Sons of God by Faith

Gal 3:26-4:7 Sons of God by faith

Let’s open our bibles to Gal 3.  We will pick up in verse 26 and go through 4:7.  Last week we camped out in vv19-25.

If you missed last week, no fear.  You’re not really in bad shape.  Last week’s text was really a parenthetical section in Paul’s discussion about sons of Abraham and the promised inheritance.  In this parenthesis he discusses the purpose of the Law.

Remember the greater context and purpose of Paul’s letter is to remedy the ill-effects of the Judaizers who were requiring the Gentile believers to be circumcised and obey the Law of Moses and pointing to the Mosaic Covenant as the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham.  But Paul is showing that Christ is actually the ultimate fulfillment of those promises.  Paul, led by the Holy Spirit anticipates the question: What then was the purpose of the Law?

Very briefly, the point of the law was to point to Christ.  It did that 3 ways:

• Showed Israel that in the flesh, it was impossible to attain and maintain the covenant blessings and privileges and needed grace and mercy from God.
• Foreshadowed Christ.
• Acted as a pedagogue, a teacher & disciplinarian.

Keep in mind that the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is the story of Israel.  Consider God’s covenant community Israel as you would a person.  A person is conceived and born, is an infant, then a child, and eventually reaches adulthood.  Israel – God’s covenant community also went through these stages of life and while Israel was in the stage of childhood, Israel was under a child conductor – The Law.  But, when Israel reached adulthood (through the coming of Christ), there was no longer a need for a child conductor to teach and discipline Israel.  So, with the coming of Christ, the Law is over and done with.

So let’s jump into the text.

Gal 3:26 – 4:7  ²⁶ You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, ²⁷ for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.²⁹ If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

 ¹ What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate.² He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. ³ So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. ⁴ But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, ⁵ to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. ⁶ Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

²⁶ You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, now Paul adds to his arsenal.  He is showing the superiority of faith in Jesus to works of the Law.  He contrasts 2 modes of existence: the flesh and the spirit.  Works of the law are of the flesh and faith in Jesus is of the spirit.  So far, his arsenal is:

• Justified by faith
• Receive the holy spirit by faith
• Child of Abraham by faith
• Blessed by faith
• Heirs by faith
• Now today: Sons of God by faith

Powerful argument.

²⁶ You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, ²⁷ for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  All who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ.  Consider clothing.  It covers.  This morning, I put on clothing (some of you are like, thank you Jesus).  Therefore, you don’t see my belly button, you see this shirt.  I am clothed.  So, instead of seeing me (my skin) you see my clothing.  

In the same way, we have been clothed with Christ.  When God looks upon us, he doesn’t see us, in our sin, He sees Jesus.  He sees a true and faithful Israelite who was perfectly obedient to the Law.  Because we are clothed with Christ, God looks upon us and sees His firstborn Son in whom we are clothed.  Because we are clothed with the Son of God, we are seen as the sons of God.

²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  Since we, collectively are clothed with Christ, we are one in Christ.  Many individuals unite as one corporate body.  Jews and Greeks unite as one in Christ.  Slave and free unite as one in Christ.  Male and female unite as one in Christ.  Many distinctly different individuals make up the Body of Christ and are clothed with Christ as one.  We are all one in Christ.

When I was a kid, there was a show on television that I loved to watch called VOLTRON.  Several years later Mighty Morphin Power Rangers came along and copied Voltron.  But in my opinion, Voltron illustrates well, the concept Paul is looking to convey here.  Individuals come together and unite as one.  They all belong to Voltron.

²⁹ If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.  If you belong to Christ.  Cody Miles is an individual.  He along with many other individuals make up the student body at SHSU.  He belongs to the student body.  As one who belongs to the student body, he gets certain rights and privileges.  Just like somebody who belongs to the country club.  If you belong to a gang, you are in that gang – you are a part of that entity.  If you are a crip or a blood, you are seen as a crip or blood and you have the rights and privileges of a crip or blood.  

We belong to Christ.  We are in Christ.  We are a part of the corporate body of Christ.   We are a part of the Christ entity.  Since we belong to Christ, we have the rights and privileges of Christ.

Since we belong to Christ, we are Abraham’s seed, because Christ is Abraham’s seed.  Paul has already told us, the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seeD.  The scripture does not say and to your seeds meaning many people but and to your seed meaning one person, who is Christ.  Christ is the seed.  Christ is the true Israel.  Christ is the seed who is the heir.  If we are clothed in Christ, we are in Christ, we are Abraham’s seed and we are heirs.

Now, Paul is about to connect everything he just said.  Remember last week’s text.  Paul took some time to answer the question: what, then was the purpose of the law?  In that discussion, Paul explained that the Law was a temporal and terminal child-conductor for Israel, which taught and disciplined Israel while Israel was in childhood.  Once Israel reached maturity in adulthood, a child-conductor was no longer necessary.

Paul is drawing on that same idea of Israel’s history as God’s covenant people.  Israel was promised an inheritance.  As long as Israel was a child, Israel was not ready to receive the inheritance.  It wasn’t until Israel was in adulthood that Israel was ready to receive the inheritance.  During childhood, Israel was under a guardian or a trustee – the Law.

Paul illustrates this in Gal 4:1 (he didn’t put chapter divisions)

 ¹ What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate.² He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father.  If a child is an heir, he will not receive the inheritance until the time set by his father – when he is an adult, when he is mature.  

If Adam declares that Jude is to inherit all that Adam owns, he is not going to give that inheritance to Jude when Jude is 5 years old.  A 5 year old will take that inheritance, liquidate it and buy a bunch of toys.  A child is not mature enough to manage an inheritance.  So Adam would state clearly that Jude will receive the inheritance when he is 18 or 21 or whatever age Adam sees fit.  But that time is set by Adam – Jude’s father.  Adam would state, if I die before Jude reaches adulthood, Jude will be under a guardian or trustee (perhaps an uncle) until adulthood.  When he reaches adulthood, he will receive the inheritance.  God forbid, but if that should happen, all that Adam owns would belong to Jude.  Jude at 5 years old inherits all that is Adam’s, but, you can’t tell.  He didn’t get new star wars action figures.  He didn’t get new batman or spiderman toys.  The money, the house, the cars are his, but he doesn’t yet get to exercise control of it.  He doesn’t appear to have any more than one of Adam’s slaves – they have like 3 (but they’re all white so it’s okay).  Because Jude is under the guardianship of uncle Carl or uncle Mike until the time set by his father.  But, when Jude becomes an adult, at the fullness of time, he will receive the inheritance and exercise the full right of a son.

It was the same for Israel.  Israel was promised an inheritance.  While Israel was a child, Israel didn’t receive the inheritance but was under a guardian until Israel reached adulthood.  That guardian was the Law.  Once Israel reached adulthood, it was time to receive the promised inheritance.

 ³ So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. (YLT) so also we, when we were babes, under the elements of the world were in servitude

Paul is again, showing the temporal and terminal nature of the Law.  Israel was to receive an inheritance.  But as long as Israel was a child, Israel was under guardians and trustees until the time set by his father.  Israel was enslaved to the elementary principles of the Law.  Do this.  Don’t do that.  Eat this.  Don’t eat that.  The Law was over Israel until Israel was an adult and ready to receive the inheritance.

Furthermore, note the language “in slavery.”  Remember the theme of the second Exodus.  The gospel is a movement from slavery to freedom.  As Israel of old was delivered from slavery in Egypt and brought into the freedom and rest in the promised land, so also, the true Israel was in Christ being rescued from slavery under the OC and brought into the freedom and rest of the NC.  Paul says we were in slavery under the basic or elementary principles in reference to the Law.  Paul very clearly refers to the Law as slavery (as we saw last week).

⁴ But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, ⁵ to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.

When the time had fully come.  Israel was in childhood under the law awaiting the inheritance and when the time had fully come, when Israel had reached adulthood, God sent his son to redeem those under Law that they might receive the full rights of sons – the ability to receive and manage the inheritance.  As sons they were the heir, but as long as they were a child, they were no different from a slave.  They have as much rights with the inheritance as a slave does – none.  They couldn’t go squander it in immaturity.  But when the time had fully come, God redeemed them and gave them the full rights of sons.  

This happened through the Christ event (the 40 year period from about 30 – 70 AD aka the second Exodus).  The first century was a ripe time in redemptive history.  The first century was the fullness of time.  It was then that God sent his son who was redefining Israel in HIM and ushering in a new covenant and the end of the Mosaic Covenant.  Israel was ready to receive the inheritance.

 ⁶ Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

There is a connection between receiving the Holy Spirit, sonship and inheritance.  God gives His spirit (which is the HS, which is the Spirit of His Son) to believers, marking them as sons.  The right of the firstborn son is inheritance.  Those who are in Christ are clothed in Christ, seen as the true and faithful Israelite, firstborn son of God, thus sealed with the Holy Spirit and are heirs.

Let’s shed a little more light on this topic by interpreting Scripture with Scripture.  Once again, Romans is a great commentary on Galatians.

Rom 8:15-17  ¹⁵ For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.  And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.

We are God’s children, thus we are heirs.  Heirs of God (we inherit God) and co-heirs with Christ.  Christ is the heir and we are co-heirs with Him, since we are in Him.

Consider the fact that we, as children of God are heirs of God.  We inherit God.  We get God.  What a privilege.  We get God now and when we die physically, we go to be with Him eternally.

Again, note the connection between the Holy Spirit, being a child of God and receiving the inheritance.

Compare even more Scripture? This is outrageous.  

Eph 1:13-14 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.  Having believed you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit, guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of His glory.

You, also, believing Ephesian Gentiles were included IN CHRIST when you believed.  Having believed, you were marked in him, IN CHRIST, with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit, guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession.  The redemption process of the 2nd Exodus began with the slaughter of the true Passover Lamb and it would end at the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, the temple that marked the OC age.  God was redeeming Israel from the curse of the Law.  God had promised Israel an inheritance.  He sent the Holy Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing the fullness of the inheritance, which would be given at the end of the 40 year redemption process which was foreshadowed in the Exodus out of Egypt.  The inheritance was far greater than the villages in the Land of Canaan.  It was the kingdom of God.

So again, we see that there is a connection between the receiving of the spirit, being marked as God’s sons and receiving the inheritance.  Those who receive the Spirit are sons.  Sons are heirs.  Those who receive the spirit are God’s children and thus are heirs.

 ⁶ Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

What a beautiful passage.  What a magnificent truth taught by Paul in this text.

There are certainly things in this passage that are strictly cultural and historical.  

• We’re not living in Galatia.
• The Judaizers didn’t just come through Georgetown.
• We don’t own slaves.
• We’re not living during the second exodus.

However, there are some timeless truths that have application to our lives 2000 years later and they are lovely.

First of all, surprise: we are not under the Law of Moses.  Gal 3:25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the Law.  You and I as believers in Jesus Christ are not slaves to the Law.  We’ve said this before, We’ll say it again.  In fact.  I’m going to say it again now.  You are not under the Law of Moses.  I hope you don’t roll your eyes at that.  It is something that many Christians don’t fully grasp and it is a foundational precept in Christianity.  It is a glorious truth and it should cause great rejoicing.

• This list could go on forever, but I’ll make it brief…
• Don’t have to make animal sacrifices.  I have a weak stomach.  (Chicken?)
• Don’t live in fear
• FEAR: Did I do this?
• FEAR: Did I fail to do this?
• FEAR: Did the high priest do what he was supposed to do?
• FEAR: Did I measure up to God’s standard?
• FEAR: Will he shut up the skies and cause drought so that my family and I can’t eat?
• FEAR: Will he curse Bre’s womb?
• FEAR: Will he cause an enemy nation to come and destroy us because even though I have been faithful to him, the rest of the covenant community has by and large been unfaithful?
• We are not under the Law: I don’t have to remember an uber long list that would have probably been amended by our religious leaders to be uber-long plus more.  I simply love God and love my neighbor (which is hard enough).

The first precept we considered was that those in Christ are not under the Law of Moses.  

The second precept I would like to draw out is that there are no divisions and classes in the kingdom.  Gal 3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  While distinctions remain, divisions do not.  In other words, upon belief a man does not lose the anatomical parts that make him a man.  There is no change in the biology of man and woman, yet, there is no male or female.  We retain the God ordained roles, functions and biological features as male and female.  

We retain ethnicity.  We retain social status.  Distinctions remain, but divisions do not.  

In the kingdom, there is 

• no elevation of one ethnicity over another.
• no elevation of one sex over another.
• no elevation of one social class over another.

God looks upon the Christ entity (those in Christ) and sees one unified Body

• He doesn’t look upon us and say
• Gentile – 2nd class citizen
• Woman – 2nd class citizen
• Slave – 2nd class citizen
• he sees us in Christ as his children and loves us as children
• In OC Israel the sick, diseased or leper was an outcast.  Not in the kingdom.
• Believers should see one another as equals.
• There is no place for racism in the kingdom.
• There is no place for sexism in the kingdom.  Male chauvinists?  No place.
• Thus, as believers we should examine ourselves and seek to rid ourselves of any feeling of superiority to others.
• At the foot of the cross all are equal.  Sinners redeemed by God’s grace, clothed in Christ.  We are all one in Christ Jesus.
• While distinctions remain, divisions do not.

The final and most gorgeous of precepts is: we are loved children of the Most High God.  Gal 3:26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Imagine being Jaden Smith and being able to say know who my daddy is?  Will Smith.  Rapper, TV star, movie star, producer.  That’s my dad.

We can say know who my daddy is?  God.  You know, 

• Self-existent Creator of all things.
• All knowing
• All powerful
• Everpresent
• THAT IS MY DAD!

As a child of God in Christ there is no fear.  Fear has to do with punishment and Christ has already been punished for sin in our place.  We have no fear before our heavenly father.  We have not received a spirit that makes us a slave again to fear, but the spirit of sonship.  Fear was a component of the OC.  Oh no…what if I didn’t.  For those in Christ, it’s not about what I did or didn’t do, it’s about what Christ HAS DONE.  This perfect love drives out fear.  We stand before our heavenly father free of fear.  Don’t misunderstand me; I’m not playing semantics here – we should have a healthy fear in the sense that we recognize him as God in respect, reverence, admiration and awe, but not in the sense of anticipating punishment for sin as that was laid upon our savior at the cross.

Further, as a child of God, clothed in Christ, God is pleased with us in Christ.  He is proud of us.  There is nothing like knowing that your father is proud of you.  I grew up with the sole ambition of making my dad proud.  My dad was a great dad.  No matter how hard I tried I never quite measured up.  Baseball game 3 for 3 with a triple a double and a single.  Stolen bases.  Just waiting to hear, son, I am proud of you.  Son, you let that ground ball get under your glove, you gotta stay down on those.  Dad, I’m leaving AT&T to work full time in the ministry.  I was hoping you’d move into the engineering position at AT&T.  Took me 30 years, but one day, at age 30, I heard the words.  He looked at my family, saw how I operated as a husband and a father, son, I’m proud of you.  That was one of the greatest moments of my life.  Knowing that your father is proud of you is an amazing feeling.

As a child of God, know this: your heavenly father is proud of you.

God is proud of you because you are clothed in Christ.  When he looks upon you, he doesn’t see you in your sin, he sees Christ, in whom you are clothed.  This is what He says of Christ, “This is my son with him I am well pleased.”  Since you are in Christ, he is pleased with you.

That is one of the greatest feelings one can know.