This book presents a new paradigm for assurance of salvation. It argues that an adoption-centric understanding of salvation, based on union with Christ, enables one to appreciate salvation in its fullest splendor. Seeing assurance from historical, exegetical, and theological perspectives, it contends that assurance of adoption is assurance of salvation.

This book presents a new paradigm for assurance of salvation. It argues that an adoption-centric understanding of salvation, based on union with Christ, enables one to appreciate salvation in its fullest splendor. Seeing assurance from historical, exegetical, and theological perspectives, it contends that assurance of adoption is assurance of salvation.

- A sound, devotional, encouraging treatment of the doctrine of adoption- Draws from the Bible's use of family imagery rather than preconceived notions of fatherhood, adoption, sonship- Comforting and compelling application of adoption to difficult life situations

Despite our professions of belief, our baptisms, and our membership in the church, many of us secretly wonder, Am I truly saved? We worry that our love for Jesus isn't fervent enough (or isn't as fervent as someone else's). We worry that our faith isn't strong enough. We struggle through the continuing presence of sin in our lives. All this steals the joy of our salvation and can lead us into a life characterized by legalism, perfectionism, and works righteousness--the very life Jesus freed us from at the cross! But Greg Gilbert has a message for the anxious believer--be assured. Assured that your salvation experience was real. Assured that your sins--past, present, and future--are forgiven. Assured that everyone stumbles. Assured that Jesus is not your judge but your advocate. With deep compassion, Gilbert comforts readers, encouraging them to release their guilt, shame, and anxiety to rejoice in and follow hard after the One who set them free.

Rarely Addressed Throughout Church History, the doctrine of adoption has seen fresh attention in recent years. Although valuable, contemporary studies have focused primarily on etymological, cultural, and pastoral considerations, giving little to no attention to vital systematic theological concerns. In this groundbreaking work, Professor David Garner examines the function of adoption in Pauline thought: its relationship to the doctrines of Christ, the Holy Spirit, eschatology, and union with Christ, as well as its primary place among the other benefits of salvation. Adoption frames Pauline soteriology, Garner argues, and defines the Trinitarian, familial context of redemption in Christ, the Son of God. Properly understood, adoption's paradigm-shifting implications extend deep and far. Book jacket.

Paul and the Gift transformed the landscape of Pauline studies upon its publication in 2015. In it, John Barclay led readers through a recontextualized analysis of grace and interrogated Paul’s original meaning in declaring it a “free gift” from God, revealing grace as a multifaceted concept that is socially radical and unconditioned—even if not unconditional. Paul and the Power of Grace offers all of the most significant contributions from Paul and the Gift in a package several hundred pages shorter and more accessible. Additionally, Barclay adds further analysis of the theme of gift and grace in Paul’s other letters—besides just Romans and Galatians—and explores contemporary implications for this new view of grace.

The Children Money Can Buy covers decades of dramatic societal change in foster care and adoption, including the pendulum swings regarding open adoption and attitudes toward birth parents, the gradual acceptance of gay and lesbian adoption, the proliferation of unregulated adoption facilitators in the U.S., ethical concerns related to international adoption, and the role money inevitably plays in the foster care and adoption systems. Special attention is given to the practice of “baby brokering” and the accompanying exorbitant finder’s fees and financial incentives encouraging birth mothers to relinquish (or pretend that they are planning to relinquish) their babies that permeate much of U.S. infant adoption today. The Children Money Can Buy illuminates the worlds of foster care and adoption through the personal stories Moody witnessed and experienced in her many years working in the foster care and adoption systems. These compelling stories about real people and situations illustrate larger life lessons about the way our society values—and fails to value—parents and children. They explore the root of ethical problems which are not only financially driven but reflect society’s basic belief that some children are more valuable than others. Finally, Moody makes a plea for change and gives suggestions about how the foster care and adoption systems could work together for the benefit of children and families.

The past decade has seen an increase in cases where adoptive parents fail to receive accurate or complete information about a child's physical, emotional, or developmental problems or about the child's birth family and history. In these cases adoptive parents are confronted with extremely expensive medical care or mental health care. This monograph examines the issue of wrongful adoption. Chapter 1 reviews the historical and social context of adoption practice in relation to disclosure of children's health and other background information to prospective adoptive parents. This section also outlines the benefits of disclosure to all parties to an adoption, and discusses the factors that may be related to failure to disclose. Chapter 2 discusses specific cases that have shaped the tort of "wrongful adoption," applies wrongful adoption theory to international adoption, and discusses state statutes that set forth disclosure obligations. Chapter 3 discusses some of the key policy and practice issues that warrant close consideration in relation to disclosure of health and other background information. Chapter 4 provides recommendations to enhance adoption agencies' abilities to implement quality practice in the area of disclosure of health and other background information and to limit exposure to liability for wrongful adoption. Contains 62 references. (KB)

The Puritans have gotten bad press for their supposed lack of teaching on the doctrine of spiritual adoption. In Heirs with Christ, Joel R. Beeke dispels this caricature and shows that the Puritan era did more to advance the idea that every true Christian is God's adopted child than any other age of church history. This little book lets the Puritans speak for themselves, showing how they recognized adoption's far-reaching, transforming power and comfort for the children of God. Table of Contents: 1. Introduction: Correcting a Caricature 2. The Greatness and Comprehensiveness of Adoption 3. Adoption Compared in the Two Testaments 4. What Adoption Is Not 5. The Westminster Assembly's Definitions of Adoption 6. The Transforming Power of Adoption 7. Pastoral Advice in Promoting Adoption 8. The Marks of Adoption 9. Transformed Relationships in Adoption 10. The Privileges and Benefits of Adoption 11. The Responsibilities or Duties of Adoption 12. Motives for Pursuing the Consciousness of Adoption 13. Warning, Invitation, and Comfort

Tying in to a nationwide joint campaign by the Evangelical Alliance and Care for the Family, Krish Kandiah wants us all to take seriously Jesus's call to 'suffer the little children' by engaging with the needs of the many thousands of children up and down the country who are in care and whom the church could and should be helping. Krish and his wife Miriam have adopted and fostered children themselves and their experience - and that of the many others in this book - is very different from the popular myth which suggests social services seek to prevent Christians from getting involved. Krish argues that whatever the state's stance may be, it is a part of our calling as God's church to get involved where it's hardest, and to help these children out of the tough realities they find themselves in. Filled with stories from people who have adopted or were adopted themselves, alongside practical advice on how it all works and the challenges that will come, this book makes a compelling case that the church can and must make a difference in these children's lives, and asks us all to consider our response.