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William Perkins provides six marks that may help certify one`s adoption:
An earnest and heartie desire in all things to further the glorie of God.
A care and readiness to resigne our selues in subjection to God, to bee ruled by his word and
spirit, in thought, word, and deede.
A sincere endeauor to do his will in all things with cheerfulnesse, making conscience of
euerything we know to be euill.
Vpright walking in a mans lawfull calling, and yet still by faith to relie vpon Gods prouidence,
being well pleased with Gods sending whatsoeuer it is.
Euery day to humble a mans selfe before God for his offences, seeking his fauour in Christ
vnfainedly, and so daily renuing his faith & repentance.
A continual combate between the flesh and the spirt, corruption haling and drawing one way,
and grace resisting the same & drawing another way.
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Roger Drake offers these marks: a spirit of faith and dependency (2 Cor. 4:13); a spirit of
prayer (Acts 9:11); a spirit of evidence (Rom. 8:16); a spirit of liberty (2 Cor. 3:17); a
spirit of waiting (Rom. 8:23); and a spirit of love (1 John 5:2).
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Cotton Mather says that we belong to God`s family when we can positively
answer that our only trust for salvation lies in Jesus Christ and His atoning blood, that we
are effectually called by the Spirit, and that we exercise vital piety, which consists of
fearing God, giving glory to Him, and loving our neighbor.
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Stephen Marshall said we
must answer questions like these: Is the Holy Ghost come to dwel in you to unite you to
Christ? Doth the Holy Ghost work a Childs heart in you? Can you honor God, and
reverence him, and turn to him? And can you walk before God as obedient Children, at
least in the constant bent and tenure of your Souls?
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Transformed relationships in adoption
The consciousness of personal adoption into God`s family impacts the entire life of the
believer. The Puritans would agree with Packer: Sonship must be the controlling
thought--the normative category, if you like--at every point.
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Every relationship in the
believer`s life is transformed by it.
Christ Himself is the best proof of this truth. Jesus` consciousness of His unique
filial relationship with the Father controlled all of Christ`s living and thinking: I seek not
mine own will, but the will of my Father which hath sent me (John 5:30); If I do not the
works of my Father, believe me not, Jesus says in John 10:37, and As my Father hath
sent me, even so send I you (John 20:21). Jesus likewise urges His disciples to let their
thoughts and lives be controlled by the conviction that God is now their Father and they