation of adoption itself. The bottom line is that this mother did not want her son anymore.  The Gospel points us to a very different reality. As Russell Moore expresses this great truth, “The New Testament continually points to our adoption in Christ in order to show us that we’re really, really wanted here in the Father’s house.”

The wonder of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is this — not one of us is worthy of adoption. In our sinfulness, not one of us has any claim on the Father’s love, much less a right to adoption. But, the infinitely rich mercy of God is shown us in Christ, in whom believers are adopted by the Father. And this adoption, thanks be to God, is eternal and irreversible.

We have been given adoption as a gift and as a sign of the Gospel. The adoption of any child is a portrait of God’s grace. Just as every earthy marriage points in some way to the marriage supper of the Lamb, every adopted child is a pointer to the Gospel. Thus, any failure in adoption is a slander to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

When adoption fails — whatever the reason — the Gospel is denied.

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