Adopted By The Gospel
4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. - Galatians 4:4-7
FROM SLAVES TO SONS & DAUGHTERS | The Apostle Paul in this section of scripture is working out the implications of the gospel for us. That we who were under the law have been set free from it. How? By Jesus coming at the right time in history, living perfectly under the law in our place, so that he might redeem us from the curse of the law. Jesus substitutes himself with us. This is what theologians call “substitutionary atonement,” that on the cross, Jesus takes my place and in return He gives me His perfect record. When we receive by faith what Jesus has done for us, what happens? This is what Paul is asking. He’s asking, “What happens when we go from unbelief to belief? When we go from not trusting in Jesus to trusting in Jesus?” What happens is that we go from slaves to sons & daughters of God the Father.
J.I. Packer gives us a vivid image of what takes place for us in adoption, when he says “Adoption is the highest privilege that the gospel offers: higher even than justification.. . To be right with God the Judge is a great thing, but to be loved and cared for by God the Father is greater.” - J. I. Packer
Adoption is great news and here’s why! Have you any regrets in your life? Do you have anything that causes you shame? Any skeletons in the closet, that you don’t want anyone to know about? The answer to your regrets is to know fully about your redemption in Jesus Christ. That you are no longer marked by your worst moments but rather you have a new identity that is marked by Jesus best moments in your place. No longer do your worst days define you; you are free!
TWO MINISTRIES AT WAR | Paul is eager to show them their true identity in Christ because there is two ministries at war in their churches. Paul’s ministry, which is aimed at “Christ being formed in you.” - Galatians 4:19 and the ministry of the Judaizers, which is aimed at making much of themselves by making much of the Galatians. (Gal. 4:17) Paul’s ministry is centered on Jesus as the hero of the story and the Judaizer’s ministry is centered on the Galatians themselves being the hero of their own story. One is Christ centered the other is man centered.
Sadly, there are many churches that still exist today that have the same ministry of the Judaizers. Where they will preach sermons from the Bible, they will pray and they may even bring up the name of Jesus in their sermons. However, the hero of the story, and the savior of your life is you. Many of these churches will have slogans that say “Open hearts, open minds, open doors!” Sadly, everything and everyone is accepted at their churches except Jesus. Jesus, can be a supporting role, a good moral figure perhaps, but He is not the only savior of the story. And because He is not, therefore, it is a false gospel that still leaves people in slavery.
Paul’s ministry however centers around Jesus and Him alone being the hero of the story. The reason this is good news, is because you and I could never in a million years do enough to make ourselves right with God. We fall short daily. It is only by Jesus work on our behalf that we go from being orphans to sons and daughters. This is the true gospel; Jesus + nothing = everything! That what Jesus has done for me is sufficient and I do not need to add anything of my own, but simply receive what He has done on my behalf by faith. As Charles Wesley said in his famous hymn “And Can it Be?” He writes “My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose went forth and followed thee!” Go live as a free son or daughter of our Father in heaven!
FROM SLAVES TO SONS & DAUGHTERS | The Apostle Paul in this section of scripture is working out the implications of the gospel for us. That we who were under the law have been set free from it. How? By Jesus coming at the right time in history, living perfectly under the law in our place, so that he might redeem us from the curse of the law. Jesus substitutes himself with us. This is what theologians call “substitutionary atonement,” that on the cross, Jesus takes my place and in return He gives me His perfect record. When we receive by faith what Jesus has done for us, what happens? This is what Paul is asking. He’s asking, “What happens when we go from unbelief to belief? When we go from not trusting in Jesus to trusting in Jesus?” What happens is that we go from slaves to sons & daughters of God the Father.
J.I. Packer gives us a vivid image of what takes place for us in adoption, when he says “Adoption is the highest privilege that the gospel offers: higher even than justification.. . To be right with God the Judge is a great thing, but to be loved and cared for by God the Father is greater.” - J. I. Packer
Adoption is great news and here’s why! Have you any regrets in your life? Do you have anything that causes you shame? Any skeletons in the closet, that you don’t want anyone to know about? The answer to your regrets is to know fully about your redemption in Jesus Christ. That you are no longer marked by your worst moments but rather you have a new identity that is marked by Jesus best moments in your place. No longer do your worst days define you; you are free!
TWO MINISTRIES AT WAR | Paul is eager to show them their true identity in Christ because there is two ministries at war in their churches. Paul’s ministry, which is aimed at “Christ being formed in you.” - Galatians 4:19 and the ministry of the Judaizers, which is aimed at making much of themselves by making much of the Galatians. (Gal. 4:17) Paul’s ministry is centered on Jesus as the hero of the story and the Judaizer’s ministry is centered on the Galatians themselves being the hero of their own story. One is Christ centered the other is man centered.
Sadly, there are many churches that still exist today that have the same ministry of the Judaizers. Where they will preach sermons from the Bible, they will pray and they may even bring up the name of Jesus in their sermons. However, the hero of the story, and the savior of your life is you. Many of these churches will have slogans that say “Open hearts, open minds, open doors!” Sadly, everything and everyone is accepted at their churches except Jesus. Jesus, can be a supporting role, a good moral figure perhaps, but He is not the only savior of the story. And because He is not, therefore, it is a false gospel that still leaves people in slavery.
Paul’s ministry however centers around Jesus and Him alone being the hero of the story. The reason this is good news, is because you and I could never in a million years do enough to make ourselves right with God. We fall short daily. It is only by Jesus work on our behalf that we go from being orphans to sons and daughters. This is the true gospel; Jesus + nothing = everything! That what Jesus has done for me is sufficient and I do not need to add anything of my own, but simply receive what He has done on my behalf by faith. As Charles Wesley said in his famous hymn “And Can it Be?” He writes “My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose went forth and followed thee!” Go live as a free son or daughter of our Father in heaven!
Recent
Archive
Categories
no categories
No Comments