9 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.” John 17:9-11

“I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.” John 17:6.

20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” John 17:20-21.

Strong’s definition of the word reflects three separate ways in which it is used in Scripture: Adoption, adoption as sons- 1.That relationship which God was pleased to establish between himself and the Israelites in preference to all other nations. 2.The nature and condition of the true disciples in Christ, who by receiving the Spirit of God into their souls become sons of God. 3.The blessed state looked for in the future life after the visible return of Christ from heaven.

Our adoption is spoken of in these three areas in four different dimensions: 1. as part of our spiritual ancestry. 2. how we stand before God this very night by faith in Jesus. 3. as something which we look forward to in the future with hope. 4. having been predestined to it from before the foundation of the world.

5 “No eye pitied you…to have compassion on you; but you were thrown out into the open field…you yourself were loathed on the day you were born. 6 “And when I passed by you and saw you struggling in your own blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ Yes, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’” Ezekiel 16:5-6

“As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” John 1:12.

25 “I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved.” 26 “And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ There they shall be called sons of the living God.” Romans 9:25-26

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” 1 John 3:1.

“For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15.

“To redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” Galatians 4:5.

“We also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.” Romans 8:23.

“…Chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.” Ephesians 1:4-5.

“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:29.

“If your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.” Romans 14:15.

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Ephesians 4:4-6.

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1-3.

1 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the L ORD commanded the blessing— Life forevermore.” Psalm 133.

1 “Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like- minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” Philippians 2:1-2.