The adoption in Romans 8 is the redemption of the believer's body.
Les Feldick teaches that the adoption Paul describes is not the common idea of adopting a child. Rather, Romans 8:23 defines it as 'the redemption of our body.' The soul and spirit are already redeemed at salvation, but the body remains unredeemed and under the curse. Believers groan and wait for this final adoption, which completes their redemption as a whole person—body, soul, and spirit.
Romans 8:23 — This verse directly defines the adoption as the redemption of the body, which is the center of the question.
In Romans 8:22-23, Paul writes that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. Then he says that believers, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, also groan within themselves, waiting for the adoption—which the verse immediately defines as the redemption of the body. Romans 8:14-15 speaks of those who are led by the Spirit of God as the sons of God, and says believers have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby they cry, 'Abba, Father.' Ephesians 1:14 likewise describes the Holy Spirit as the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.
Les Feldick teaches that the adoption Paul speaks of in Romans 8 is the redemption of the believer's body. He stresses that the word 'adoption' here does not mean what we normally think of—taking a child from another union and making it legally ours. Instead, Paul clarifies his meaning by saying it is 'the redemption of our body.' Les emphasizes that a human being functions as a complete entity only when he is body, soul, and spirit. At salvation, the soul and spirit are totally redeemed and made ready for eternity, but the body is still unredeemed, still in the flesh, and still under the curse. The presence of the Holy Spirit in the believer is God's down payment that He will complete the whole transaction and redeem body, soul, and spirit together. Therefore believers groan within themselves, not because they lack salvation, but because they are waiting for the adoption—the day they will receive a new body and be reunited as a complete entity for eternity.
Les Feldick explicitly addresses this. He says, 'The word adoption here doesn't mean what we normally think of, of taking a child from some other union and bringing it in and making it legally ours.' Instead, Romans 8:23 itself defines the adoption as the redemption of the body.
Les teaches that while the soul and spirit are already redeemed in the believer, the body is still unredeemed and under the curse. The Holy Spirit's presence is God's down payment that He will complete the transaction, redeeming body, soul, and spirit together. One day believers will have a new body reunited with the soul and spirit, making them a complete entity for eternity.
Romans 8:22-23 shows the whole creation groaning and travailing in pain, and believers who have the firstfruits of the Spirit also groaning within themselves, waiting for the adoption. Les points out that even though the soul and spirit are redeemed, the body is not yet ready—so believers groan while waiting for the redemption of the body.
The Down Payment of the Spirit
Les explains that the soul and spirit are already redeemed but the body is still under the curse; the Holy Spirit's presence is God's down payment that He will redeem body, soul, and spirit together.
Adoption Is the Redemption of the Body
Les directly defines the adoption as the redemption of the body and shows that the Holy Spirit guarantees a new body reunited with soul and spirit for eternity.
Groaning for the Adoption
Les reads Romans 8:22-23 and emphasizes that believers groan within themselves waiting for the adoption, which is the redemption of the body, not the soul.
Believers Wait for the Adoption
Les highlights that both creation and believers with the firstfruits of the Spirit groan, waiting for the adoption.
The Holy Spirit as Earnest
Les connects Ephesians 1:14 to Romans 8, showing the sealing of the Spirit is the earnest or down payment until the redemption of the body.
Adoption Not Child Adoption
Les clarifies that the biblical adoption in Romans 8 does not mean taking a child from another union and making it legally ours.
Waiting for the Consummation of Redemption
Les explains that since the soul and spirit are already redeemed, what is waiting to be consummated is the redemption of the body.
The Redemption of the Body
Les repeats that the adoption is the redemption of the body and stresses that a human being must be a complete entity of body, soul, and spirit; loved ones who have died are not yet in a body.
Romans 8:23: And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
The key verse that directly defines the adoption as the redemption of the body.
Romans 8:22: For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Shows creation groaning under the curse, paralleling the believer's groaning in verse 23.
Romans 8:15: For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Speaks of the Spirit of adoption received by believers.
Romans 8:14: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Shows that believers are already the sons or children of God.
Ephesians 1:14: Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Describes the Holy Spirit as the earnest or down payment until the redemption of the body.
The adoption in Romans 8 is the redemption of the believer's body. Romans 8:23 says believers groan within themselves waiting for the adoption, 'to wit, the redemption of our body.'
Les Feldick explains that the word adoption in Romans 8 does not mean taking a child from another union and making it legally ours. Rather, Paul defines it as the redemption of the body.
The presence of the Holy Spirit in the believer is God's down payment that He will complete the whole transaction, redeeming body, soul, and spirit together. Ephesians 1:14 calls the Spirit the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.
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