SLIDES

The Letter to the Galatians

Part 16

(Galatians 4:1-7)

Introduction

Most of us are familiar with the concept of being an heir. You have been one or you are one. Your children are heirs. An heir, of course, is one who will receive the property of a deceased person, usually an family member. An inheritance is usually based on what a person leaves in his or her will. In both the Old Testament and the New Testament, the Hebrew and the Greek words encompass these ideas. In Galatians 3:29 Paul made the declaration that anyone who has trusted in Christ as Savior, and therefore belong to Christ, are Abrahams spiritual descendant, and heirs according to the promise. The promise, of course, is that God’s justification is only received by faith. In chapter 4, Paul picks up the theme of being an heir of God.

Even though a natural born son is younger than his father, the word son emphasizes a relationship with his father, not the age difference. The kings of Israel were called sons because of their relationship with God. Jesus is called the Son of God. The Jehovah Witnesses interpret that to mean that Jesus was a created being because He is called a Son. They don’t understand the significance of the word has to do Jesus being related to the Father and the other verses that deal with Jesus being God.

In the physical realm, a son is one who is related to his father and part of his father’s family and is, therefore, an heir to the inheritance of his father. In the spiritual realm, those who have trusted in Christ as Savior are sons and daughters of God. We are spiritual descendants of Abraham because of our faith in Jesus and are hairs according to the promise of justification by faith, not works.

In Galatians chapter 3 Paul demonstrated through seven points to demonstrate to the five churches in the Roman district of Galatia that justification, to declared righteous by God, is only received by faith and not observing any part of the Mosaic Law, including circumcision.

B. Illustrations of justification by faith (4:1- 31)

Galatians 4:1–2 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, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father.

Paul uses the word “now” to continue his thought from chapter 3:29 about a Jewish son person being an heir. We will see that he is still talking about the Jews, but these spiritual concepts can be applied to Gentiles. In the original Greek Text, there were no chapter or verse divisions. So, as we look at chapter 4:1, see that Paul continues to discuss the subjects of sons and heirs. Therefore, there should not have been a new chapter.

As we learned from chapter 3, until a child became an adult in the eyes of his father, he was under the direction of a pedagogue who would guide his immature life and his learning and be his disciplinarian. The terms guardians and managers refer to some of the different responsibilities of a pedagogue. The point was that the Mosaic Law was a pedagogue for the nation of Israel. The Mosaic Law had different functions just as there are different functions under the term pedagogue. As has been stated before, Israel needed a pedagogue because they were spiritually immature when they came out of Egypt and needed the structure in just about every area of their lives. The Mosaic Law provided the structure Israel needed. While they were under the Mosaic Law, they were considered immature children or minors.

Paul compares an immature child to a slave. Slaves were not free to make their own decisions. Most decisions were made for them by the slave owner. It was no different for an immature child under the authority of a pedagogue. Even though the child was the heir to his father’s possessions, he made no decisions concerning them because the pedagogue made most of the decisions for them. Being under the authority of the pedagogue was the structure they needed. The Mosaic Law was Israel’s pedagogue, and it made most of their decisions for them.

Even though a child is an heir and the owner of everything, he will one day inherit the possessions promised. Decisions were made for them while they were immature and until they became of age. In verse 2 we see that the child's father decided when the child was old enough to be considered mature and a child no longer. The father would set a date to reflect that the child would be considered an adult and would no longer be under the direction of a pedagogue.

4:3 So, also, we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world

In this verse Paul describes in a little more detail about Israel being under the authority of a pedagogue. He does this by using a human illustration. “Under the elemental things of the world” refers to the elementary teachings of a system of external observances and regulations that in this case was the Mosaic Covenant that held Israel in bondage. As long as the Mosaic Law existed, Israel would be like slaves in bondage to it.  The bondage was the legal observances of the laws. They had no choice. These were laws from the Lord. The Mosaic Law told them what to eat and drink, what kind of clothes to wear, how to deal with people, how to worship. etc. Israel was expected to observe every one of the 613 laws.

Even though this section of Scripture is referring to Israel being under the authority of and in bondage to the Mosaic Law, to make the point to the Judaizers that the Law brought bondage while the New Covenant brought Liberty. Even though the Gentiles were not in bondage to the Law of Moses, they were still in bondage. The Gentiles were in bondage to pagan rituals and customs. Israel being in bondage to the Mosaic Law showed they were an immature nation.

Please note that in verse three the past tenses. Paul said Israelites were like children who were in bondage, but what happened to change that? Verses 4-5 tell us what happened.

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

Again, note in verses 4 & 5 that Paul is still writing about Israel. The “but” in verse 4 shows the contrast between before and after the reign of the Mosaic Law them. “The fullness of time” refers to verse 2 about the father of the child setting a time when the child would become of age and would no longer be under the authority and direction of the pedagogue. When the date was reached, He would then be considered a mature person who will make his own decisions.

Concerning God the Father, the date did arrive that He had set on His’ calendar for Israel to be considered a child no longer. The phrase “the fullness of time” refers to the fact that the number of days the Father had set for Israel to be under the authority of the pedagogue, the Mosaic Law, had been completed. God would usher in a new era where the people of Israel would have a choice to become spiritual adults and make decision for themselves or stay as children under of the Mosaic Law that would make decisions for them.

When the number of days had been completed and the date on God’s calendar had arrived. it was time for God the Father to usher in a new era for Israel. He did this by sending forth His Son. The verb “sent forth” is interesting and helps give insight about God sending forth His Son. The verb “sent forth” is the verb form of the Greek word Apostolos that we translate Apostle. The word apostle means one who is sent by an authority to be a envoy or messenger. The verb form of the word means “to send someone off to a locality or on a mission in another place for a specific purpose.

Paul in verse 4 continues to describe God’s Son who was sent from heaven to the earth to minister to the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel by bringing the hope, forgiveness of sin, and liberty from Mosaic Law. Paul describes Him as being born of a woman to demonstrate that He would not only be God but also be a human. He was born as the God-Man. Finally in verse four Paul mentioned that His Son would be born under the authority of the Mosaic Law. From this we see that this Apostle from heaven was born Jewish. Since this portion of Scripture was written to the Jewish believes in Galatia, Paul was sending the same message that Matthew did in chapter one of His Gospel that He was indeed the Jewish Messiah predicted by the Jewish prophets.

 Galatians 4:5  - so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

 In verse 5 Paul gives us the purpose of the Son of God being sent from heaven to the earth. The purpose was so the Messiah would redeem the nation of Israel from being in bondage under the authority of the Mosaic Law. The word redeem means to buy out of slavery with a price with the purpose of setting them free. The Messiah would buy Israel out of slavery to the bondage of the Mosaic Law and sin with the price of His death with the purpose of giving them freedom from the Law.

 The purpose of providing redemption for Israel is so they might receive the adoption as sons (or daughters). On a physical level, adoption is a legal proceeding that creates a parent-child relation between people not related by blood; with the adopted child being entitled to all privileges belonging to a natural child which includes the right to inherit. On a spiritual level, adoption is the act of God by which believers become members of “God’s family” with all the privileges and obligations of family membership. The phrase “Sons of God,” a common Bible expression that includes individuals of both sexes numbered among God’s children as seen in

 2  Corinthians 6:18.

“And I will be a father to you,

And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,”

 Says the Lord Almighty.”

Please note that the word “might” is used with redeem and receive. This means that Jesus died for all people to provide redemption for them so they can become sons of God. BUT being redeemed so one can become a child of God is not automatic. To be redeemed so one can become a child of God, one must trust in Jesus as Savior.

4:6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!

In 6 Paul gives one of the important results of becoming a child. In verses 4 & 5 it says that the Father sent forth Jesus from heaven to the earth to die for the sins of Israel and the world. In verse 6 Paul tells us that when a person trusts in Christ as Savior, the Father sends forth the Spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, to indwell the believer. We have discussed before that a person is not saved by asking Jesus into their heart. One is saved by trusting in Christ as Savior. This is the only verse that mentions Jesus in one’s heart. But note two things. One, the Spirit of Jesus comes into one’s heart as a result of them being a son of God. If one is a son of God when the Spirit of Jesus s comes into their heart, that means one is already saved. Second, it not Jesus who comes into one’s heart after they are saved, but the Spirit of Jesus who is the Holy Spirit. One of the gifts from God for believers who have trusted in Christ is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

The Aramaic term “Abba” means father but is a term that a child uses for his or her father. It’s a term of endearment used in family relationships. It is equivalent to an English- speaking child calling his or her father “daddy” or “dad.” The term father is from the Greek and is a little more formal and is used to clarify what the term Abba means to non-Aramaic speakers. The combination of these two is used three times in the New Testament to indicate that believers as sons and daughters have a Father who is the Sovereign God of creation, and with whom one can have an intimate relationship. Jesus used the term Abba when cried out to the Father in the Garden. In Romans 8:15 Paul says,

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!”

In verse 6, it says the Holy Spirit cries out Abba Father through the believer. This shows several important things. First, it shows that the Holy Spirit indwells believers as promised in Jeremiah and Ezekiel, as well as when Jesus was with the disciples in the Upper room. Two, the believer, being indwelt by the Holy Spirit. demonstrates that believers in Jesus have a that believers are sons and daughters of God and that believers can have an intimate relationship with Him. Abba is the same word Jesus used in the garden when He cried out to Hiim. Three, in Galatians 3:3 Paul made the point that believers receive the Holy Spirit by faith not by observing the Mosaic. Law

Galatians  4:7.

 The result of Jewish believers in Jesus being sons of God is that they are Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God no longer slaves and in bondage to the Mosaic Law but now have Liberty in Jesus. The same can be said of Gentiles who were slaves and in bondage to paganism and its rituals, but now also have Liberty in Jesus. Gentles are no longer slaves because they are also sons of God and can have an intimate relationship with Him. Since Jews and Gentiles are now sons of God through faith in Jesus, they are also heirs. Jewish and Gentile believers are heirs because of Jesus redemptive work on the cross.

The bottom line is that the Holy Spirit is an important aspect in the life of a believer. It shows that believers in Jesus have been given the gift and the blessing of the Holy Spirit. Because believers are sons and daughters of God, we can have a intimate relationship with the Sovereign of creation. Believers also have the privileges of an adult family member in God’s family. Believers have been given the blessing and gift of the Holy Spirit, so are no longer slaves and in bondage, but not have liberty in Christ.

Application 

Years ago, parenting experts used to talk about the need for parents to spend “quality time” with their kids. The way busy parents sometimes interpreted this was, “Well, I can get away with just ten or fifteen minutes a day with Junior, as long as it’s quality time.” But experts soon supplemented the concept of “quality time” with a related fact: Quality time comes in the midst of quantity time.

This fact is not only true when it comes to parents’ relationships with their children; it’s also true of our Heavenly Father’s relationship with His spiritual offspring. Our tendency in this fast-paced world is to step on the throttle—to accelerate, run faster, push our energy to the limits—even in the Christian life. In the process, our walk with God remains shallow and superficial. We spend little time talking to Him, listening to Him, sitting silently in His presence, meditating on the truths of His Word, or enjoying meaningful relationships with other sons and daughters in His family.

Our lesson today should reminds us that we have been adopted as children of God. We’re not slaves assigned to a life of devotional drudgery or menial religious tasks on a checklist of divine demands. Rather, we have been called into an intimate relationship with the almighty God. So close are we to our heavenly Father that we are free to call Him “Papa” or “Daddy.” Just like our relationship with our natural parents, this kind of heart-to-heart relationship with God requires time to season and deepen.

Take some time right now to reflect upon your own intimacy with God. Answer a few questions: How much time do you spend each day with God? Do you talk to Him or just mumble a few meaningless words? Do you pause and listen to Him in your times of silence and solitude, as you thoughtfully read His Word? Or are you so obsessed with your schedule that you rush through your reading to finish your checklist? Do you live a simple life of surrender and self-control, or do you clutter your life with a heap of distractions? These are tough, specific questions that deserve honest answers.