huiothesia

Semantic range

1. 1the legal act of adopting a son, with full rights of inheritance
2. 2the status so conferred

Roman adoption was a formal legal act that made the adopted person a full heir, with the old debts cancelled and the new family's name assumed. Paul uses the term for what the gospel does (Romans 8:15–17; Galatians 4:5–7): those who receive the Spirit cry Abba, Father, and become joint-heirs with Christ.

Latter-day Saint teaching sets this beside the doctrine that all people are already God's spirit children (Acts 17:29; Hebrews 12:9). The adoption language therefore describes not a change of species but a change of covenant standing — becoming His sons and daughters in a new sense through Christ (Mosiah 5:7; D&C 25:1; Ether 3:14).

See also

• זֶרַעzeraʿ
• μονογενήςmonogenēs
• διαθήκηdiathēkē