WHAT IS ADOPTION? 1st – A Biblical Definition – John 1:12-13 “…gave the right to become the children of God…” ADOPTION is God giving us the rights and privileges of being His dear children. 2nd – Children’s Catechism – Question #58 – ‘ADOPTION is God’s receiving sinners into His family as His own dear children.’ 3rd – Shorter Catechism – Question #35 – ‘ADOPTION is an act of God’s free grace, whereby all those justified are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God.’ A good summary statement of adoption is found in – Revelation 21:7 – ‘He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be His God and he shall be My son.’ S. Waldron – ‘Adoption is a change in legal status from that of a slave to that of a son of God which takes place by faith at the moment of union with Christ, but will be publicly revealed at the resurrection.’ – Modern Exposition of the 1689 Confession, p.170