In the New Testament of our Bibles it’s only Paul who uses the word ‘adoption’ in relation to believers on the Lord Jesus becoming sons of God. As Brian shows, what’s really interesting to trace is how the apostle Paul, by the Spirit of God, exploits many features of the ancient Roman custom of adoption to make telling spiritual applications. A little research about what actually happened in society back in those New Testament times helps us to draw out detailed illustrations of teaching points which are supportive of direct teaching found elsewhere in the New Testament. (eBook, PDF)