FROM SLAVE TO SON TO HEIR (GAL 4:1-7)

SERIES: FREE AT LAST, PART 13

GCEFC: JANUARY 31, 2010

INTRODUCTION

1. When you were a kid, was there ever something you wanted to have or something you wanted to do, and your parents would say: Wait until you’re older?

2. Maybe it was your first tricycle. You were barely able to walk, but you had seen these things and you wanted one for yourself. But you were told…Wait until you’re older.

3. But the day finally came when you got that first tricycle. But soon you found yourself wanting to upgrade to a two-wheeler. But your parents said: Wait until you’re older.

4. So you waited until you were older and eventually you got that first bicycle. But you weren’t ready to actually ride a two-wheeler at this point. You had to ride it as a four-wheeler—with training wheels.

5. But in your quiet moments, you knew you weren’t really riding a two-wheeler. So you asked your parents to remove the training wheels. They said: Wait until you’re older.

6. So you waited. And the day did come when the training wheels were removed. But now mom or dad were your “training wheels.”

7. They’d run alongside you, not letting you get more than a few feet ahead of them. And when you started to fall, which was often, they be there to catch you.

8. But then came that magic moment when they released their grip on the bicycle—and off you rode, peddling faster than your training wheel parent could run.

9. And off you went—riding your two-wheeler unassisted. And you never looked back. You were finally old enough.

10. In our passage today, we see something similar.

11. We’ve seen recently that in first century, growing up—especially for boys, was a very important matter. So important that there were formal ceremonies to mark the passage from childhood to adulthood.

a. The Jews had the bar mitzvah, taking place on the first Sabbath after the 12^th birthday.

b. The Greeks also had a ceremony that occurred when the boy turned 18.

c. But in the Roman family, it occurred when the father determined it would occur. Which was from the mid to the late teens of the boy.

d. The time was set in the will of the father. At the ceremony, the boy was given the toga virilis, a garment that marked the boy’s transition from boyhood to manhood.

12. Paul picks up on this custom and draws an analogy. The analogy clarifies what happens to us in our transition from spiritual slaves to spiritual heirs of God’s grace.

A. A CHILD HEIR HAS NO FREEDOM

1. 4:1: 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. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father.

2. In wealthy Roman society, the boy was carefully and constantly watched by various kinds of guardians. We already learned about the paidagogos, responsible for escorting the boy to school, and disciplining him when he messed up.

3. But the Roman boy had other supervisors. He had a guardian, responsible for the child himself—making sure he was properly cared for.

4. And the boy had a trustee, who watched out for his inheritance and future estate.

5. The child had almost no personal freedom. He was under the constant surveillance.

a. He couldn’t go anywhere without permission and with an escort or chaperone.

b. His decisions were few. The best he could do was choose from pre-approved options.

c. And even though he was heir to an entire estate—he really had no money of his own.

6. Paul is saying that such a child is in a way, no different than the slave who watched over him. In fact, in a sense, the boy was more of a slave than the slave assigned to him.

7. So even though the boy is heir to this vast fortune in money, property, and possessions—it was only for some future date. It was a case of: Wait until you’re older.

B. AN ADULT CHILD HAS FULL FREEDOM

1. Paul draws the analogy in V3: So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world.

2. That is, when we were spiritual children. Before we came to personal faith in Christ. Before we had spiritually come of age—we were slaves ourselves.

3. So in what sense were we slaves? V3: we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world.

a. The word used here for basic principles had several meanings in the original, but one meaning was elementary things or fundamental things.

b. He’s saying that when the Galatians were spiritual children (and us by inference), they were in a kind of bondage to the basic and elementary beliefs of the world.

c. COL 2:8 provides insight as it was also written to those who’d been deceived. It says: See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles (same word) of this world rather than on Christ.

d. There are really only 2 sources of beliefs or philosophy in the world. They either originate with man, or they originate with God.

e. In fact, you’ll recall that in CH1, Paul insisted in V11: that the gospel I preached to you is not something that man made up. Which is exactly what was assumed about it. Where else could it have come from?

f. Paul answers this question in V12: I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

g. The gospel Paul preached did not originate with man—it originated with God.

h. This same truth is taught over in 2 PET, where it says that we can count on the revelation of God because it doesn’t originate with man. It says rather that men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit of God.

i. You see, if there is only one God. And that one God has chosen to reveal his one plan to the human race. Then any other plan is a counterfeit plan.

j. The basic principles of the world do seem like reasonable principles.

(1) God is perfect—I am not.

(2) God has standards that I must meet.

(3) If I meet the standards, then I’m okay with God.

(4) If I don’t meet them, I’m still okay because I’ve met them better than others.

(5) Even if I don’t, God will overlook my failure because I did my best.

4. Now, when we were spiritual children, before we came to know Christ, we too were subject to the basic principles of the world.

5. We had nothing else to go on. Once we move away from God’s revealed truth—almost any belief is possible.

6. In fact, the very people who were entrusted with God’s revelation were deceived. The people Paul is addressing in this letter had at one time received the revelation of God. They had the truth. But now they had embraced a lie.

7. There’s good news in V4: But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.

8. So in what sense had the time fully come? In several ways:

a. There was a spiritual restlessness in the ancient Mediterranean world. People were hungry for real spiritual truth and weary of manmade religious systems.

b. Rome had conquered the Mediterranean world, and had brought peace and stability to the empire. It was a place where the gospel message could be heard.

c. The Greeks had brought a language that was spoken by virtually everyone, regardless of their mother tongue.

d. The Romans had built an elaborate system of roads, which made travel throughout the empire quicker and safer. Paul used the Roman roads extensively in his travels.

e. A system of synagogues had been developed that provided a place for the gospel to be preached.

f. The law of Moses had completed its work, showing human beings their utter lostness and incapability of living righteously.

g. And 600 years earlier, the Prophet Daniel had predicted the arrival of the Messiah. That time had now arrived. Everything was ready…so God sent his Son.

9. There’s something very important for us to understand. God had existed from all eternity as a three-person deity. Three co-equal persons within the nature of one eternal God.

10. Jesus had always existed. But not as the subordinate Son of God. This was a role he chose when he became a man. Jesus was not always subordinate to the Father. And the Spirit was not always subordinate to both.

11. These were roles they took on to accomplish the redemptive work God had envisioned from before the foundation of the world.

12. PH 2 makes this clear when it says that though Jesus was in very nature God, he didn’t consider his equality with God something that he had to retain. So he humbled himself by taking on human form.

13. He was now the submissive, humble, obedient servant of the Father. Jesus’ Sonship was not eternal. HE was eternal—but his Sonship began at Bethlehem.

14. V4 says he was born of a woman. This confirms his human nature. He was now the God-Man. Fully God and fully man with two distinct natures.

15. He was born under law, to redeem those under law. He was born when the law of Moses was central. His life revolved around the law in every way. And he kept the law fully as no one had ever done before or has ever done since.

16. And through his death on our behalf, he made it possible for all believers to receive the full rights of sons.

17. We’re back to Paul’s analogy. Before—we were slaves to the condemning principles of the world. We were hopelessly lost and without God.

18. But when the time had fully come—God sent his Son. Who died on the cross to pay our sin debt. He redeemed those enslaved by sin.

19. And just as the adult Roman son received the full rights due him as a son—we as believers receive the full rights we have as sons too. By the way, this includes daughters.

20. And the news keeps getting better. V6: Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’

21. Because God has redeemed us—he has adopted us. Keep in mind that we are only human beings. So we could never enter God’s family naturally. God had to adopt us.

22. But by virtue of our redemption, God has adopted us into his family as sons and daughters. And just so there would be no doubt about it, God sent the Holy Spirit into our hearts who testifies that we are truly God’s sons and daughters.

23. The Spirit who dwells within us calls out ‘Abba,’ which is the Aramaic word for Father. This is even more clear in Paul’s letter to the Romans.

24. ROM 8:15: 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.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

25. This means that as spiritual children we were once spiritual slaves. But when we trusted Christ, God redeemed us. To redeem literally means to buy out of slavery.

26. We were redeemed, and adopted by God into his family. This adoption gives us full spiritual rights as full spiritual sons and daughters.

27. To verify our relationship to God, the Spirit of God was sent to indwell us. That Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are indeed God’s redeemed children.

28. If we turn one page, we’ll see in EPH 1:14 that God sent his Spirit: who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession.

29. And V7: So….you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

30. So we’ve gone from a condemned slave. To a redeemed slave. To an adopted slave. To an adopted son. And because we’re sons/daughters—God has made us his heirs.

31. Heirs to what? Heirs not only to eternal life, but to everything God desires to give us.

32. Now, it’s one thing to be an earthly heir of an earthly fortune. But can you imagine what it will be like to be an heir of God’s estate? No, you can’t.

33. 1 COR 2:9: No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him—

34. The inheritance we have as children of God is beyond our ability to comprehend. NO EYE has ever seen it. NO EAR has ever heard it. NO MIND has ever conceived it.

35. It must be quite some inheritance. And through redemption, and adoption, and sonship—it will be ours. And all to the glory of God.