Freedom: Adoption in Christ
Freedom: Justification by Faith - A study in Galatians • Sermon • Submitted
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· 29 viewsAdult adoption into Christ, don't give up the benefits
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Manhood
Manhood
When does a person become an adult, for my illustration I am going to use a boy-child to a man. In our culture we may say 18 or 21, others may say even younger. In the culture that Paul is in it is pretty defined.
(Slide) Jewish culture: Boy becomes a man 1st Sabbath after his 12th Birthday. - there would be a prayer from the Father to God for the son; then the prayer from the son accepting responsibilities under the law as man
(Slide) Greek culture: At 18 he becomes a cadet and 2 years later would be considered a man -at 18 he was a cadet and under the direction of the State after a festival sending him off where his long hair would be cut off and offered to their gods.
(Slide) Roman culture: Was not as defined as date, normally between ages 14-17 -the child’s toga as identified by a purple band at the foot of it, it was called the pretexta, and it would be exchanged again after a festival called the Liberalia for the toga virilis that men would wear.
All three had definitive days but maybe not dates, but it was definable when the boy became a man.
There is a definitive day we became a child of God and a son of God and we are adopted into God’s family. Paul is going to look this this argument, this defence of the grace of God, justification by faith vs. the Law and legalism
I. Adoption
I. Adoption
Paul is still making the defence that the Galatians did not need legalism, they needed Jesus and since they had Jesus they need to stay there and not go back to a system that could not save them in the first place.
1 Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father.
3 So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
Gal4:1
5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
As Paul makes his defence through this passage he points out a few things.
5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
(slide) What we were: Children of bondage (vv.1-3)
Gal4:4
Eph
in other words are held in bondage
(slide) What God did: Redeemed us (vv.4-5)
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
(slide) What we are: sons and heirs (vv.6-7)
When the sinner, when we, trust Christ, when we by faith confess, repent and submit to the Lord in baptism our condition changes. We go from a sinner to a spiritual babe in need of discipling, nourishment to help to grow.
This regeneration has the benefit of adoption, but not in the sense we may think of it as adopting a child, we are adopted as Son’s of God, full grown in the aspect we have put away the weak and beggerly things (the law, etc.) and taking on the responsibility and the benefits of being an adult child.
2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
But as our condition has changed from sinner to child of God our position changes too, we become son’s of God. An adult son of God adopted into the family of God with all the benefits and privileges of being an heir.
This adoption Paul speaks of here and also in Eph1
5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
It is not the way we enter into God’s family, that is by being reborn, by regeneration.
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Jn3:3
One of the benefits of being born again is being adopted and we then enjoy the full benefits of our adoption.
So now lets look at this.
We were children of bondage (vv.1-3)
(Slide) No different than a slave (v.1)
(Slide) Under guardianship (v.2)
(Slide) Held in bondage (v.3)
No matter the worth of the father a child, an infant son cannot really enjoy the wealth. In Roman world the children would be cared for by a slave if the family was wealthy. The child was not really any different than the slave, the servant who cared for the child. The servant was commanded by the master and the child was commanded by the servant even though he was a son and an heir. In other words he was under guardianship, held in bondage.
Bondage today (legalism) and even then as Paul penned this was not a step towards maturity but a step back to childhood, to infancy. Christ came to set them free from the bondage, from the elementary principles.
The law is not God’s final word, Jesus is.
1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
The Law was to point to the need for the Messiah, to show us that we are sinners in need of a Savior. We need to understand by the law the nature and severity of sin so we can turn to the grace of God, justification by faith and be adopted into the family of God by regeneration, rebirth, being born again.
We cannot let anyone burden us with rules and regulations, to put us under a bondage of legalism. We need to standfast in the liberty in which Christ died for us.
1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
When we understand our liberty, our adoption, our position and our possession in Christ we will.
(slide) Serve the Lord more energetically
(Slide) Talk to the Lord more frequently
(Slide) Study the Word more joyfully
(Slide) Give to the Lord more generously
Now just to touch on law again for a moment, law is needed. in our world in our society it is needed. Without a system of law it would be anarchy and society would destroy itself from within.
The Law tells us what to do, but does not give us the power to do it. That comes through trading a relationship based on rule and regulations for a relationship based on love.
Because of love, it brings us to our next minor point.
(Slide) What God Did: He Redeemed US! (vv.4-5)
Fullness of time comes, in case you forget we have seen that before in the scripture.
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
The Romans helped to prepare the way for the Lord, there is a historical term called Pax Romana that describes what the Roman world did to prepare the way for the Lord. The city infrastructure, the linking the cities, the roman guards keeping peace. Christ’s birth in Bethlehem was not an accident, it was an appointment that came at the fulness of time.
Paul brings to light another point worth mentioning: the dual nature of Christ at his birth.
4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
(Slide) God sent forth His Son (re: Jn3:16)
the Son was born of a woman (Lk1:26-38)
Other scriptures to conside
28 “I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father.”
14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
Jesus fulfilled these things.
15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”
(Slide) Paul tells us when He came, how He came and goes on to explain why He came.
5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
Redeem, to pay the price for a slave, either to keep as a slave to self or to set free.
(Slide) Jesus came to pay the price to set us free, not to make us slaves but to make us sons!
Under the Law the people were just children under a guardian, but under grace, justification by faith the believer is made a son, an heir in adult standing in God’s family.
(Insert Illustration of Cody Braly’s adult adoption)
When you decided to follow Jesus, you believed, you confessed, you repented, you obeyed and you were saved, your sins were forgiven and your condition changed from a sinner to a spiritual babe in Christ who needs to be nourished so at to grow
2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
But as a Christian your position changed and you became a adult son of God who can draw from the Father’s wealth and share in the inheritance of the Son. In other others words you can enjoy sonship and all its privileges.
Now in backing up in this passage remembering Paul is defending the Gospel of Grace, justification by Faith vs. the Law of Moses he speaks to them again in terms they would know. Paul brings out three points here in this opening section.
Now in backing up in this passage remembering Paul is defending the Gospel of Grace, justification by Faith vs. the Law of Moses he speaks to them again in terms they would know.
(Slide) What we were: Children of Bondage (vv.1-3)
(Slide) What God did: He Redeemed us (vv.4-5)
(Slide) What we are: Sons and heirs (vv.6-7)
As a child the net worth, the wealth of the father cannot be really enjoyed. Even if the child is the heir and one day will have all the fathers wealth until that day the child is still only a child, an heir and does not receive the inheritance until such date as set by the father. So in other words are held in bondage
(Insert slide chart here - entitled child vs son of God)
What we are: sons and heirs (vv.6-7)
6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
Did you notice anything in these verses? All three parts of the Godhead, the trinity are there!
God sent His Son to be die to be the perfect and acceptable sacrifice. The Son sent the Spirit to dwell in us to make us sons!
as a son we get to share in the divine nature of the Father.
For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
No longer a slave, they were called, we are called to be sons
(Slide) Slave has a master; son has a Father
(Slide) Slave obeys out of fear; son obeys out of love
(Slide) Slave is poor; son is rich
(Slide) Slave has no future; son has a future
When we as sinners come to the Father through the Son, then we are given the Spirit who tells us we are a child of the Father.
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,
As a son, we can cry out Abba father same as it says here in Gal4:6; we do it because we understand, because we know of God’s love for us and our love for God.
We obey out of love for the Father because of the sacrifice of the Son and the giving of the Spirit. The Spirit works in us and on us to help us to grow and know the love of the Father and for the Father and it produces fruit
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
This love it poured out on us!
5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Law cannot produce obedience, only love can do that.
15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
From the love of the Father, the Son and the Spirit we are made rich, we are made sons and heirs
Some of our riches include:
(slide) Riches of His Grace (Eph1:7)
(slide) Riches of His glory (Php4:9)
(slide) Riches of His goodness (Rom2:4)
These riches are only found in Christ Jesus
19 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
This brings us to last point for tonight, the son has a future. The slave, the servant maybe cared for, but it is not required, but the father always providesfor the son.
14 Here for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I do not seek what is yours, but you; for children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.
Now this is spiritually speaking for caring for parents is a good thing .
In once sense we are pending our final adoption, but we have the assurance of it until then. One day our bodies will receive that final adoption.
Rom
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.
We don’t know exactly when, we do know the results
1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.
2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.
3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
The best is yet to come.
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
I know it was a long passage but we want to keep things in context and look at the beauty of inheritance as sons we have!
(Lead to Invitation/encouragement)
(Insert slide with Child of God; Son of God; belong to God)