Quote:
Originally Posted by Evangelical
Adoption is a metaphor. It was never practiced in Israel in the Old Testament. Can't deny historical facts.
The way it is used in Christianity should give us reason to think - many Christians see adoption as being less than an actual son. They are just a sinner saved by grace, and considered a son but not actually a son. This is how many Christians think of themselves and other believers. The adoption metaphor is not helping. If Paul re-wrote Romans to a modern Western audience I don't think he would have used the adoption metaphor.
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It is not a metaphor and your insistence that it is doesn't change that fact. Psalms 2 says that it was a decree at the time of Jesus being enthroned. Hebrews reiterates this saying repeatedly "of which of the angels has God ever said". The term refers to a legal recognition of status. Romans says that Jesus "was declared to be". Jesus status as Lord of all is not a metaphor, it is a declaration of fact and one day everyone will bow their knee to this fact.
"Many Christians"? I think you have proven that it is virtually all Christians in the LRC. Not only have you demonstrated that Christians in the LRC have this erroneous concept, and that it perpetuates, but that they have also adopted WL's practice of rewriting the Bible.
Everyone, in every culture "assigns an heir". That is what this is referring to. When Jesus was declared Lord of all he was made heir of all things. Being born of your father does not guarantee that you are appointed heir. That is something that the Jews were well aware of (Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Esau, Ishmael, etc)
Finally, no verse says that we have "been adopted". It says that this is the goal, not the accomplished fact. Our redemption is for this purpose. We have been chosen and sanctified with this goal in mind.