“I no longer wish to parent this child. He is violent and has severe psychopathic issues. I am returning him.”

The flight attendant read the note in disbelief. A seven year old boy had it. His adoptive American mother wrote it. Things didn’t turn out the way she wanted, so she sent little Artyom Savelyev on a one-way trip back to Russia.

Can you imagine how alone and confused he must have been?

A seven-year-old orphan?

Rejected. Again.

Alone. Again.

Without a family. Again.

Flying half-way around the world, not knowing what might happen to him.

You might remember reading about his story a few years ago.

The world was outraged. Rightly so.

Especially Russia. In retaliation, they put a stop to all adoptions to the US.

What that unmarried woman did was wrong. Kids are not things and you can’t return them. Once you become a parent, there’s no turning back. Not even in adoption.

And yet, that’s what many people think God does.

They believe that God adopts us as sons (cf., John 1:12), however, when we prove troublesome, He returns us. “I no longer wish to parent this child. Turns out he’s a sinner.”

If that’s what you believe, I want you to consider two verses.

The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).

The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable (Romans 11:29).

Now, put those two things together, and what do you conclude?

Premise 1: Eternal life is a gift of God.
Premise 2: The gifts of God are irrevocable.
Conclusion: Eternal life is irrevocable.

Once God has given you eternal life, there’s no giving it back, and no taking it back. That gift is irrevocable.

You might say every believer carries a note that says, “He is violent, sinful, disobedient, selfish, has severe psychopathic issues, and I am keeping him. Signed, God.”