Ephesians 1:3-14
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
In human terms, when we adopt a child legally the child is completely and totally ours, however we now have to build a relationship with the child. No parent would be contempt with merely having a child "legally" with no emotional relationship with the child. As the parent adopts the child into his or her family they must now get to know each other, grow closer to one another, and build a relationship in love. The parent already loves the child as they chose to adopt the child not because they had to but because they chose to in love. But the child must grow to love and trust... This takes time and effort but no true parent would be satisfied with having a child without a relationship and so too then, no child would truly be satisfied with merely being adopted legally with no genuine relationship built on love and trust.
Far too many Christians are settling for mere legal adoption into the family of Christ when we have been chosen "in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will" (Eph 1:4-5). Christian, you have full son-ship... The Father chose you in love before the foundation of the world, not so you could merely be adopted but so you would experience fully what it means to be a child of God. All the love, all the joy, all the pleasure of living in relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ and not to mention you get to spend eternity with him.
Stop settling for the mere title of Christian and get to know your Father and his will for you, to "be holy and blameless before him." He saved you to represent Christ here and now and as you do, day by day he is transforming you into the image of Christ. God pulled you from the orphanage of sin, self, and the world and adopted you into a loving relationship with Him. You have been plucked from a self serving wasted life to a life that is lived to the glory of your Father "to the praise of his glorious grace."
Will you be the child who seems to not care at all that he was adopted, who shows no desire to know His Father? Or will you be the child who is filled with joy because he was chosen? Will you be the child that is amazed that he was adopted and has a Father who loves Him and wants a relationship with Him? Will you be the child that is so amazed by the grace and love that he has been shown and continues to be shown that his deepest desire is to live in such a way that honors his Father?
What will you do?
Will you waste it or will you treasure it?
Will you enjoy what it means to be a child of God or will you continue to settle for so much less?
You decide....
