What did the Greek word for adoption not mean in the Bible?
The Greek word for adoption did not mean taking a child from that union and then legally making him ours. It was not describing a legal transfer of a child out of one relationship into another, but Scripture connects adoption with being predestinated unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself.
Les explains that the Greek word adoption did not mean to take a child from that union and then legally make him ours. He reminds us that Romans and Galatians also deal with adoption. In Ephesians 1, believers are predestinated unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. This is set in love, not because we merit or deserve it, but because of His matchless grace. We are blameless before Him because of what Christ has done, cleansed, forgiven, and justified by faith in His finished work.