GRACE: Heirs By Adoption

Study of Galatians

Week 8

Galatians 3:23-29  Galatians 4:1-7  

Last year, my adult daughter asked my husband, her stepdad, to legally adopt her. Of course, he happily honored her request and set into motion the legal requirements necessary for her adoption.  

Paul, in chapters 3 and 4, was pointing to a similar situation for the young Christians in Galatia.

He identified several foundational truths that they needed to be aware of as the chosen, adopted children of God.

Paul knew that he needed to address their thinking as it related to who they really were in Christ.

In Galatians 3:23-27, he begins to build his case.

“Before faith came, we were kept in custody (guarded, protected) under the law, being shut up (completely enclosed) to the faith which was later revealed.

 Therefore, the Law has become our tutor, to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith.

But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ.” (v23-26)

There we have Paul’s first point. “Before faith” we were in the family of Law Keepers. Now, we are adopted into the family of faith in Christ. Yes, the Law served its purpose. Through man’s complete inability to keep all of the Law, it drove them, and us, to acknowledge our need for a Savior.

Yes, the law leads us to Christ.

Next, Paul cleared up a controversial point. Galatians 3:27-28. “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave or free man, there is neither male or female, for you are all one in Christ.”

Paul just shattered the erroneous teachings of the Judaizers who still wanted to protect the Law.  This statement was a mic drop! 

“You are all one in Christ.” 

What does the word “one” mean in the Greek? Surprisingly, “one” in this instance is an adjective, a describing word. It means that you (us)  “adhere to Christ as if we were one person.”  Singular. There is no distinction, no separation. That is astonishing for me to even think about.

 Paul’s second point, if we are baptized into Christ, we all all one in Christ.

Next, Paul used a familiar physical illustration to demonstrate a spiritual point.

“But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive adoption as sons.” Galatians 4:4-5 

Ironically, the One who delivered us from the Law was born under the Law.

But Paul’s third point is this, all of this took place in God’s plan, for us to legally receive adoption as sons (and daughters). Not under man’s law, but in God’s purpose, love, and plan.  

What is the benefit of being adopted? What does that grace look like?

“And because you are sons,  God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba, Father!’  You are no longer a slave (to the Law) but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.”(v6)

Paul has just moved from the natural realm to the spiritual!

We are sons, daughters and children, all heirs through not a physical adoption like my daughter, but a spiritual adoption.

The legal terms in a physical adoption states that the one adopted is “entitled to all of the rights and privileges” as being naturally born to that parent. In this case, an earthly heir is legally created.

As spiritual heirs, we have those same rights and privileges. But the greatest privilege of all is a relationship with God our Father for all eternity.

As His chosen,

We are sons of God through faith in Christ.

We are all “one” in Christ.

We are adopted in Christ.

And we are heirs through God the Father.

Grace, His grace, provides for us again.

jeannaswann

#nowuntohimwhoisable

Question for discussion (your email is never posted or shared)

As His chosen, which one of Paul’s points speaks to you the most?