Who’s Child Are You?
By: Pastor Donny Granberry
Galatians 4:3-7 NIV
So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. 4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world.
How many of us realize that because we are from Adam’s seed we are born into sin.
Being born into sin, we are born into slavery.
You see in those days there were many, many slaves.
If you owed a debt, and could not repay it, you could not file bankruptcy and freed from the debt, it had to be repaid, therefore you became a slave to the person you owed until the debt was repaid.
Many people struggle with sin because they are slaves to sin.
Paul made the statement, “What I do not want to do I do, and what I want to do, I don’t do.
He then said. “O’ wretched man am I, Who will rescue me from this body of death.”
Pastor, I really want to change, but I can’t seem to find a way out.
I’m not happy, but I can’t seem to stop sinning.
It has already cost me too much, but I keep going on.
I don’t know what to do!
You see, the difference between the OT church and the NT church is relationship.
You see, children do not think of the consequences of their actions.
Paul is likening the OT church to an underage immature child.
There was a greater light and liberty to be enjoyed, but they were remaining in darkness. (The Mosaic Law)
4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.
When the appointed time of the Father had come, He would put an end to the legal dispensation.
He sent His Son, Jesus, on a mission.
The person who was employed to introduce this new dispensation was no other than the Son of God himself, the only-begotten of the Father, who, as he had been prophesied of and promised from the foundation of the world, so in due time he was manifested for this purpose.
Christ submitted to be made of a woman-there is his incarnation; and to be made under the law-there is his subjection.
He who was truly God for our sakes became man; came to redeem those that were under the law-to save us from the yoke of sin.
Christ came for a greater reason than to just free us from ceremonial law, for he came in our nature, and consented to suffer and die for us, that hereby he might redeem us from the wrath of God, and from the curse of the moral law, which, as sinners, we all lay under.
But he was sent to redeem us that we might receive the adoption of sons-that we might no longer be accounted and treated as slaves, but as sons.
Oh Hallelujah, I am no longer a slave, but I am a son.
I have been given a name.
You see, parents give considerable thought to the name they give their child.
They will research the name to find the origin of its meaning.
The meaning of your name can affect your future.
I can see you want proof:
• When Israel was defeated in battle by the men of Ai, and if you were of the family Judah, and you were of the household of Achan, your name meant you would die.
• If you were of Israel, when David asked if there was anyone left of the house of Saul that he might bless for Jonathon’s sake, you would have been glad to be Mephibosheth.
When you are born, you are going to be given a name before you leave the hospital.
Some names bring fame, while others bring shame.
You see Christ came into this world is a different way.
He was born of this world in shame, that He might take our shame.
He was born an illegitimate that we might be legitimate.
You see, before he died on the cross, we were not sons.
Yet through His vicarious death on the cross, when we receive Him, we become sons.
Because you are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying Abba, Father.
This “Spirit of His Son” is the spirit of adoption.
Upon our receiving Christ as our Lord and Savior, we become the sons of God; we are thereupon accepted of him, and adopted by him; and, being the sons, we are also heirs of God.
One of the great privileges of adoption is that you take on a new identity; you are no longer who you used to be.
You see, this is important to me.
My family name used to be identified as alcoholic, bootlegger, gambling, criminal, drunk, broken-home, but I have been adopted and given a new name.
Some of you used to be identified as alcoholic, drug addict, adulterer, homosexuality, lesbianism, abuser, liar, cheat, thief, curser, robber, pornographer, but you went to Calvary for a cleansing and was adopted and given a new name.
SONG
I was once a sinner but I came; pardon to receive from my Lord,
This was freely given and I found, that He always kept His word.
There’s a new name written down in glory, and its mine, O yes its mine, and the white robed angels sing the story, a sinner has come home,
There’s a new name written down in glory, and its mine, O’ yes its mine, with my sins forgiven I am bound for heaven, never more to roam.
By nature we were children of wrath, but by grace we are children of love.
Whose child are you? You are the child of God.
As His child what is your name?
REDEEMED child of God.
The righteousness of God through Christ Jesus.
