Furious Chapter 20 Devotional

Heirs of Promise

The year was A.D. 138. Rome was entering a time of uncertainty. Emperor Hadrian was aging and childless, and the question of succession loomed large. Rather than leaving the empire’s future to chance, Hadrian did something remarkable—he adopted a grown man named Antoninus Pius as his son.

In our modern world, this kind of adoption seems strange. Who adopts a grown man? That’s because our understanding of adoption today is largely centered on rescue—giving a child a home, love, and a new start. But in the Roman world, adoption had a very different purpose.

Hadrian didn’t adopt Antoninus Pius to save an orphan. He adopted him to appoint an heir. His intention was for Antonius to become his son so that he could become his successor as the emperor of Rome. But there was a major condition. Antoninus had to adopt two others—Marcus Aurelius (then a teenager) and Lucius Verus—securing not just one successor, but two generations of imperial leadership.

This moment marked the beginning of what historians call the era of the Five Good Emperors—a rare stretch of stability, wisdom, and prosperity in Roman history. And at the heart of it was adoption.

Adoption in Roman culture wasn’t a second class status. In many cases, it was more secure than being a biological child. You could disown a natural son, but not an adopted one. Adoption meant deliberate choice. Public affirmation. Full rights. Irrevocable inheritance.

And that’s what makes Paul’s words in Galatians so powerful.

When Paul says, “You are no longer a slave but God’s own child,” he’s not just saying you’ve been rescued. He’s saying you’ve been chosen. Not merely spared, but strategically placed. You’ve been adopted by God—not just to belong, but to inherit. To carry His name. To represent His Kingdom. To walk in the authority and responsibility of sonship.

That’s the kind of adoption Paul’s audience would have understood.

You see, the Gentile believers in Galatia probably felt like outsiders. Latecomers. Maybe even second-class citizens in the Kingdom. But Paul smashes that lie to pieces.

He says: You’re not extras. You’re heirs. You’re not stepchildren of grace. You’re sons and daughters of God Almighty.

Jesus didn’t just save you from something. He chose you for something.

In Christ, you’ve been adopted. Not accidentally. Not reluctantly. But purposely. And because of that, you’re no longer a slave to fear, guilt, or performance. You are a child of God. And if a child… then an heir.

🔥 Reflection

Have you ever seen yourself as merely “rescued” rather than “chosen”? Do you carry a sense of spiritual insecurity, like you’re only just barely accepted? How does it shift your heart to realize that, in Christ, you’ve been adopted—deliberately, legally, and irrevocably?

🙏 Prayer

Father, thank You for adopting me—not out of pity, but on purpose. Help me to live with the confidence of a true son or daughter. Remind me daily that I belong to You—and that my inheritance is secure in Christ. Amen.

📣 Call-to-Action

Take a moment today to write down everything your adoption in Christ means: you are chosen, loved, secured, and destined for inheritance. Then, share this truth with someone who’s forgotten who they are.