BECAUSE
YOU ARE SONS
Text: Galatians 4:1-9 I. JESUS CHRIST MUST HAVE THE PREEMINENCE IN
OUR UNDERSTANDING WHO BELONGS TO THE FAMILY OF GOD
A. Jesus Christ has the preeminence in all things (Colossians 1:18). 1. Jesus Christ has the preeminence for our understanding of the temple and Jewish feast days (Galatians 4:10; cf. Psalm 118:22; Matthew 12:6; 21:42; John 2:18-22; Acts 4:11). 2. Jesus Christ has the preeminence for our understanding of circumcision and the Mosaic Law (Galatians 3:10-14; 5:6; 6:2,15; cf. Matthew 5:17-20; 1 Corinthians 9:20-21). 3. Jesus Christ has the preeminence for our understanding who the Israel of God are (Galatians 6:16). 4. Jesus Christ has the preeminence for our understanding of sonship (Galatians 4:4-7). B. The Judaizers seem to have been doing was taking their focus off of Jesus Christ and placing it on Moses. 1. Moses’ focus was always upon Jesus Christ (Deuteronomy 18:18-19; John 5:45-47; Acts 3:22-23; 2 Cor.3:12-18). 2. Abraham’s focus was always on Christ. a. “Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad” (John 8:56). b. The gospel was preached to Abraham (Galatians 3:8). c. Jesus is the seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:16). C. Jews who were of faith in the Old Testament were “sons of God.” (1 Chronicles 29:10; Jer 3:4.19; Isa 63:16; 64:8; cf. Exodus 4:22; Numbers 11:12; Deuteronomy 14:1; 32:6.18; Psalm 68:5; 103:13; Hosea 1:10; 11:1; Isaiah 1:2; 45:10–12; Jeremiah 31:9; Malachi 1:6; 2:10; Romans 9:3-5)! 1. Before Christ, the Jews were like immature children who were in need of a tutor (Galatians 3:24-25). 2. Before Christ, the Jews were minors who had not come into their full inheritance (Galatians 4:1-2). 3. The least in the Kingdom are greater than the greatest of the Old Testament prophets (John the Baptist): a. not because of intrinsic human merit (cf. Luke 1:15) b. because we live in the fullness of the time. We live in the time following Christ’s crucifixion, resurrection and exaltation (cf. Galatians 4:2,4). D. The Judaizers were dragging the church back in time to the immaturity and types and shadows of the law (cf. Gal.4:10). II. ADOPTION
IS AN EVEN HIGHER PRIVILEGE THAN JUSTIFICATION 'Thou art no more a servant, but a son, and an heir of God through Christ.' (Gal.4:7) The privilege of adoption presupposes pardon and acceptance, but is higher than either; for, 'To as many as received Him, to them gave He power,'—not inward strength, but authority, right, or privilege—'to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.' 2 This is a higher privilege than that of Justification, as being founded on a closer and more endearing relation—' Behold! what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us, that we should be called the sons of God." (James Buchanan, The Doctrine of Justification). A. Adoption is an even higher privilege than justification because adoption is reception into the family of God. 1. If you are justified, you are right before the Judge. 2. Adoption means that God is You Abba, Father (Galatians 4:6; cf. Mark 14:36; Rom 8:15).
b. Sonship affects our reception of the Father’s discipline (Hebrews 12:1-13). c. Without a biblical understanding of your adoption in Christ your obedience to God will be affected (see especially 1 John). C. The Christian life is like walking a tightrope. What gives us our balance is our sonship. When we lose sight of this one of two things happens: 1. You will fall into some kind of moralistic/slavish obedience to God at best. At worst, you will think that God’s acceptance of you is based upon your obedience to the law (e.g. the churches at Galatia). OR 2. You will end up in antinomianism (lawlessness). “Adoption is a greater mercy than Adam had in paradise; he was a son by creation, but here is a further sonship by adoption. To make us thankful, consider, in civil adoption there is some worth and excellence in the person to be adopted; but there was no worth in us, neither beauty, nor parentage, nor virtue; nothing in us to move God to bestow the prerogative of sonship upon us. We have enough in us to move God to correct us, but nothing to move him to adopt us, therefore exalt free grace; begin the work of angels here; bless him with your praises who has blessed you in making you his sons and daughters.” -Thomas Watson QUESTIONS FOR
SABBATH DISCUSSION & MEDITATION Take what you have
learned this morning and turn it into a prayer. Give thanks to God for the gift of His
beloved Son and our adoption through faith in Jesus. Pray that God would grant you repentance of
your lifeless and loveless duty. Pray
that God would help you turn back from your prodigal tendencies. Pray that the Spirit would impress upon you
a greater understanding and confidence that God is your loving father whom
you can completely trust in all things. What is
justification? What is adoption? Why is adoption a higher
privilege than justification? Were Jews in the Old
Testament “sons of God”? How do you
know? (see Deuteronomy 14:1; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Psalm 103:13; Isaiah 64:8;
Romans 9:3-5) What was the
difference between Old Testament sonship and New Testament sonship? (see
Galatians 4:1-3) How does our
adoption affect our: Ø Prayer life Ø Discipline Ø Obedience Why is the Christian life like walking a
tightrope? What are the two extremes
we can fall into? (Hint: Story of the “Prodigal Son” in Luke 15:11-32). Is obedience to
God’s commands contrary to sonship? (Read 1 John this afternoon and notice
the emphasis between our being children of God and the importance of obeying
God’s commands). |
