Six Biblical Encouragements To Adopt Children 

8 minutes to read

It is unfortunate that there is a scarcity of sermons and books on adopting children. Due to the lack of teaching and encouragement given on adoption from the pulpit, infertile couples often spend large sums of money on treatments, including those that can afflict the woman physically, mentally, and emotionally, without considering adoption of a child as a valid biblical choice. Doctors rarely mention adoption as an option to fulfill the God-given longing for children in parents' hearts. On the contrary, fertility centers, which are rapidly proliferating, often push parents towards IVF and even surrogacy. 

Please do not misunderstand me—I am not against medical treatment. However, we must first discern what is permissible under biblical ethics and what is not. Moreover, I am not writing this article to encourage only infertile couples to adopt children. Below, I will argue why even fertile parents, who already have children, should consider adoption.  

Let us now consider some biblical encouragements to adopt children: 

Adopt Children Because Adoption Is Part of the Religion Acceptable Before God.

1.  Adopt Children Because God Is the Father of the Fatherless.

Psalm 68:5 and many other verses describe God as the Father of the fatherless. Psalm 82:3 and Isaiah 1:17 command us to do good to orphans. Deuteronomy 24:19-21 commanded the Israelites to leave a portion of their harvests for the orphans. Through these passages, we see that God sovereignly and providentially cares for the orphans. Despite not owing care to His sinful creation, yet He, in His great mercy, condescends to call Himself the Father of the fatherless. 

Shouldn’t we, in turn, imitate our God by becoming parents to orphaned or deserted children? Without the loving embrace of godly parents, these children may live deprived lives, lacking the care and guidance they need. Adopting these children not only reflects the heart of God but also transforms their lives with the love and security of a family.

2.  Adopt Children Because Adoption Is Part of the Religion Acceptable Before God.

The New Testament is also not silent on the of caring for orphans. James 1:27 asserts that the religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is to visit orphans in their affliction. Even though this verse is not a direct command to adopt children, it unequivocally emphasises us that the Christian faith includes care for orphans. Adoption, in this context, represents a permanent commitment to the care of the physical and spiritual well-being of the child.

Inspired by this verse, many parents have adopted children in the past, and many of those children have grown up to be not only sound believers but also mighty gospel workers. Some Christians have even established and continue to operate orphanages. While it is essential to clarify that the primary mission of the church is to preach the gospel and disciple people, parachurch organisations and individual Christians can indeed take on the task of caring for orphans.

George Muller is perhaps the greatest example of this kind of ministry. During his lifetime, he cared for 10,000 orphans. It goes without saying that many orphans in Christian orphanages come to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and will be found in heaven. Without the benefit of adoption, these souls would likely lead lives of deprivation and might even turn to a criminal lifestyle.

Is your heart moved and encouraged? Will you consider adopting a helpless child and teaching him the Lord’s ways so that he may receive the gift of eternal life?  

3. Adopt Children Because God Adopted You.

In 1 John 3:1, John is amazed at the love of God that we, undeserving sinners, have become the children of God. Galatians 4:5-7 celebrates the doctrine of adoption, highlighting the profound privilege of calling God “Abba Father.”. Indeed, nothing is more comforting than this intimate relationship with our Creator. Yet, isn’t it ironic that we who talk so much about our adoption by God and its benefits hardly ever think about living it out in imitation of God (Ephesians 5:1-2)? We were undeserving sinners, and God, in His great mercy, adopted us into His family. Shouldn’t that be the single most powerful reason to consider adoption? 

You might say, “Well, we already have children. We don’t need more. Adoption is for infertile couples.” But following the same logic, God shouldn’t have saved and adopted you and me. He has had a Son from all eternity. He is completely satisfied and stands in no need, yet He still adopted us. Will you now, in gratitude to the Lord for your adoption, consider adopting a child you don’t need, showering him or her with great love, and making him or her your legal heir? 

4.  Adopt Children Because Adoptions Did Wonders in the Bible. 

Consider how Pharaoh's daughter adopted Moses. In God’s providence, she kept the baby alive, who would one day deliver Israel out of Egypt and become the mediator of the Old Covenant. 

Mordecai adopted and raised Esther, who would one day save the Jews from destruction. 

Joseph adopted Jesus. Have you ever thought what would have happened if Joseph had refused to adopt Jesus as his legal Son? Jesus would not have been entitled to the throne of David, even though Mary was also in David’s line, as the right to throne came through the father’s lineage. An adoption by a godly man gave our Messiah the legal right to the throne of His father David. 

Aren’t these examples amazing? Who knows what God would do through the children you adopt and raise in the fear and admonition of the Lord!

5. Adopt children because adoption makes the infertile couple parents.

The Lord is sovereign. He opens and closes the womb. If God, in His sovereignty, refuses to give you biological children despite all your prayers and ethical medical treatments, you can consider conceiving children in your hearts instead of your wife’s womb and raising them as your own, showering all your love and affection on them. Adoption is a far better option than pursuing  treatments and procedures that are unnatural, violate biblical ethics, and put the woman at great health risks—risks your medical specialist may not even hint at. 

The Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 105 helps us understand that the sixth commandment, “You shall not murder,” also includes not harming or recklessly endangering oneself. You might say you are making a sacrifice for your future child, but please do not be deceived. The Bible commands you to make sacrifices for human beings who exist, not for children who do not exist. Pursuing harmful procedures is not a sacrifice but a willful refusal to surrender to the sovereign will of God that is withholding biological children from you. 

I don’t mean to be harsh. I can’t even imagine the pain that you are going through, but I encourage you to rejoice in the Lord and adopt children to fulfill your God-given longing for them. Adoption offers a loving, God-honoring way to become parents, aligning your desires with God's providence and care.

6. Adopt Children Because Jesus Said, “Let the Children Come to Me.”

Adopt Children Because God Adopted You.

Jesus loves me, this I know, for the bible tells me so.

This song is very close to my heart because it celebrates God’s love for children. Indeed, God loves children. In the Old Testament, it was God’s good pleasure to command procreation so that the world would be filled with children and childbearing adults. In Matthew 19:14, Jesus says, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." He rebuked those who tried to prevent the children from coming to Him, instead calling them to bring the children to Him and blessing them. 

One of the implications of this verse is that children are more receptive to the Word of God (cf. Proverbs 22:6). Most importantly, this verse shows us that Jesus loves children very much.  

Don’t we love Jesus? Won’t we let the orphaned or deserted children come to us and, through our upbringing, lead them to Him?  

Conclusion
Adoption is a profound way to live out the gospel, reflecting God’s heart, fulfilling biblical mandates, and demonstrating grace, love, and sacrifice. Please know that even though I have been very emphatic in my presentation above, I am not suggesting a legalistic view that you are sinning if you are not adopting children, yes, even if you are infertile. There is no explicit command in the whole Bible to adopt children, though there are many implicit encouragements. As believers consider adoption, they should be encouraged by these biblical truths and motivated by the incredible opportunity to reflect God’s love and redemption to a child in need.

So this decision is between you and the Lord. But if I were you, I would definitely pray and consider adoption as it’s a beautiful, challenging, and deeply rewarding journey that echoes the heart of our Heavenly Father, who has adopted us into His family with boundless love and grace.

If you are encouraged to adopt and want to find out how to go about the process, please visit this website and follow the instructions provided.