What's Your Status Series

WHAT’S YOUR STATUS?

GALATIANS 3:26-4:7

INTRODUCTION: Paul had preached the Gospel. Many people had believed. In his absence false teachers had infiltrated the camp and begun to misguide people. They were saying that grace and faith was not enough. Until you adopt Judaism you are inferior.

Paul writes to affirm the true status and position of every true believer. Just what is that status and position?

I. THE AFFIRMATION (V.26-29)

Paul affirms these believers by stating three things.

A. Their Position (25-27) “You all” is emphatic. You don’t play 2nd fiddle or take a back seat to these people. You have the dignity and privileges of full-grown sons. Note “sons of God”. This is a reference to adoption. The N.T. gives two terms to explain how one enters into God’s family. One is regeneration – born again (Tit.3:5). The other is adoption – to place as a son. Both refer to a new status. It is one who now has the full rights and responsibilities of an adult. You are not inferior to any member of the family.

You have entered the family by believing, not by achieving. Note in v.27

“baptized into Christ”. This is the Holy Spirit’s action of uniting you to Christ. At the moment of conversion, the Holy Spirit immersed you into Christ Jesus. His kingdom and His family. Every believer should be baptized in water (outward symbol) to confess publicly his or her faith in Christ (inward change).

Paul pictured this baptism as putting on a garment which envelopes the person and wearing it identifies his new life. When one is baptized into Christ, he becomes so thoroughly identified with him that he himself is not actually living, but it is Christ who is living in him and he takes on His character.

B. Their Partnership (v.28) You have received the full rights as sons of God, therefore all share equality before God. There are no “Prima Donnas” in the kingdom. Believing slaves had the same rights as believing slave owners. Each is to reflect the beauty of Christ in their own personality and unique way. “One in Christ Jesus” reflects unity in diversity.

C. Their Promise (v.29) God had promised to Abraham and his spiritual descendants’ great spiritual blessings. According to Judaizers, one had to be related to Abraham to enjoy these blessings. Their errors were in how one became related.

Their idea was threefold. 1. Circumcision. 2. Sacrifice. 3. Baptism. A candidate

would cut his hair and nails, undress completely. There had to be enough water to touch all the body. Three men attended the act. He made his confession. Parts of the law were read, encouragement was given, and a benediction was spoken. When he came forth, he was a member of the Jewish faith and related to Abraham.

What does Paul say here? He knew how people become true children of Abraham – in the spiritual sense. By receiving through faith the promise made to Abraham. Just as Abraham believed God, people today must do the same. One in Christ has become an heir to God’s promise to Abraham and his seed which is in Christ.

What was their position? They had been baptized into Christ. They are partakers of the same rights and they have received the same promise given to Abraham.

Now do you see why Jesus was such a welcomed sight and his message so gladly received?

II. THE ILLUSTRATION (4:1-7)

Paul’s summary is simply this. You belong to the Father as part of a family and you won a fortune. But how can all this be?

A. The Contrast (v.1-3) He makes a contrast between a child and a son. The Galatians fully understood what he was saying. The Jews had a ceremony to signify the coming of age for a child. It’s called the Barmitzvah. At some point in time the child would take off childhood and put on adulthood. When he reached the right age, his status changed from a child to an adult. He then enjoyed the full rights of an adult.

At one point in time this was our life under the law. At conversion we

were bathed in grace.

B. The Compassion (v.4-6) Just as the father would determine when the time was right for a child to become a son, even so God chose a time to send His Son into the world. “When the time had fully come” – God had established everything in order for the coming of Jesus.

Observe some words here. “Sent His Son” = this denotes His deity,

Incarnation and pre-existence. “Born of a woman” – this references His humanity. “Born under law” – Jewish law. He perfectly obeys the Jewish law. “To redeem” – because He was fully divine and fully human, He was qualified to die for our sins and give us full rights of God’s sons (adoption).