Don't Be Deceived: The Rapture Happens First

As the world moves closer to another world war, which may include nuclear weapons, some speculate that the Tribulation period has already begun.

Others grow weary of waiting for the Lord’s return. How much longer will Jesus keep us on earth before He comes for us? Is He really going to keep us out of the time of the Lord’s wrath that’s rapidly approaching our world?

Please know that the Bible assures us that Lord will come for us before the start of the seven-year Tribulation, which begins the moment that the antichrist makes a covenant with Israel. This has not yet happened!

1Thessalonians 5:1-11 provides much needed encouragement regarding our hope in Jesus’ soon appearing. In this passage, the Lord through the Apostle Paul promises that we as believers in Jesus will miss the wrath of the coming Day of the Lord, which includes all of the Tribulation period.

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Don’t Be Deceived: The Rapture Happens First — Jonathan Brentner

In recent years, however, the Greek Word apostasia , translated “falling away” in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, has received heightened scrutiny with many regarding this as a reference to the Rapture. Can we justify interpreting the word as a physical departure such as would point to Jesus’ appearing to ta

www.jonathanbrentner.com

 

[mikhen7]

We are not simply protected from the effects of God's vengeance: we are removed from His vengeance entirely. It is as certain as the truth of God's Word itself that we will not in any way go through the time of God's wrath being poured out on an unbelieving and wicked world. For me that ends all discussion on the matter.

100% agree with all of this post brother. God's wrath does not rest upon the born-again. That wrath will fall, but only upon the unbelieving world. Thankfully, many will be saved during this, but he who endures to the end wiull be saved. (Speaking of trib-saints, not the blood bought, sanctified, and justified by Jesus alone church of God almighty!)

 

[PaidInFull]

God wrote a Book, and it is amazing yet few understand how amazing it is for on the most basic level it is written in 3-D, the written Word, confirmed with Pictograms and then encoded with various numerical proofs. If you want to know anything about God, you must, must, must begin at the front of the book and work forwards.

Yet concerning the wrath of God, pre-wrathers and post-tribbers begin at the back of the book, see the word wrath in seal 6 and place all confidence in the wrath of God beginning there.

No doctrine begins at the back of the book so why make this exception, but on that basis, we pre-tribbers have it all wrong.

In my evidence that I shall present when I get a chance (after ADOPTION is explained) in want to begin with God and not with the acts of God, I don't want to attempt to reverse engineer God's character from His acts, I want to begin with God as my Friend that I know and understand.

Moses understood God's ways but Israel just God's acts (Ps.103:7) and so much of what I see in debates is endless arguing about the acts of God ending up with the various eschatological camps having a God on one extreme who is merciful and plans an escape and rescue mission, but on the other extreme needs to martyr almost all believers because in the past 2,000 years the church didn't reach the gold standard to be the glorious and spotless bride. God needs a Protestant purgatory to clean us up and the Holy Spirit failed for 2,000 years so God sends the devil to help Him put the final spit and polish on us by killing us all off.

This is little different than Israel and the debates the rabbis had resulting in the Talmud.

God desires our friendship, not just our service and a friend understand the feelings of their best friend, when they are provoked to displeasure and demand corrective measure are put in place, when they are angered because these measures have been ignored and the offense has not only continued by increased so severe warnings are given, and finally when yet again the offense increases to the point anger turns to fury and extreme wrath ensues.

So when I ask, what are the feelings of the Father when He hands the scroll to Jesus, I get blank stares. We don't even know the rules of God's wrath, what He does before He increases it 7-fold and why He increases it 7-fold. We don't know the actions He takes when His fury is so great that He intends His wrath to be an extinction level event.

But He already told us all of this. He explained it to us. We can't mistake this unless we are so focused on His acts that we ignore Him and begin at the back of the book and see the word wrath and jump to conclusions.

After I explain ADOPTION I shall begin a thread where we shall investigate the nature of God, what grieves Him, what displeases Him, what angers Him, what provokes Him to the extent He will not strive with man any longer causing Him to hand the nations over to sin, and then to remove His restrainer so it all kicks off big time in the Day of the Lord.

We end up knowing God, His character, His law, what the Kinsman Redeemer Avenger must do that the Kinsman Redeemer doesn't, and why it's the dumbest approach to see the word wrath in Seal 6 and try to build a doctrine on that while ignoring God Himself.

Yes, the rapture must come first, because God's feelings come first, and because God's laws cannot be satisfied if we are not in heaven. There are legal requirements that must be completed and demand our adoption to happen in heaven.

God isn't sitting on His throne listening to the devil's accusations of the church day and night in defiance of the cross and blood of Jesus, and then suddenly decides out of the blue after 2,000 years that He has had enough of this and arbitrarily begins war in heaven to violently thrown the devil down to earth. If it was as simple as that, the devil would have been kicked out after the resurrection.

So we need to have answers to, what is the state of God's emotions when He hands the scroll to Jesus.

What does the scroll signify?

Why does the devil have legal standing in heaven to accuse us when he is defeated, disarmed and has been paraded in a humiliating triumphant celebration.

What is God waiting on?

What laws need to be satisfied to remove the devils legal standing.

What does it mean we have two Advocates and one Mediator? These are only required where there is a dispute!

What is God's modus operandi that we see in the OT that ought to tell us before we even read Revelation what God is going to do?

Some of you will know me for my research into what the elite plan to do by their movements in the markets, but of far greater interest for me is the knowledge of my best friend, God. Just like we get to know each other, our sensitive points, our values, our depth of character, our love of all that is good and from life's experiences in the bad times, we gain the predictive knowledge of how a best friend will respond and react to difficult events.

We can't understand the end times and God's wrath if we don't understand God in the first instance, and know Him as a friend.

Did you know there is a unique one-off blessing promised for the final generation to do just that? Let's see if you can find that one Bereans

Maranatha!

 

[mattfivefour]

Well, brother, I have news of which I am 100% convinced: namely that I am already adopted. God's word assures me of that. It assures me that right now I am God's own child, bought with a price and adopted into his family. Scripture such as John 1:12b Romans 8:14,16; Galatians 3:26 all confirm this for me. And as John summarizes the topic in his first epistle: "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." --1 John 3:1-3. That's all I need to know: I am assured my adoption is a done deal.

 

[PaidInFull]

Well, brother, I have news of which I am 100% convinced: namely that I am already adopted. God's word assures me of that. It assures me that right now I am God's own child, bought with a price and adopted into his family. Scripture such as John 1:12b Romans 8:14,16; Galatians 3:26 all confirm this for me. And as John summarizes the topic in his first epistle: "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." --1 John 3:1-3. That's all I need to know: I am assured my adoption is a done deal.

What you are convinced of is the hope that God has given us that He will perform all His Word, and therefore we claim it now by faith. We have this hope in us. We cannot hope for what we already have received in full. That is a spiritual impossibility...

You just expressed your faith as we must...

New American Standard Bible

►►

The Triumphs of Faith
1Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen. Heb.11

But you can not hope for what you have acquired full possession of...

24For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?25But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance we wait eagerly for it. Rom.8


So we, by faith in the hope God gives us declare we are the sons of God, BUT having received the first fruits of the Spirit we are eagerly waiting for what? Let's see...

23And not only that, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body. 24For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance we wait eagerly for it. ROM.8

So are you eagerly awaiting adoption as I am, or have you already received full acquisition of it? If you have it, then you are not in hope for it.

The redemption of our body happens at the rapture and you can't separate that from what comes next, our adoption. If you have full adoption, then you have been raptured.

Your position now is as an heir-in-waiting who owns everything...

1Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave, although he is owner of everything, 2but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. 3So we too, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elementary principles of the world. 4But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons and daughters. 6Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba! Father!” 7Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. Gal.4

You are mixing up the spirit of adoption with our adoption that we are in a state of hope for and eagerly waiting for...

Romans 8:15For 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!”

It is exactly the same as redemption, If I ask you if you are redeemed, you will declare absolutely. But we have received the hope of redemption and by faith we declare it is ours.

Luke 21:28
And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Ephesians 4:30
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

The rapture is the redmption of our bodies to complete the redemption of our spirit we already have possession of.

So you correctly state you are a child of God...

7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. Gal.4

But you have not received your inheritance as an heir yet...

13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. Eph.1

Our redemption, our adoption and our inheritance are all ours by faith in the hope God gives us for a future fulfillment on the day of redemption that we eagerly are waiting for.

To this end Paul prayed thus...

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people Eph.1

Let's look at tenses...
4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,

5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,

7 so that, having been justified by his grace,

All past tense and now in the future..

we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. Titus.3

It looks like I need to do a study on what hope is, and how hope is fulfilled at and after the redemption of our bodies.

17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.

18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.

19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,

20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. Heb.6

As I posted before, are we the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus? Yes of course we are by faith... faith in what? Faith in the hope God has given us for the completion of our righteousness when this body of sin is gone.

Galatians 5:5
For we, through the Spirit, by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.

Hope needs to be well defined as something that is possessed by faith now but laid up in heaven for the complete fulfillment at the rapture...

4since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven. Col.1

And we saw exactly what a big part of that hope is...

waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body. 24For in hope we have been saved,

So I conclude with Paul's admonition for us all...


7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly. Titus.3

Blessings & Maranatha in the hope to come!

 

[Spartan Sprinter]

God wrote a Book, and it is amazing yet few understand how amazing it is for on the most basic level it is written in 3-D, the written Word, confirmed with Pictograms and then encoded with various numerical proofs. If you want to know anything about God, you must, must, must begin at the front of the book and work forwards.

Yet concerning the wrath of God, pre-wrathers and post-tribbers begin at the back of the book, see the word wrath in seal 6 and place all confidence in the wrath of God beginning there.

No doctrine begins at the back of the book so why make this exception, but on that basis, we pre-tribbers have it all wrong.

In my evidence that I shall present when I get a chance (after ADOPTION is explained) in want to begin with God and not with the acts of God, I don't want to attempt to reverse engineer God's character from His acts, I want to begin with God as my Friend that I know and understand.

Moses understood God's ways but Israel just God's acts (Ps.103:7) and so much of what I see in debates is endless arguing about the acts of God ending up with the various eschatological camps having a God on one extreme who is merciful and plans an escape and rescue mission, but on the other extreme needs to martyr almost all believers because in the past 2,000 years the church didn't reach the gold standard to be the glorious and spotless bride. God needs a Protestant purgatory to clean us up and the Holy Spirit failed for 2,000 years so God sends the devil to help Him put the final spit and polish on us by killing us all off.

This is little different than Israel and the debates the rabbis had resulting in the Talmud.

God desires our friendship, not just our service and a friend understand the feelings of their best friend, when they are provoked to displeasure and demand corrective measure are put in place, when they are angered because these measures have been ignored and the offense has not only continued by increased so severe warnings are given, and finally when yet again the offense increases to the point anger turns to fury and extreme wrath ensues.

So when I ask, what are the feelings of the Father when He hands the scroll to Jesus, I get blank stares. We don't even know the rules of God's wrath, what He does before He increases it 7-fold and why He increases it 7-fold. We don't know the actions He takes when His fury is so great that He intends His wrath to be an extinction level event.

But He already told us all of this. He explained it to us. We can't mistake this unless we are so focused on His acts that we ignore Him and begin at the back of the book and see the word wrath and jump to conclusions.

After I explain ADOPTION I shall begin a thread where we shall investigate the nature of God, what grieves Him, what displeases Him, what angers Him, what provokes Him to the extent He will not strive with man any longer causing Him to hand the nations over to sin, and then to remove His restrainer so it all kicks off big time in the Day of the Lord.

We end up knowing God, His character, His law, what the Kinsman Redeemer Avenger must do that the Kinsman Redeemer doesn't, and why it's the dumbest approach to see the word wrath in Seal 6 and try to build a doctrine on that while ignoring God Himself.

Yes, the rapture must come first, because God's feelings come first, and because God's laws cannot be satisfied if we are not in heaven. There are legal requirements that must be completed and demand our adoption to happen in heaven.

God isn't sitting on His throne listening to the devil's accusations of the church day and night in defiance of the cross and blood of Jesus, and then suddenly decides out of the blue after 2,000 years that He has had enough of this and arbitrarily begins war in heaven to violently thrown the devil down to earth. If it was as simple as that, the devil would have been kicked out after the resurrection.

So we need to have answers to, what is the state of God's emotions when He hands the scroll to Jesus.

What does the scroll signify?

Why does the devil have legal standing in heaven to accuse us when he is defeated, disarmed and has been paraded in a humiliating triumphant celebration.

What is God waiting on?

What laws need to be satisfied to remove the devils legal standing.

What does it mean we have two Advocates and one Mediator? These are only required where there is a dispute!

What is God's modus operandi that we see in the OT that ought to tell us before we even read Revelation what God is going to do?

Some of you will know me for my research into what the elite plan to do by their movements in the markets, but of far greater interest for me is the knowledge of my best friend, God. Just like we get to know each other, our sensitive points, our values, our depth of character, our love of all that is good and from life's experiences in the bad times, we gain the predictive knowledge of how a best friend will respond and react to difficult events.

We can't understand the end times and God's wrath if we don't understand God in the first instance, and know Him as a friend.

Did you know there is a unique one-off blessing promised for the final generation to do just that? Let's see if you can find that one Bereans

Maranatha!

I'm a big fan of Wilfed Hahn and Britt Gillette in terms of how the economies are used in the end times.

If you wouldn't mind, i'd be interested to hear your take on this issue as well

 

[Spartan Sprinter]

What you are convinced of is the hope that God has given us that He will perform all His Word, and therefore we claim it now by faith. We have this hope in us. We cannot hope for what we already have received in full. That is a spiritual impossibility...

You just expressed your faith as we must...

New American Standard Bible

►►

The Triumphs of Faith
1Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen. Heb.11

But you can not hope for what you have acquired full possession of...

24For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?25But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance we wait eagerly for it. Rom.8


So we, by faith in the hope God gives us declare we are the sons of God, BUT having received the first fruits of the Spirit we are eagerly waiting for what? Let's see...

23And not only that, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body. 24For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance we wait eagerly for it. ROM.8

So are you eagerly awaiting adoption as I am, or have you already received full acquisition of it? If you have it, then you are not in hope for it.

The redemption of our body happens at the rapture and you can't separate that from what comes next, our adoption. If you have full adoption, then you have been raptured.

Your position now is as an heir-in-waiting who owns everything...

1Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave, although he is owner of everything, 2but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. 3So we too, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elementary principles of the world. 4But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons and daughters. 6Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba! Father!” 7Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. Gal.4

You are mixing up the spirit of adoption with our adoption that we are in a state of hope for and eagerly waiting for...

Romans 8:15For 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!”

It is exactly the same as redemption, If I ask you if you are redeemed, you will declare absolutely. But we have received the hope of redemption and by faith we declare it is ours.

Luke 21:28
And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Ephesians 4:30
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

The rapture is the redmption of our bodies to complete the redemption of our spirit we already have possession of.

So you correctly state you are a child of God...

7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. Gal.4

But you have not received your inheritance as an heir yet...

13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. Eph.1

Our redemption, our adoption and our inheritance are all ours by faith in the hope God gives us for a future fulfillment on the day of redemption that we eagerly are waiting for.

To this end Paul prayed thus...

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people Eph.1

Let's look at tenses...
4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,

5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,

7 so that, having been justified by his grace,

All past tense and now in the future..

we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. Titus.3

It looks like I need to do a study on what hope is, and how hope is fulfilled at and after the redemption of our bodies.

17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.

18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.

19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,

20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. Heb.6

As I posted before, are we the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus? Yes of course we are by faith... faith in what? Faith in the hope God has given us for the completion of our righteousness when this body of sin is gone.

Galatians 5:5
For we, through the Spirit, by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.

Hope needs to be well defined as something that is possessed by faith now but laid up in heaven for the complete fulfillment at the rapture...

4since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven. Col.1

And we saw exactly what a big part of that hope is...

waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body. 24For in hope we have been saved,

So I conclude with Paul's admonition for us all...


7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly. Titus.3

Blessings & Maranatha in the hope to come!

Isn' the moment we accept the gift of salvation we are instantly sealed with the Holy spirit, isn' t that pretty.much being instantly adopted as a child of God?

 

[PaidInFull]

I'm a big fan of Wilfed Hahn and Britt Gillette in terms of how the economies are used in the end times.

If you wouldn't mind, i'd be interested to hear your take on this issue as well

I take it you mean from an economic point of view? I will get back to posting on that God willing in the near future.

 

[mattfivefour]

https://www.biblestudytools.com/titus/3-7.htmlso that, having been justified by his grace,

All past tense and now in the future..

we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. Titus.3

Brother, it is not a future. It is an aorist subjunctive that speaks of the certainty of a one-time act (ie: becoming heirs) which is a definite result of the previous verb (specifically an aorist perfect participle --”having been justified”-- which expresses a completed one-time action. Therefore the phrase "might become heirs" is not an expression of a future event but the definitive statement of the result of having been justified. Having been justified provides us with our heirship. It is a certainty, not a possibility or even a potentiality. In other words, I am NOW an heir.

So, with respect brother, at this time let's stop your attempt to convince me (and the rest of us) of the fact that our adoption isn't complete yet and please push on to the reason this idea of future adoption is so important to your way of thinking. You seeing to present this future thing that will happen in Heaven as something that will "legally" justify all that God is doing and will make it impossible for Satan to ever return there. So please lay that out for us so we can better assess what you are saying. Right now you are giving us arguments to support your hypothesis, without giving us the actual hypothesis. Therefore, respectfully, your arguments are like buttresses supporting nothing. I have been looking forward for some time to the thing you promised us that will make sense of everything God has done. All I know at this point, based on what you have said, is that it involves what you believe to be the completion of our adoption. So, please continue, brother, and lay that part out for us.

 

[PaidInFull]

Isn' the moment we accept the gift of salvation we are instantly sealed with the Holy spirit, isn' t that pretty.much being instantly adopted as a child of God?

A very good question and one that confuses many believers. You are sealed with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee deposit for something to happen in the future.
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. Eph.1

You are waiting for God's redemption of His possession - the church at the rapture.

Remember, hope is for what you do not have but are totally convinced God will perform all His Word to you. For example, are you saved or hoping to be saved? Do you have eternal life or are you hoping to receive eternal life?

By faith in the hope God gives us we declare we are saved and we have eternal life. But note that we still have to make full acquisition of it...

Romans 2:7 YET TO COME
To those who go on with good works in the hope of glory and honour and salvation from death, he will give eternal life.

By faith we have access into this grace...

2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Rom.5

The moment we believe we are a born again child of God, and we are born into HOPE for all the promises of God for us. So regarding ADOPTION...

we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body. 24For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance we wait eagerly for it. Rom.8


Romans 15:13
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Reading from the NAS, you have the FIRST INSTALLMENT...

13In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise,14who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. Eph.1 THERE IS MORE TO COME!

(I don't know how to turn of underlining) When I was a teenager I hoped to buy a guitar that today is worth many tens of thousands of $'s. I didn't have much money but a miracle happened and I was able to get one for a very tiny fraction of its value and my meager savings account at age 15 covered it and we were not a well off family for my dad's job was digging holes! When I received it, I was no longer in hope for it. You cannot be in a state of hope for what you have full possession of.

 

[PaidInFull]

Brother, it is not a future. It is an aorist subjunctive that speaks of the certainty of a one-time act (ie: becoming heirs) which is a definite result of the previous verb (specifically an aorist perfect participle --”having been justified”-- which expresses a completed one-time action. Therefore the phrase "might become heirs" is not an expression of a future event but the definitive statement of the result of having been justified. Having been justified provides us with our heirship. It is a certainty, not a possibility or even a potentiality. In other words, I am NOW an heir.

So, with respect brother, at this time let's stop your attempt to convince me (and the rest of us) of the fact that our adoption isn't complete yet and please push on to the reason this idea of future adoption is so important to your way of thinking. You seeing to present this future thing that will happen in Heaven as something that will "legally" justify all that God is doing and will make it impossible for Satan to ever return there. So please lay that out for us so we can better assess what you are saying. Right now you are giving us arguments to support your hypothesis, without giving us the actual hypothesis. Therefore, respectfully, your arguments are like buttresses supporting nothing. I have been looking forward for some time to the thing you promised us that will make sense of everything God has done. All I know at this point, based on what you have said, is that it involves what you believe to be the completion of our adoption. So, please continue, brother, and lay that part out for us.

Can you please explain this ...

we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body. 24For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance we wait eagerly for it. Rom.8

Are we eagerly waiting for our adoption as sons and the redemption of our body or not?

 

[PaidInFull]

Brother, it is not a future. It is an aorist subjunctive that speaks of the certainty of a one-time act (ie: becoming heirs) which is a definite result of the previous verb (specifically an aorist perfect participle --”having been justified”-- which expresses a completed one-time action. Therefore the phrase "might become heirs" is not an expression of a future event but the definitive statement of the result of having been justified. Having been justified provides us with our heirship. It is a certainty, not a possibility or even a potentiality. In other words, I am NOW an heir.

So, with respect brother, at this time let's stop your attempt to convince me (and the rest of us) of the fact that our adoption isn't complete yet and please push on to the reason this idea of future adoption is so important to your way of thinking. You seeing to present this future thing that will happen in Heaven as something that will "legally" justify all that God is doing and will make it impossible for Satan to ever return there. So please lay that out for us so we can better assess what you are saying. Right now you are giving us arguments to support your hypothesis, without giving us the actual hypothesis. Therefore, respectfully, your arguments are like buttresses supporting nothing. I have been looking forward for some time to the thing you promised us that will make sense of everything God has done. All I know at this point, based on what you have said, is that it involves what you believe to be the completion of our adoption. So, please continue, brother, and lay that part out for us.

I always welcome any push back, especially from you, and in this case haven't you made it imperative that I can demonstrate what is future and what is present, for if adoption is past, present but not also a future event, then there is no point in posting about it. So please bear with me and again you are welcome to push back on what I post.

On the surface it seems perfectly clear, that we are eagerly waiting for our adoption and the redemption of our bodies, while we have the spirit of adoption and cry Abba. I refer to various theologians...

Waiting eagerly (553) (apekdechomai [word study] from apó = intensifier [see Vincent below] + ekdéchomai = expect, look for <> from ek = out + déchomai = receive kindly, accept deliberately and readily) means waiting in great anticipation but with patience (compare our English expression "wait it out"). To expect fully. To look (wait) for assiduously (marked by careful unremitting attention) and patiently.

Kenneth Wuest explains that apekdechomai is "a Greek word made up of three words put together, the word, “to receive,” (dechomai) which speaks of a welcoming or appropriating reception such as is tendered to a friend who comes to visit one; the word “off,” (apo) speaking here of the withdrawal of one’s attention from other objects, and the word “out,” (ek) used here in a perfective sense which intensifies the already existing meaning of the word. The composite word speaks of an attitude of intense yearning and eager waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus into the air to take His Bride to heaven with Him, the attention being withdrawn from all else and concentrated upon the Lord Jesus."

Apekdechomai is in the present tense indicating this is a heavenly citizen's continual mindset (Do you frequently contemplate His return beloved?) and the middle voice which indicates the subject is the beneficiary of the waiting. Wuest picks up on this nuance of the middle voice with the translation "eagerly waiting to welcome the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, and to receive Him to ourselves" where "to ourselves" is the reflexive aspect of the middle voice. What a beautiful picture of the Bride, His Church, waiting to receive Him to herself! A waiting, welcoming mindset will motivate the bride to keep herself pure and holy.

Marvin Vincent writes that ""the compounded preposition apo denotes the withdrawal of attention from inferior objects. The word is habitually used in the New Testament with reference to a future manifestation of the glory of Christ or of His people." (Vincent, M. R. Word studies in the New Testament Vol. 3, Page 1-453)

Apekdechomai pictures waiting in great anticipation but with patience. Awaiting eagerly and expectantly for some future event and so to look forward eagerly. Note that seven of the eight NT uses of apekdechomai are related in some way to our "blessed hope", the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Adoption as sons (5206) (huiothesia [word study] from huios = son + tithemi = place) literally means "to place one as a son". Huiothesia thus speaks of adoption or being placed in a position and rights as one’s own child. It means to to formally and legally declare that someone who is not one’s own child is henceforth to be treated and cared for as one’s own child, including complete rights of inheritance.

Earlier in Romans 8 Paul explains the present tense aspect of adoption as sons when we were born into God's family and God gave us His Spirit Who kindles the fire of assurance in our souls for…

all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery (as when we were bound to sin and our "father" Satan) leading to fear again, but you have received (right now in this life) a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! (Daddy) Father!" (Ro 8:14, 15-note)

Our adoption began in eternity past with God’s choice when…

He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will" (see note Ephesians 1:5)

Then we actually became His children at salvation

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12)

But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. (Galatians 4:4-7)

Our sonship will culminate with our glorification, the full realization of our inheritance…

Whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. (Ro 8:30).

As believers and sons and daughters of God we have already been placed in the family of God, and are being led by and controlled by the Spirit. But only when our mortal bodies have been glorified, and we are made like Him, will we possess all the fullness of sonship. And so we groan for that glorious day.

From the studies I have read, we are indeed eagerly awaiting adoption to be completed as future event. Quoting...

While most saints understand that salvation brings God’s forgiveness of sins and deliverance from divine condemnation, they do not fully comprehend adoption, one of the priceless crown jewels of our “great salvation” (Heb 2:3-note). Martyn Lloyd-Jones observed that “for some inexplicable reason, it is a doctrine about which we very rarely hear. How often have you heard sermons on it?” Indeed noted Bible teacher Warren Wiersbe feels that a proper “understanding of adoption is important if you and I are to enjoy our Christian life to the fullest.” J I Packer goes even further, adding that an understanding of our adoption is the foundation of a vibrant, victorious Christian walk.

How can you separate adoption from the redemption of our bodies when it is both of these that we eagerly are waiting on?

 

[Spartan Sprinter]

I take it you mean from an economic point of view? I will get back to posting on that God willing in the near future.

Yeah i read a few posts back that you havr a back ground in this so i'd be interested to know your thoughts .

 

[PaidInFull]

Brother, it is not a future. It is an aorist subjunctive that speaks of the certainty of a one-time act (ie: becoming heirs) which is a definite result of the previous verb (specifically an aorist perfect participle --”having been justified”-- which expresses a completed one-time action. Therefore the phrase "might become heirs" is not an expression of a future event but the definitive statement of the result of having been justified. Having been justified provides us with our heirship. It is a certainty, not a possibility or even a potentiality. In other words, I am NOW an heir.

So, with respect brother, at this time let's stop your attempt to convince me (and the rest of us) of the fact that our adoption isn't complete yet and please push on to the reason this idea of future adoption is so important to your way of thinking. You seeing to present this future thing that will happen in Heaven as something that will "legally" justify all that God is doing and will make it impossible for Satan to ever return there. So please lay that out for us so we can better assess what you are saying. Right now you are giving us arguments to support your hypothesis, without giving us the actual hypothesis. Therefore, respectfully, your arguments are like buttresses supporting nothing. I have been looking forward for some time to the thing you promised us that will make sense of everything God has done. All I know at this point, based on what you have said, is that it involves what you believe to be the completion of our adoption. So, please continue, brother, and lay that part out for us.

I have to laugh Adrian because I think we are both in shock. You at me and me at your position and I know when you reprimand me that it is done in love and for my good, but especially for the good of all here. I am not some wing-nut that shoots off in tangents, I do my research, but when you are of a completely different persuasion I go back into dig deep mode. I need you and the brothers and sisters here to cover my back for I don't know everything, but I am not the point of origin for the theology that adoption is past, present and future.

I went into StackExchange Hermeneutics and re-examined dozens and dozens of papers going into the Greek and there is an overwhelming wealth of support for my position when it comes to adoption as a future event. It would be difficult to come up with support for your position. This is why I am shocked at having to defend this, but I am still open to your views.

For the sake of space I shall cut down as much as possible some of the reasoning in these papers while still making sense.

....So rather than "huiothesia" referring to when one comes to faith and becomes a child of God; the huiothesia concerns the biblical theme of the (beracah) blessing of the (becorah) First born right; this motif runs throughout scripture; and it concerns abundant life, and a position of preeminence in the house of the farther, which is rewarded for being an obedient son (Gen.12:1-3; 22:16-17; 25:1; 27:3-4, 7-8, 26-38; 49:1-28;cp.37:2,14;cp.2-14;48:9-22;49:8-10;cp.44:33-45:3).The “huiothesia” takes place at the time appointed by the father; it is the time when the son is appointed as ruler over all the father’s house (Gal.4:1-2; Mt.24:45-47; cp. Rev.2:26-27; Ps.2:8-9;89:27); when he receives the blessing of the firstborn right (Rom.8:17, 29); the “reward of the inheritance” received by the matured obedient image bearing sons (Col.3:10, 23-25; cp. 1:9-12, 28)....

...Romans 8:23 clearly states, without a question of a doubt that the “huiothesia” is the future hope of the believer “waiting for the adoption (huiothesia), that is the redemption of the body". Here Paul equates the timing of the adoption to be when the body is redeemed, which takes place at the appearing of Christ (Phil.3:21)....

...Rom.8:23, allows us to see that the similar language in Ephesians, is indeed associating the “huiothesia” with the future hope of the believer; and is not what took place once one came to faith in Christ, and became a child of God (as entering Gods family), as it has usually been understood due to the English translation “adoption”. Let’s read in Ephesians: “Having predetermined us unto (eis) adoption” “you were sealed with the holy spirit…. which is the earnest of our inheritance until (eis) the redemption of the purchased possession” “whereby you are sealed unto (eis) the day of redemption” (Eph.1:5, 13-14, 4:30). These scriptures along with Rom.8:23 are clearly teaching that “huiothesia” is a future event that takes place at the appearing of Christ, when the believer receives his inheritance (2Tim.4:8).

Gal.4:1 Now I say, if the heir is underage (nepios), he does not differ at all from a slave although he is lord of all, 2but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. 3So also we, while we were underage, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. 4But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5So that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the(huiothesia) adoption. 6Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

In v.5 it says, “that we might receive the (huiothesia)” “might receive” is the Greek word (apolambano, G618) and is used in Col.3:24 “you shall receive (apolambano) the reward of the inheritance.” And in 2 Jn.1:8 “but that we receive(apolambano) a full reward”.

Brendan Byrne points out the tension that exists between the present and future aspects of υίοθεσία in Romans 8 (if υίοθεσία is viewed as adoption). This can be resolved by an understanding of “a real but hidden status of υίοθεσία in the present, attested by the Spirit (vv. 15-16) and the public revelation of this status at the time when believers will share the bodily resurrection of the Firstborn Son of God (v. 29; cf. Phil. 3:20 1)." (Byrne, Brendan. Rev. of "Adoption as Sons of God—an Exegetical Investigation into the Background of υίοθεσία in the Pauline Corpus." Ed. James M. Scott. Journal of Theological Studies 44 (April 1993)

 

[mattfivefour]

Can you please explain this ...

we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body. 24For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance we wait eagerly for it. Rom.8

Are we eagerly waiting for our adoption as sons and the redemption of our body or not?

Well, can you please explain this ...

Romans 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.

(Folks, there is a point to this back and forth. Please bear with us.)

 

[PaidInFull]

Well, can you please explain this ...

Romans 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.

(Folks, there is a point to this back and forth. Please bear with us.)

Adrian I'd be glad to but the market has just opened and I am watching 5 monitors. I am going to pick this up tomorrow brother

 

[Tall Timbers]

If you want to know anything about God, you must, must, must begin at the front of the book and work forwards.

My first reading from the Bible occurred in the begat portion of the Old Testament followed by one of the Gospels. I learned a lot about God after reading that little bit from one of the Gospels and inviting Jesus into my life.

 

[Andy C]

Well, brother, I have news of which I am 100% convinced: namely that I am already adopted. God's word assures me of that. It assures me that right now I am God's own child, bought with a price and adopted into his family. Scripture such as John 1:12b Romans 8:14,16; Galatians 3:26 all confirm this for me. And as John summarizes the topic in his first epistle: "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." --1 John 3:1-3. That's all I need to know: I am assured my adoption is a done deal.

Me too. I was older than most when I was adopted 20 years ago at the exact moment I repented and believed in Jesus as my Savior. Done deal, Im His!

 

[PaidInFull]

Well, can you please explain this ...

Romans 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.

(Folks, there is a point to this back and forth. Please bear with us.)

That's a great question and I got a break in the markets so I can answer that now.


ALREADY, NOT YET

Article by David Briones Professor, Westminster Theological Seminary


ABSTRACT: For now, Christians live in a great theological tension: we already possess every spiritual blessing in Christ, but we do not experience the fullness of these blessings yet. In one sense, we are already adopted, redeemed, sanctified, and saved; in another, these experiences are not yet fully ours. Underneath this theological and practical tension are the two comings of Christ. In his first coming, he inaugurated the last days; in his second coming, he will complete them. In the meantime, we live for now in “the overlap of the ages.”

...The Christian life is a lot like that. It is an already-but-not-yet sort of existence, where believers are caught within what Oscar Cullmann calls “the dialectic of present and future.”1

Already, Not Yet

What do I mean? According to Scripture, believers are

• already adopted in Christ (Romans 8:15), but not yet adopted (Romans 8:23);
• already redeemed in Christ (Ephesians 1:7), but not yet redeemed (Ephesians 4:30);
• already sanctified in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:2), but not yet sanctified (1 Thessalonians 5:23–24);
• already saved in Christ (Ephesians 2:8), but not yet saved (Romans 5:9);
• already raised with Christ (Ephesians 2:6), but not yet raised (1 Corinthians 15:52).

We live in a theological tension. By faith in Christ, all of these spiritual blessings are ours already, but the full enjoyment of these blessings is not yet ours. This is the life of faith: “the assurance of things hoped for” in the future, and “the conviction of things not seen” in the present (Hebrews 11:1). This is life between the times.

Underlying this theological tension is a theological structure: the already–not yet framework. It is, according to Cullmann, “the silent presupposition that lies behind all that [the New Testament] says.”2 The New Testament authors thought, wrote, and lived through the grid of this biblical framework or mindset. It determined the way they spoke about God’s dealings in this world in light of the world to come.

(This is a brief intro. to a lengthy in-depth yet light on the Greek explanation that anyone here can understand. Google the heading and you'll be able to read it all. The following are snapshots from a Bible Encyclopedia and Dictionary and you can read the complete explanation there. I don;t know why the last one has a line through the wording but you can still read it.)



International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ADOPTION

When "God sent forth his Son" to redeem them that were under the law," it became possible for men to receive the adoption; for to those who are willing to receive it, He sent the Spirit of the eternal Son to testify in their hearts that they are sons of God, and to give them confidence and utterance to enable them to call God their Father (Galatians 4:5, 6 Romans 8:15).

2. Its Cosmic Range:

But this experience also is incomplete, and looks forward to a fuller adoption in the response, not only of man's spirit, but of the whole creation, including man's body, to the Fatherhood of God (Romans 8:23).

Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Adoption

Adoption [N] [T] [E] https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/smiths-bible-dictionary/adoption.html

Paul tells the Galatians that Christians were redeemed from the law so that they might receive adoption as sons. As a result the Holy Spirit comes into the believer's heart crying, "Abba, Father" ( Gal 4:5 ). The intimacy of a relationship with God the Father in contrast to the ownership of slavery is a remarkable feature of salvation.

Like many aspects of salvation, there is an eschatological component of adoption. Believers "wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies" ( Ro 8:23 ). The full revelation of the believer's adoption is freedom from the corruption present in the world. Being a member of God's family includes the ultimate privilege of being like him ( 1 Jo 3:2 ) and being conformed to the glorious body of Christ ( Php 3:21 ). This is part of the promised inheritance for all God's children ( Ro 8:16-17 ).

 

[mikhen7]

I do not believe for one minute, that I am not yet a child of God. Also, I am a firm believer in the fact that I have been adopted into God's family. He is my Father. I am his child. All this based upon His love and and the precious sacrifice of Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The future aspect of a believers hope relates to the transformation of our bodies to be like that of Jesus. It will happen at the Rapture. All the souls of the believers of the past will be reunited with their body and transformed. The Believers living at the time will be caught up and instantaneously changed. It is the wrapping up of all that God has done for us.

But as for adoption, it is a done deal and will be fully realized at the rapture. But it has already been accomplished.

Here is a good article on this:


Adoption

Adoption means the “placing of a son.” It is a Roman word, for adoption was little known among the Jews. It means the taking voluntarily of a child of other parents to be one’s own child, bestowing on him all the advantages of a child by birth. It is used of the believer when the question of rights, privileges, and inheritance are involved. God’s adoption of believers into his own family shows his grace and gives believers a new status. They are not slaves but sons, possessing all the rights of children as well as the inheritance from the Father.


Participants of Adoption

The Nation Israel

“Who are Israelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption,” said Paul (Rom. 9:4). Comparing this with Deuteronomy 14:2 and Isaiah 43:1, it is evident that the reference is to Israel’s being the chosen people of God. “I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine,” the Lord said to Israel.

God’s marvelous protecting and delivering power was exercised over Israel. To them his precious promises were given. They were his children by his own choice. But, they chose otherwise. They turned against God as their Father, completing their rejection in refusing the promised Redeemer, the very Son of God.


Believers

The loving heart of God still yearned for a people of his own on whom he might shower the abundance of his grace. Thus God opened the door to the Gentiles. “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” (John 1:12). Israel was God’s son, but now under the gospel individual believers, either Jews or Gentiles, receive the adoption of sons.
Adoption gives a godly nature (Gal. 4:6)—All who are adopted into the family of God partake of his nature, for he will have all his children to resemble him.
Adoption gives equal rights to all sons (Gal. 4:7)—All God’s children are heirs. In some countries, the children do not share their father’s estate equally unless he so wills, but the eldest son is the heir. In the family of God all the children are declared joint-heirs with Christ, the firstborn (Rom. 8:17).
Adoption gives fellowship (2 Cor. 6:17, 18)—Adoption involves the fellowship of Father and child. Adoption is an eternal agreement; only as Christians separate themselves from sin, setting their affections on things above, can they know the fellowship of Father and child.


Time of Adoption

When does adoption into the family of heaven take place? Adoption is a past, present, and future act.


Eternal in God’s Plan

Christ’s sacrificial death and the adoption of believers was planned by God ages before they actually happened. Not only did God, before the foundation of the world, choose to have a heavenly family of earth-born mortals, but he knew which individuals would be adopted (Eph. 1:4, 5).


Received When One Believes

The actual act of adoption cannot take place for the individual until he is born again; that is, until he believes fully in Jesus Christ for salvation. A holy God cannot receive into his family an unrepentant child. However, adoption takes place the moment one believes in Christ. Sonship is the present possession of the believer (Gal. 3:26; 1 John 3:2).
But how can God’s predestination of those to be adopted (Eph. 1:5) be reconciled with man’s free will to determine his adoption? (John 1:12). Suppose that over the door of a great building is written, WHOSOEVER WILL, LET HIM COME IN. A person accepts the invitation and enters. But after he is inside he sees on the other side of the door, PREDESTINED TO BE ADOPTED. He is satisfied. He finds no fault with either inscription. An unbeliever cannot understand adoption. His first concern is salvation, but once he accepts God’s gracious plan, he learns that he has not only been regenerated and justified, but adopted into the family of God.


Completed at the Lord’s Return

The full revelation of a believer’s status as a son of God is reserved for a future day (Eph. 1:10, 11). Here in this world Christians are not accepted as the sons of the mighty God, but some day they will appear like Jesus Christ (Col. 3:4; 1 John 3:1, 2).


Results of Adoption

No Longer Under Tutors or Bondage

“But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster” (Gal. 3:25). The Greek word translated schoolmaster means a trusted slave who cared for a child until he was twelve. He kept him from physical and moral evil and accompanied him constantly. He gave him commands and prohibitions and limited his freedom. All this was done to train the child for adult responsibilities. Thus the law was meant to lead people to Christ to show them their sin and condemnation, in order that they might recognize their need of a Redeemer. This purpose being accomplished, people are no longer under the law, but are adopted as adult-sons when they are born again.
Israel was placed under the law and thus was in constant bondage and fear through lack of perfect obedience. Jehovah was teaching a sinful people his holiness, and to draw near to him was possible only by sacrifice. But when Christ came, all was different.


But Now “Sons of God”

“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17). If a man is really a child of God he becomes God’s heir. When children inherit their parents’ wealth it is because they were born into their parents’ family. It is not because they do anything. Their parents bestow the inheritance on them. The young ruler said, “What must I do to inherit?” This is a contradiction in itself! Ages and ages of ever-increasing blessings are promised to believers as joint-heirs.


Blessings of Adoption

A Heavenly Family

Adoption into the family of heaven provides a family name, family likeness, and family love.
How can anyone be like God? It seems impossible for a human creature, but to be like God is to be like Christ, who is “the express image of his person” (Heb. 1:3). Christ is God, expressing himself in language that humans can understand. Christ is the great pattern for heaven’s family. To be “imitators of our Lord Jesus Christ” in the true biblical sense is to reveal the characteristics of the heavenly family.
Christians cannot pray “our Father” and then despise their brethren. Family love demands that they live and act as brothers and sisters should. They must, like Christ, love those who differ from them in language and custom, even those who do not yet know their Father (John 13:35; Rom. 5:5; 1 John 3:14).


A Heavenly Father

Christ taught his followers to pray, “Our Father which art in heaven,” in order that they might understand and appropriate God’s provision, comfort and correction. Since God is the Christian’s Father he hears and answers their prayers and provides for all their needs (Matt. 7:11).
“Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him” (Ps. 103:13). With his pity goes his perfect comfort, “I, even I, am he that comforteth you” (Isa. 51:12). At best, an earthly father’s consolation can only be temporary. Grief and sorrow cannot be avoided, but “the God of all comfort … comforteth us” (2 Cor. 1:3, 4).
If Christ, God’s only Son, suffered that believers might be adopted into the family of heaven, what better treatment could be expected by adopted sons? “The servant is not greater than his Lord.” Why should Christians expect that God will nourish his adopted sons with less love and less rigorous discipline than he did his only begotten Son? “As many as I love, 1 rebuke and chasten,” God says (Rev. 3:19; cf. Heb. 12:5–11), and he constantly corrects his beloved children for their own good.


A Heavenly Inheritance

Since Christians are the adopted children of God, heaven is their inheritance. This legacy which the heavenly Father bestows as the proof of his love is incorruptible and undefiled.
The inheritance will not perish as do earthly fortunes. It is an everlasting possession which neither moth nor rust can corrupt nor thieves steal.
The inheritance will lose none of its brilliance and splendor. The crown of glory, though worn for millions of ages, will not be dimmed. The golden streets will lose none of their lustre. God’s children will never grow weary of heaven.


Summary

Justification is an act of God whereby guilty sinners, who put their faith in Christ as Savior and Lord, are declared righteous in his eyes and freed from guilt and punishment.
The process of justification unfolds in three steps. The first is the forgiving of sin. Because everyone has sinned, everyone needs God’s forgiveness. The second step is the application of Christ’s righteousness. Justification is more than pardon. When sinners accept God’s forgiveness they discover that the righteousness of Jesus Christ is credited to their account. Finally, the process of justification is conditioned upon faith. When sinners are justified they become fully persuaded that whatsoever God promised, he will do. They accept it as a free gift of God through the shedding of Christ’s blood.
When sinners are justified they receive many blessings. Among these are: peace with God, joy, and title to eternal glory. They are adopted into the family of God with full rights and privileges as sons and daughters.
The participants of adoption in the Old Testament were the Israelites. But when they rejected Christ, God opened the way for everyone who believes.
From the beginning God planned this adoption. He planned that it would take place at the time the individual believes in Christ for salvation. However, the full revelation of the status of adoption will not be complete until Christ returns at which time believers will be made like him.
When believers are adopted into God’s family they are no longer under the law, but are adopted as sons. They no longer have the bondage of fear for not keeping the law perfectly, but they are now sons of God and joint-heirs with Christ.
When believers are adopted by God, they are part of the heavenly family. They take on God’s family name, his family likeness, and share his family love. As children of God Christians are recipients of his fatherly provision, comfort, and correction. And finally, Christians have a heavenly inheritance. As proof of his love, the heavenly Father bestows on his children an incorruptible, undefiled, and unfading inheritance—heaven.


Clarence H. Benson, Biblical Beliefs: Doctrines Believers Should Know (Evangelical Training Association, 2001), 33–38.

 

[PaidInFull]

I do not believe for one minute, that I am not yet a child of God. Also, I am a firm believer in the fact that I have been adopted into God's family. He is my Father. I am his child. All this based upon His love and and the precious sacrifice of Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The future aspect of a believers hope relates to the transformation of our bodies to be like that of Jesus. It will happen at the Rapture. All the souls of the believers of the past will be reunited with their body and transformed. The Believers living at the time will be caught up and instantaneously changed. It is the wrapping up of all that God has done for us.

But as for adoption, it is a done deal and will be fully realized at the rapture. But it has already been accomplished.

Here is a good article on this:


Adoption

Adoption means the “placing of a son.” It is a Roman word, for adoption was little known among the Jews. It means the taking voluntarily of a child of other parents to be one’s own child, bestowing on him all the advantages of a child by birth. It is used of the believer when the question of rights, privileges, and inheritance are involved. God’s adoption of believers into his own family shows his grace and gives believers a new status. They are not slaves but sons, possessing all the rights of children as well as the inheritance from the Father.


Participants of Adoption

The Nation Israel

“Who are Israelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption,” said Paul (Rom. 9:4). Comparing this with Deuteronomy 14:2 and Isaiah 43:1, it is evident that the reference is to Israel’s being the chosen people of God. “I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine,” the Lord said to Israel.

God’s marvelous protecting and delivering power was exercised over Israel. To them his precious promises were given. They were his children by his own choice. But, they chose otherwise. They turned against God as their Father, completing their rejection in refusing the promised Redeemer, the very Son of God.


Believers

The loving heart of God still yearned for a people of his own on whom he might shower the abundance of his grace. Thus God opened the door to the Gentiles. “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” (John 1:12). Israel was God’s son, but now under the gospel individual believers, either Jews or Gentiles, receive the adoption of sons.
Adoption gives a godly nature (Gal. 4:6)—All who are adopted into the family of God partake of his nature, for he will have all his children to resemble him.
Adoption gives equal rights to all sons (Gal. 4:7)—All God’s children are heirs. In some countries, the children do not share their father’s estate equally unless he so wills, but the eldest son is the heir. In the family of God all the children are declared joint-heirs with Christ, the firstborn (Rom. 8:17).
Adoption gives fellowship (2 Cor. 6:17, 18)—Adoption involves the fellowship of Father and child. Adoption is an eternal agreement; only as Christians separate themselves from sin, setting their affections on things above, can they know the fellowship of Father and child.


Time of Adoption

When does adoption into the family of heaven take place? Adoption is a past, present, and future act.


Eternal in God’s Plan

Christ’s sacrificial death and the adoption of believers was planned by God ages before they actually happened. Not only did God, before the foundation of the world, choose to have a heavenly family of earth-born mortals, but he knew which individuals would be adopted (Eph. 1:4, 5).


Received When One Believes

The actual act of adoption cannot take place for the individual until he is born again; that is, until he believes fully in Jesus Christ for salvation. A holy God cannot receive into his family an unrepentant child. However, adoption takes place the moment one believes in Christ. Sonship is the present possession of the believer (Gal. 3:26; 1 John 3:2).
But how can God’s predestination of those to be adopted (Eph. 1:5) be reconciled with man’s free will to determine his adoption? (John 1:12). Suppose that over the door of a great building is written, WHOSOEVER WILL, LET HIM COME IN. A person accepts the invitation and enters. But after he is inside he sees on the other side of the door, PREDESTINED TO BE ADOPTED. He is satisfied. He finds no fault with either inscription. An unbeliever cannot understand adoption. His first concern is salvation, but once he accepts God’s gracious plan, he learns that he has not only been regenerated and justified, but adopted into the family of God.


Completed at the Lord’s Return

The full revelation of a believer’s status as a son of God is reserved for a future day (Eph. 1:10, 11). Here in this world Christians are not accepted as the sons of the mighty God, but some day they will appear like Jesus Christ (Col. 3:4; 1 John 3:1, 2).


Results of Adoption

No Longer Under Tutors or Bondage

“But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster” (Gal. 3:25). The Greek word translated schoolmaster means a trusted slave who cared for a child until he was twelve. He kept him from physical and moral evil and accompanied him constantly. He gave him commands and prohibitions and limited his freedom. All this was done to train the child for adult responsibilities. Thus the law was meant to lead people to Christ to show them their sin and condemnation, in order that they might recognize their need of a Redeemer. This purpose being accomplished, people are no longer under the law, but are adopted as adult-sons when they are born again.
Israel was placed under the law and thus was in constant bondage and fear through lack of perfect obedience. Jehovah was teaching a sinful people his holiness, and to draw near to him was possible only by sacrifice. But when Christ came, all was different.


But Now “Sons of God”

“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17). If a man is really a child of God he becomes God’s heir. When children inherit their parents’ wealth it is because they were born into their parents’ family. It is not because they do anything. Their parents bestow the inheritance on them. The young ruler said, “What must I do to inherit?” This is a contradiction in itself! Ages and ages of ever-increasing blessings are promised to believers as joint-heirs.


Blessings of Adoption

A Heavenly Family

Adoption into the family of heaven provides a family name, family likeness, and family love.
How can anyone be like God? It seems impossible for a human creature, but to be like God is to be like Christ, who is “the express image of his person” (Heb. 1:3). Christ is God, expressing himself in language that humans can understand. Christ is the great pattern for heaven’s family. To be “imitators of our Lord Jesus Christ” in the true biblical sense is to reveal the characteristics of the heavenly family.
Christians cannot pray “our Father” and then despise their brethren. Family love demands that they live and act as brothers and sisters should. They must, like Christ, love those who differ from them in language and custom, even those who do not yet know their Father (John 13:35; Rom. 5:5; 1 John 3:14).


A Heavenly Father

Christ taught his followers to pray, “Our Father which art in heaven,” in order that they might understand and appropriate God’s provision, comfort and correction. Since God is the Christian’s Father he hears and answers their prayers and provides for all their needs (Matt. 7:11).
“Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him” (Ps. 103:13). With his pity goes his perfect comfort, “I, even I, am he that comforteth you” (Isa. 51:12). At best, an earthly father’s consolation can only be temporary. Grief and sorrow cannot be avoided, but “the God of all comfort … comforteth us” (2 Cor. 1:3, 4).
If Christ, God’s only Son, suffered that believers might be adopted into the family of heaven, what better treatment could be expected by adopted sons? “The servant is not greater than his Lord.” Why should Christians expect that God will nourish his adopted sons with less love and less rigorous discipline than he did his only begotten Son? “As many as I love, 1 rebuke and chasten,” God says (Rev. 3:19; cf. Heb. 12:5–11), and he constantly corrects his beloved children for their own good.


A Heavenly Inheritance

Since Christians are the adopted children of God, heaven is their inheritance. This legacy which the heavenly Father bestows as the proof of his love is incorruptible and undefiled.
The inheritance will not perish as do earthly fortunes. It is an everlasting possession which neither moth nor rust can corrupt nor thieves steal.
The inheritance will lose none of its brilliance and splendor. The crown of glory, though worn for millions of ages, will not be dimmed. The golden streets will lose none of their lustre. God’s children will never grow weary of heaven.


Summary

Justification is an act of God whereby guilty sinners, who put their faith in Christ as Savior and Lord, are declared righteous in his eyes and freed from guilt and punishment.
The process of justification unfolds in three steps. The first is the forgiving of sin. Because everyone has sinned, everyone needs God’s forgiveness. The second step is the application of Christ’s righteousness. Justification is more than pardon. When sinners accept God’s forgiveness they discover that the righteousness of Jesus Christ is credited to their account. Finally, the process of justification is conditioned upon faith. When sinners are justified they become fully persuaded that whatsoever God promised, he will do. They accept it as a free gift of God through the shedding of Christ’s blood.
When sinners are justified they receive many blessings. Among these are: peace with God, joy, and title to eternal glory. They are adopted into the family of God with full rights and privileges as sons and daughters.
The participants of adoption in the Old Testament were the Israelites. But when they rejected Christ, God opened the way for everyone who believes.
From the beginning God planned this adoption. He planned that it would take place at the time the individual believes in Christ for salvation. However, the full revelation of the status of adoption will not be complete until Christ returns at which time believers will be made like him.
When believers are adopted into God’s family they are no longer under the law, but are adopted as sons. They no longer have the bondage of fear for not keeping the law perfectly, but they are now sons of God and joint-heirs with Christ.
When believers are adopted by God, they are part of the heavenly family. They take on God’s family name, his family likeness, and share his family love. As children of God Christians are recipients of his fatherly provision, comfort, and correction. And finally, Christians have a heavenly inheritance. As proof of his love, the heavenly Father bestows on his children an incorruptible, undefiled, and unfading inheritance—heaven.


Clarence H. Benson, Biblical Beliefs: Doctrines Believers Should Know (Evangelical Training Association, 2001), 33–38.

I don;t know if you read what I posted but you actually posted the same...


Time of Adoption

When does adoption into the family of heaven take place? Adoption is a past, present, and future act.

It is the future act that I am presenting as yet to come.