November 9 is World Adoption Day. Is there a Christian view of child adoption? What does the Bible say about it?
Old Testament Passages Relating to Child Adoption
What Old Testament passages mention or at least hint at the subject of child adoption?
- He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the stranger by giving him food and clothing (Deuteronomy 10:18).
- A friend to the fatherless and a judge for the widows, is God in His holy dwelling (Psalm 68:5).
- The Lord watches over strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow, but He thwarts the way of the wicked (Psalm 148:9).
- Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor, obtain justice for the orphan, plead for with widow’s case (Isaiah 1:16-17).
- This is what the Lord of armies has said: “Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another” (Zechariah 7:9-10).
Adoption as Preserving Families
Clearly, none of these passages says, “Adopt children.” We should caring for orphans and seeking and doing justice for them. That, at the very least, implies that we should care for children without parents. That certainly includes not only children whose parents have died. In the modern context, it also includes those whose parents cannot effectively care for them.
In the Old Testament, God’s focus with Israel was on the family. He gave directions on the protection and transfer of property rights within the family, providing long-term economic support and stability. In a broader sense, the concept of the “kinsman-redeemer” also provided for family continuity. God commanded parents to teach their children about Him. They were to remember God’s faithfulness to them through the annual worship celebrations of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. God’s plan was for the family to be the core unit of social structure.
New Testament Passages Referencing Child Adoption
As with the Old Testament, the New Testament does not specifically direct believers to adopt children. However, two important passages imply God’s view of children and adoption:
- Then some children were brought to Him, so that He would lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, “Leave the children alone, and do not forbid them to come to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:13-14).
- Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world (James 1:27).
First, when Jesus says this, He signals the inherent value and importance of children in God’s kingdom. In the secular culture of the day, children were not valued. Sick children were often abandoned and left to die. Early believers often rescued such children and adopted them, providing family structure and identity to them.
Second, Jesus expanded our circle of concern from family to the whole world by broadly defining “neighbor.” Loving our “neighbors” – those in need” – means that our circle is very broad. Combining this broad concern for others with Jesus’ heightened call to embrace and care for children leads us to the obvious conclusion that adoption is a Christian value. In the same way, James 1:27 challenges us to back up pious thoughts with loving action.
Modern Applications
Today, many Christians both champion adoption and choose to adopt as a way to encourage women to choose adoption over abortion. If Christians are going to oppose abortion – as we should – we should also both encourage adoption and participate in it. Adopting children today is the modern equivalent of early Christians rescuing abandoned children. As individuals, we should look for ways to facilitate and encourage adoption. Churches and religious organizations should help to support women who choose adoption over abortion. Such support includes financial assistance, medical care, and counseling, as well as personal care, encouragement, and friendship.
Hopefully, we also recognize that encouragement and support includes not judging women for their pregnancies nor for their decision to give up their children for adoption. A vibrant Christian perspective on adoption is crucial to our broader witness to the joy and peace that comes from being part of God’s kingdom.
A Personal Account
In 1994, my wife and I started looking for an opportunity to adopt a child. We had two sons, and had always wanted a larger family. However, my wife’s cancer treatment made it impossible for us to have another child. We let friends and family know that we were interested in adopting, and God brought us together with a young woman who had recently made the decision to put her unborn child up for adoption. God blessed us with that child, our daughter, who was born in 1995. We have also been blessed to continue to have contact with various members of our daughter’s biological family. From a personal perspective, our adoption was far more than a way to minister to a child and a young woman; it is an incredible blessing from God, completing our family in a marvelous way!
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