Is it true that an adopted child will still inherit his biological parents’ behavior patterns?

Question:

Will an adopted child take on the behavior patterns of his biological parents no matter how you educate him? If his biological parents are alcoholics then is he destined to become one too? Or, if his biological father were violent does that mean that he will have a tendency towards violence too? Thank you for your help? 

Adopting a child is an act greatly appreciated both by God and by man. The Holy Scriptures teach us that all true believers, in order to become Christians, must be adopted into the family of God.

14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba ! Father !” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. (Romans 8)

We also find the following:

22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8)

Having read all this, I must admit, it is not true that every child will inherit the behavioral patterns of his parents, especially if the parents were alcoholics or violent. Look around us. Many times we see good kids coming from bad parents as well as bad kids coming from good parents.

The most important thing that you can do for any child is to give him the opportunity to come to know God through the Lord Jesus Christ as revealed in the Bible. The Gospel is able to change any and every person’s character if he or she truly believes.

I have seen many Americans, Christians, who worked hard to adopt children of other nationalities, give them a wonderful childhood, offering a model of Christian obedience and Christian teaching from the Bible so that they could attain salvation.

May the Lord help you to adopt children and give them a good Christian education so that you can have great joy here on earth as well as in the kingdom of heaven.

Translation by: Erik Brewer