Adoption and Salvation
Adoption and Salvation
This month I felt strongly to discuss the semantics of the words that are commonly used in our talking about our relationship with the Heavenly Father. The Two words are Adoption and Salvation. The first word is seldom used whereas the second is heavily used. But what do they actually mean?
Adoption:
- To take into one’s family through legal means and raise as one’s own child.
- In the Hebraic understanding this is into the position equal to the Firstborn since a Vow was made with the one being adopted.
Salvation:
- Preservation or deliverance from destruction, difficulty, or evil.
- A source, means, or cause of such preservation or deliverance.
- Deliverance from the power or penalty of sin; redemption.
- The agent or means that brings about such deliverance.
In my understanding of the scriptures, Adoption is the gathering of children from the house of darkness and bringing them into Yahweh’s house of Light (Acts 26:18). In the Pictures in the scripture this adoption results in a person being called a “Sheep”(John 10:27), Children of Elohim (Romans 8:14-15), and Children of Light (Eph 5:8). In the Picture of the Menorah we see that the 6 (the number of Man) are grafted into the 1 “Candlestick” (Ex 25:31) which is Yeshua, the “First Born” (Romans 8:29). The Adoption brings in from the house of Adam, the house of the flesh, and the house of death into the House of Life. Once we have been adopted we are called His Firstborn (Romans 8:29)(Ex 4:21) (Romans 11). It is this status as “Firstborn” that is the most important teaching in all of the Scriptures. In every fiber of my being I see this as our Shining Star for us to rejoice in. For by Grace we have been ADOPTED. It was not of Works, lest you should boast of your worthiness to have been adopted. But we are adopted UNTO GOOD WORKS, which our Father has instructed us from the beginning (Eph 2:8-10, in my understanding).
Adoption makes us Children of Elohim (Ps 82, John 10) and as such we are now in the position for the Father to “SAVE US”. This brings us to the term “Salvation”.
Salvation is the action of saving. There are two salvation types in the scriptures. One is the Salvation of the Flesh and the other is the Salvation of the Spirit. In Psalm 82, as in many other places, we see that all flesh dies. This makes sense since the flesh is corruption and this corruption cannot stand in the presence of Yahweh (Ex20:19). This mortal body must be changed before we can stand in His wonderful Presence (1Cor 15:54). However, there are times when Yahweh saves our mortal body so that we can live a longer life and be fruitful for Him (I.e. the Red Sea and the Egyptians (Armageddon), the Mana (I am the Bread of Life), the Water from the Rock (He is that Rock) in the Wilderness, the Serpent on the Pole (as Moshe lifted up the Serpent, so shall the Son of Man be lifted up) and other examples too numerous to list here). But as we have already seen, this mortality must put on Immortality. However, there is the Second Death, the Death of the Spirit that comes in the Last Day (Rev 2:11, Rev 20:6, Rev 20:14).
Have we each been adopted in our days? Yes. The adoption is what makes us Children of Elohim.
Have we been Saved in our days? Yes, and No. I know in my life that I have been saved from situations that were most certainly a moment away from death. However I made it through with seemingly miraculous “timing”. However, No, we have not seen the Great Salvation. That is, the Salvation of our Souls, the Salvation which Yeshua spoke of incessantly. This is the Salvation to which we normally speak of. But it is still in our future. It has not come yet. But we have received a promise, an earnest of our Salvation so that we know that it is true and that He will make it come to be as He has spoken.
When we speak of our addition to the House of Yahweh, we should use the words for the Adoption. When we speak of the Salvation of our souls we should speak of it as Salvation. This is a clear picture of the Passover. Since we are Adopted into the position of First Born we are now able to be covered by the Blood of the Lamb against the Second Death and then we will have Everlasting Life. Adoption is a free gift, and so is the Salvation. The Father directs the process in both cases and the Firstborn, Israel, you and I, Adopted, Grafted in, Born Again Children of Elohim, are Saved unto Everlasting life through Yeshua our Passover Lamb from the Second Death. Adoption is our Wonderful Gift, Salvation is our wonderful Promise.
What a wonderful Father we have, Baruch et Yahweh, Ha Mevorach. Blessed is Yahweh, the King of Eternity.
Shalom Aleichem and may our heavenly Father’s peace be in you all.
As always, I welcome your comments and your thoughts on these articles.
Please feel free to email us at Jeff@TalkingTorah.Org