Sunday Hymn: I Am Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus

I am trusting thee, Lord Jesus
Trusting only thee:
Trusting thee for full salvation,
Great and free.

I am trusting thee for pardon;
At thy feet I bow,
For thy grace and tender mercy,
Trusting now.

I am trusting thee for cleansing
In the crimson flood;
Trusting thee to make me holy
By thy blood.

I am trusting thee to guide me;
Thou alone shalt lead,
Ev’ry day and hour supplying
All my need.

I am trusting thee, Lord Jesus;
Never let me fall;
I am trusting thee for ever,
And for all.

—Frances R. Havergal

Another hymn for this Sunday:

• Safe in the Arms of Jesus at The Happy Wonderer 

Theological Term of the Week: Adoption

adoption
A gracious act of God in which he transfers men and women into his own family and gives them all the rights and privileges of sons.

• From scripture: 

  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. (Ephesians 1:5-6 ESV) 

   For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For 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!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ…. (Romans 8:14-17 ESV)

• From the Savoy Declaration, Chapter 12:

  Of Adoption: 

  All those that are justified, God vouchsafeth in and for his only Son Jesus Christ to make partakers of the grace of adoption, by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God, have his name put upon them, receive the Spirit of adoption; have access to the throne of grace with boldness, are enabled to cry, Abba Father; are pitied, protected, provided for, and chastened by him as by a father; yet never cast off, but sealed to the day of redemption, and inherit the promises as heirs of everlasting salvation.

• From Concise Theology by J. I. Packer, page 167:

  Justification is the basic blessing on which justification is founded; adoption is the crowning blessing, to which justification clears the way. Adopted status belongs to all who receive Christ (John 1:12). The adopted status of believers means that in and through Christ God loves them as he love his only-begotten Son and will share with them all the glory that is Christ’s now (Rom. 8:17, 38-39). Here and now, believers are under God’s fatherly care and discipline (Matt. 6:26; Heb. 12:5-11) and are directed, especially by Jesus, to live their whole lives in light of the knowledge that God is their Father in heaven. They are to pray to him as such (Matt. 6:5-13), imitate him as such (Matt.5:44-48; 6:12, 14-15; 18:21-35; Eph. 4:32-5:2), and trust him as such (Matt. 6:25-34), thus expressing the filial instinct that the Holy Spirit has implanted in them (Rom. 8:15-17; Gal. 4:6).

• From Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray, Part 2, Chapter 6:

  Could anything disclose the marvel of adoption or certify the security of its tenure and privelege more effectively than the fact that the Father himself, on account of whom are all things and through whom are all things, who made the captain of salvation perfect through sufferings, becomes by deed of grace the Father of the many sons whom he will bring to glory? And that is the reason why the captain of salvation himself is not ashamed to call them brethren and exult with joy unspeakable, “Behold I and the children whom God hath given to me” (Heb. 2:13).

Learn more:

1. Simply Put Podcast: Adoption
2. Tim Challies: The Essential: Adoption
3. Angus Stewart: Adoption: A Biblical and Theological Exposition of a Neglected Doctrine
4. John Murray: The Marvel of Adoption
5. Aaron Menikoff: Adoption: The Sweetest Doctrine
6. Kim Riddlebarger: Adopted Sons and Daughters
7. Sinclair Ferguson: 4 Benefits of Our Adoption

Related terms:

• conversion
• glorification
• justification
• new birth
• reconciliation
• regeneration
• sanctification

Filed under Salvation

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Clicking on the Theological Terms button above the header will take you to an alphabetical list of all the theological terms.

Sunday Hymn: Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me

Three styles, two tunes.

Rock of Ages, cleft for me
Let me hide myself in thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Cleanse me from its guilt and pow’r.

Not the labors of my hands
Can fulfil thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears for ever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to thee for dress,
Helpless, look to thee for grace;
Foul, I to the Fountain fly;
Wash me, Saviour, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyelids close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See thee on thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in thee.

—Augustus Toplady

Another hymn for this Sunday:

• When All Thy Mercies, O My God at The Happy Wonderer