Adopted for Life by Russell Moore

Thanks to Courtney at Storing Up Treasures for recommending this book!

ADOPTION, JESUS AND YOU

Early in our courtship, JC and I discussed our desire to adopt children in addition to our biological children. Since the latter is harder to come by than we had expected, we are pursuing the former option now. A part of me can’t help but wonder if we really would have gone through the hassle of the research, paperwork and home study if we had been blessed with fertility. Would it have remained a priority? After reading Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches by Russell D. Moore, I am in tears thanking God that He will grow our family via adoption. (What a miracle that God has so softened and changed my heart that I can, in this moment of not having any children, thank Him for our lack of biological children so that we can adopt! I’ve come a long way!)

As Christians, adoption tells us something about ourselves. We, of course, have been adopted by the Lord. “For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, Abba, Father!” Romans 8:15 He could have just forgiven us. He could have just saved us and welcomed us into His Kingdom. But He went another step and MADE US HIS CHILDREN! We are as much a son or daughter of God as Jesus is! We do not have a master/slave relationship, but a Father/Son relationship! We are co-heirs with Christ! (Romans 8:17) Everything that Christ inherits belongs to us, too. Adoption is Gospel- it tells us who we as children of the Father. (Adopted for Life, pg. 17) And adoption is mission. We join Christ in advocating for the helpless and abandoned. (Adopted for Life, pg. 18)

JOSEPH OF NAZARETH vs. PLANNED PARENTHOOD

Saint Joseph literally joined Christ in His mission when he became His adopted father. “As Joseph images the Father of the fatherless, he shows us how adoption is more than charity. It’s spiritual warfare.” (Adopted for Life, pg. 59) Stories of Pharaoh giving orders to kill all the newborn Hebrew boys and Herod’s orders to kill all the boys under two in Bethlehem demonstrate the history of killing innocent children. Exodus 1:7 proclaims the Israelites were strong and prolific, “but what God pronounces blessing, Pharaoh sees as a curse.” (Adopted for Life, pg. 62) Psalm 2:2 explains that kings and nations rise up against the Lord and His anointed. Pharaoh tried to wipe out the ancestors of Jesus and Herod attempted to actually kill the King of kings- Jesus Himself. If that had succeeded, “the consequences would be even greater than genocide; the consequences would be hell for the entire world.” (Adopted for Life, pg. 62)

“Herod hates Jesus, even just by reputation. What’s also noteworthy about both of these dictators is that both of them take the rage they had against Jesus in particular and direct it towards babies in general. When it’s Jesus versus the self, babies are caught in the crossfire. And it’s always that way.” (Adopted for Life, pg. 62- emphasis mine)

“The demonic powers hate babies because they hate Jesus. When they destroy ‘the least of these’ (Matthew 25:40, 45), the most vulnerable among us, they’re destroying a picture of Jesus Himself, of the child delivered by the woman who crushes their head (Gen 3:15). They know the human race is saved- and they’re vanquished- by a woman giving birth (Gal. 4:4, 1 Tim 2:15). (Adopted for Life, pg. 64)

“It’s easy to shake our heads in disgust at Pharaoh or Herod or Planned Parenthood. It’s not as easy to see the ways in which we often have a Pharaoh-like view of children rather than a Christlike view. What God calls blessing, we often grumble at as a curse- and for the same reasons those old kings did, because they disrupt our life plans. Our ‘kingdom’ may be smaller than those old kings, our pyramids and monuments less enduring; but it’s all still there. I’m not arguing that parents should have as many children as biologically possible. I’m not arguing that every family is called to adopt children. I am suggesting, though, that we look at some of the ways in which we refuse to see blessing in something as noisy and frustrating as children.” (Adopted for Life, pg. 64-65- emphasis mine)

Saint Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus, but he was His real father. After all, Christ’s lineage to David, Abraham and Joseph came through His adopted father. As His real father, Joseph shows us about the fatherhood of God. “Parenting means sacrifice.” (Adopted for Life, pg. 71) It draws out one’s selfishness, calls us to hate sin passionately and teaches us to love more deeply. Parenting molds us into the image of Christ.

As an adopted father, Saint Joseph knew sacrifice. He ruined his reputation by marrying a young pregnant girl. He probably lost all economic security as he lead his family to Egypt. Saint Joseph exemplifies the command in James 1:27 to “care for orphans”. “James tells us that genuine faith shelters the orphan…Because genuine faith is orphan-protecting, a culture of adoption and a culture of evangelism coexist together.” (Adopted for Life, pg. 75)

“Churches that don’t celebrate children aren’t going to celebrate evangelism. After all, the ‘be fruitful and multiply’ clause in Genesis is the echoed in the Great Commission of Jesus (Matt. 28:16-20), a mission that also seeks to fill the entire earth. Jesus links procreation to new creation by speaking of new converts as newborn babies and of conversion itself as new birth. (Adopted for Life, pg. 77- emphasis mine)

“If the people in our congregation become other-directed instead of self-directed in the adoption of unwanted children, they are going to be other-directed instead of self-directed in their verbal witness to people in their community. On the other hand, the same self-interest that sears over the joy of birth will sear over the joy of new birth. The numbness to earthly adoption is easily translated to the numbness of spiritual adoption. But if people in our churches learn not to grumble at the blessing of mini-vans filled with children- some of whom don’t look anything alike- they’re going to learn not to grumble at the blessing of a congregation filling with new people, some of whom don’t look anything alike. If our churches learn to rejoice in the newness of life in the church nursery, they’ll more easily rejoice at the newness of life in the church baptistery, and vice versa. (Adopted for Life, pg. 77-emphasis mine)

DON’T YOU WANT YOUR OWN KIDS?

It was an easy decision for us to decide to adopt. We already had the desire, so we just adjusted the time-line. We heard about so many couples who struggled with infertility for twelve or fifteen years, exhausting every “last resort” before coming to terms with adoption. We never wanted that for our family. We have not “given up” on our fertility, but are embracing adoption whole-heartedly. Perhaps we’ll get pregnant one day, but it will not be a result of “relaxing” post-adoption. People have asked if we plan to pursue in-vitro fertilization and the answer is an emphatic NO! We have multiple moral reasons to not pursue this option, but one very practical reason is the cost! You can adopt two babies for the cost of one attempted in-vitro- which has a one in three success rate. Moore wisely asks a couple considering this option, “Do you want most of all to be parents, or do you want most of all to be conservators of your own genetic material?” (Adopted for Life, pg. 88)

Moore affirms the sadness that comes with infertility. He points out that it’s not just normal, but holy. He notes that the Bible is filled with prayers of barren women, and that He delights to answer these prayers! Psalm 113:9 says, “He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children.” Moore also warns of the dangers of infertility.

“It’s easy to become bitter, envious, and covetous when you want children and fear you can’t have them…If you find yourself mistrusting God’s goodness to you or caving introspectively in on yourself or unable to rejoice with those who rejoice or weep with those who weep, recognize what is happening, and that it isn’t good.” (Adopted for Life, pg. 93)

The author goes on to challenge friends and family to hold the infertile couple accountable for such attitudes and to encourage them in Christ. He then emphasizes how “human biology is big business.” (Adopted for Life, pg. 94)

“…Doctors who do IVF are selling a product and their patients are so vulnerable, their experience with infertility so fraught, that they’re not always willing or even able to act in what seems like their best own interest…[Other technologies] seek to bypass the one-flesh union and so result in children that are, in the words of one Christian ethicist, ‘made’ rather than ‘begotten’…These technologies turn the child into a commodity rather than a gift.” (Adopted for Life, pg. 96)

Adoption is not just for the infertile couple. “For many who’ve never experienced adoption, adoption seems to be simply a Plan B for people who can’t have children. They’re not able to see the beauty of adoption in and of itself.” (Adopted for Life, pg. 107)

CONCLUSION:

“The Father adopts children, and we’re called to be like him. Jesus cares for orphans, and we’re being conformed into His image. If you’re in Christ, you’re called to be involved in this project somehow.” (Adopted for Life, pg. 111) Moore explains that some of us are called to adopt, some are called to provide financial resources, and some are called to teach and encourage, but that we ALL have a vested interest in adoption.