(Gal 4:1 NKJV) Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all,
(Gal 4:2 NKJV) but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.
(Gal 4:3 NKJV) Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.
(Gal 4:4 NKJV) But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
(Gal 4:5 NKJV) to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
(Gal 4:6 NKJV) And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!"
(Gal 4:7 NKJV) Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Last time we learned that both Jews and Gentiles, before Christ, were in bondage the "elements of the world." The “elements of the world” referred to the principles of non-Christian humanity, that is, humanity outside of Christ.
Paul uses this same expression in Colossians 2:8 (turn):
(Col 2:8 NKJV) Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
The phrase "basic principles of the world" refers to the unseen host of evil angelic beings who were thought to be in control of the universe in pagan belief (cf. v. 20, note).
In Colossians Paul describes these basic principals as a movement of false teachings within the church at Colosse which threatened the Christian faith.
* He describes these principals as being very persuasive, alluring men to heretical opinions (v. 4).
* They are based upon human tradition rather than divine revelation (Col. 2:8).
* These principals are legalistic, defining religion in terms of laws governing what you eat and what you drink. (v. 16)
* They involve the worship of angels (v. 18).
* These basic principals are mystical claiming visions and revelations and leading to the formation of a group of the "spiritual elite" (v. 18).
* They are principals which call for the destruction of the flesh--injuring of the body in order to appease God. (v. 23).
Our text reads, “Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world…
There are many who are still in bondage under the elements of the world.
* They are spewing forth their false doctrine and taking people captive whose ears are being tingled by it.
* They are finding their principals for living from other sources than the Word of God.
* They have trapped their followers into thinking that following their rules is the same as following God.
* They claim to have a pipeline to God given to few others. They can see what few can see; have heard what few have heard--God trusts them with the "secret things of God."
* There are those in our culture who practice body art and modification, i.e., body piercing and tattooing as a way to connect the mind, body and spirit in the way they function. Many of these people attach a deep spiritual significance to how and where they pierce and tattoo their body even to the point where the Acupuncturists are concerned about the impact on the body’s Ch’I.
But Paul writes, “Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world but when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman…”
There was something in history that caused Paul and his readers to grow up.
There was something that set Paul and his readers free from bondage to these worldly principles—and it happened “when the fullness of the time had come.” It happened when “God sent forth His Son, born of a woman.”
Paul was referring to the incarnation. He is writing about the true meaning of Christmas, God becoming flesh and dwelling among us in the person of Jesus Christ.
The “fullness of time” referred to a space of time in which God prepared the earth-stage for the greatest event in the history of the human race, the incarnation, sacrificial death, and bodily resurrection of God the Son--"In the fullness of time God sent forth His Son."
Jesus was sent forth by God the Father from His home in glory to come to earth as a weak, vulnerable babe wrapped in swaddling cloths---He was sent forth, out from the presence of the Father to earth to become our Savior!
Last time we learned that the expression, "God sent forth His Son," points to the deity of Christ—meaning that Jesus is fully God.
Jesus was also “born of a woman.” Paul is alluding to the truth that Jesus was born by way of the virgin birth. Paul was also pointing his readers to the humanity of Jesus Christ--meaning Jesus was also fully man.
You may recall that the virgin birth is a reference to the belief that Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary by the miraculous action of God without a human father.
Mary became pregnant in the manner explained by the angel in Luke 1:35:
(Luke 1:35 NKJV) …"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.
Why the virgin birth? Last time we learned that:
* The virgin conception of Christ guarantees the perfect union of two natures in one Person. He is Jesus, the God-Man (cf. Isa. 7:14; 9:6, 7).
* If Jesus was born simply of human parents, there is no way to describe the reason for His supernatural life.
* And any rejection of Christ's supernatural origin leaves His supernatural life, death, and resurrection inexplicable. You must have it all, or none of it makes sense.
* If Jesus wasn't virgin born, then the claim that He can save is highly questionable.
* The eternal offering of God for sin had to be a sacrifice of blood. It could not be a mere man because man's blood was already poisoned through Adam's transgression (Romans 5:12).
Thus God planned and prepared a body for His Son:
(Heb 10:5 NKJV) Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me.
The Holy Spirit miraculously conceived this “body” in the womb of the virgin, and the result was the incarnation -God in the flesh, with sinless blood. That is why I Peter 1:19 declares that we are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
Belief in the virgin birth is a central doctrine of Christian thought. There was no human father. He was the Child of God. He was the God-Man.
(Gal 4:4 NKJV) But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
“born under the law” - Christ was reared in conformity to the Mosaic Law. Jesus was reared by a family that observed the law of God.
Jesus was circumcised according to the Law:
(Luke 2:21 NKJV) And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called JESUS, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
After giving birth to Jesus, Mary was purified according to the Law
(Luke 2:22 NKJV) Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord
(Luke 2:23 NKJV) (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the LORD"),
(Luke 2:24 NKJV) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."
Why would there be concern that Jesus was born under the Law? Paul answers the question in verse five of our text:
(Gal 4:4 NKJV) But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
(Gal 4:5 NKJV) to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
In order to help us understand what Paul means in verse 5, let me offer an illustration:
In the History of Persia there is a story about twelve men who were robbed and murdered under the very walls of the city. The King determined that the crime should be investigated and all who participated in it put to death.
After a long search the guilty ones were found and their guilt established beyond a doubt. The King had sworn that they should be put to death. The sentence had been passed and the day of their execution had come.
Great efforts had been made to obtain a pardon for the prisoners, but it was impossible, even though some were even relatives of the king.
Among the men to be executed was a young man, scarcely twenty years of age. His very appearance drew widespread interest and sympathy to him. Men and women were in tears, crying out, "Can't this young man be pardoned?" But no way was seen. He was to be executed in a few hours.
Just then a tender scene was witnessed; the father of this young man came rushing forward and was admitted to an interview with the King. He addressed the monarch in words something like these:
"You have sworn ... that these men should die, and it is right they should, but I who am not guilty, come here to ask a great favor; it is that I may die in my son's place.
He is young and just engaged to be married, and has hardly tasted the sweets of existence. Oh, sir, be merciful! Let me be executed in his place!
Let my son live to taste of the waters and till the ground of his ancestors!
I will meet the just demands of the law for him. I know he is guilty and deserves it all, but I love him and will voluntarily die for him."
The monarch was deeply moved by the father's appeal and so accepted this kind, loving father in the place of the son.
The son, wild and almost overcome with grief, begged the king to reverse his decree to accept his father, and to inflict on himself the punishment he justly merited and save the life of his aged and innocent father.
There was not a dry eye on those at the scene. But the son was spared while the innocent father met the just demands of the law, and was executed instead of the son, and so the law of the kingdom of Persia was satisfied and made honorable.
Now if I may change one detail of this story you will see how it affects the outcome of the story.
The father approaches the king and pleads to give his own life in exchange for his son's. One of the king's officers recognizes the father, who has an outstanding warrant for his arrest for tax evasion. The father is thrown into jail and his young son is executed.
What is the difference between the first version and the second? In the first version of the story the father is innocent making him a suitable substitute. In the second version the father is himself guilty of breaking the law--making him an unsuitable sacrifice.
Paul writes that Jesus was "born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law…"
Under the Law, the children of Israel had to bring an animal sacrifice to cover their sins.
(Lev 1:1 NKJV) Now the LORD called to Moses, and spoke to him from the tabernacle of meeting, saying,
(Lev 1:2 NKJV) "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'When any one of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of the livestock; of the herd and of the flock.
(Lev 1:3 NKJV) 'If his offering is a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish; he shall offer it of his own free will at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the LORD.
Three types of burnt offerings were accepted by God, depending upon the financial position of the offerer: (1) a bull of the herd (vv. 3-9); (2) a male sheep or goat of the flock, (vv. 10-13); (3) turtledoves or young pigeons of the fowls (vv. 14-17). No one was barred from making an offering because of poverty (cf. 12:8, note; Luke 2:22-24).
God established this sacrificial system in order to picture the sacrifice that would be made when He would give His only Son to die for the sins of the world. Because of this, there were significant stipulations regarding the prescribed animal sacrifice:
Carnivorous animals were forbidden in all sacrifices -- animals that lived by slaying other animals could not typify Christ (cf. Isa. 53:7);
(Isa 53:7 NKJV) He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.
The animal was to be domesticated, indicating both value and obedience to the owner (cf. Phil. 2:6-8);
(Phil 2:5 NKJV) Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
(Phil 2:6 NKJV) who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
(Phil 2:7 NKJV) but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
(Phil 2:8 NKJV) And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
The animal was to be without blemish, i.e., ideally perfect, symbolizing the sinless humanity of our Lord (cf. 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 7:26; 9:14; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19; 1 John 3:5).
Jesus never transgressed or broke any of the Old Testament laws or commandments.
(Isa 53:9 NKJV) And they made His grave with the wicked; But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.
(Heb 4:15 NKJV) For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
(1 Pet 1:18 NKJV) knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,
(1 Pet 1:19 NKJV) but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
(1 John 3:5 NKJV) And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.
(Gal 4:4 NKJV) But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
Jesus was “born under the law” - He was reared in conformity to the Mosaic Law.
Jesus was “born under the law” - He kept the law in every point, thus qualifying to be God’s sacrifice for sin.
Paul writes that Jesus was "born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law…"
Jesus was the fitting sacrifice for paying the penalty of our sins because He never committed any sin—He never transgressed or broke any of the Old Testament commandments.
The One who would be the perfect sacrifice for sin would have to satisfy all the Old Testament requirements for a pure sacrifice.
(Gal 4:4 NKJV) But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
(Gal 4:5 NKJV) to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
“to redeem those who were under the law” – the word “redeem” is exagorazo, ex-ag-or-ad'-zo and means “to buy up, i.e. ransom; to rescue from loss. It was used when someone was purchased out from the slave market.
Remember, we were in bondage to the elements of the world. The Jews to their law and the Gentiles to their pagan rituals.
(Gal 4:5 NKJV) to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
adoption. The act of God that places the believer in His family as an adult son (v. 23; 9:4; Gal. 4:5; Eph. 1:5).
Why would one need to be adopted?
We are "sons of Adam" by physical birth.
(Rom 5:12 NKJV) Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned;
Jesus is the "only begotten" of God (John 1:18; 3:16, 18) meaning He is the unique Son in a way totally different from any other who believes and is born as a child of God.
He is unique because He is equal with God. Sons and daughters of Adam become "sons of God" by means of the new birth (John 3:3).
In Romans chapter 5 Paul argues that there is spiritual death for the one who remains in Adam and life for those who are in Christ. As he presents his argument you and I will see our need to be adopted as sons of God.
* For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.
* For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
* Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
* For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.
* Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Because of Adam's sin (and our own):
* Many died
* Death reigned
* Judgment came to all men
* Many were made sinners
* Sin abounded
Because of Christ:
* The gift of grace abounded to many
* The gift of righteousness will reign in life
* The free gift came to all men resulting in justification of life
* Many will be made righteous
* Grace abounded much more
The “adoption as (God's) sons” was needed in order to place us in a position where we might benefit from all that God wanted to lavish on us because of His Son.
Adoption is where God’s love and grace is displayed as He accepts believers as His children who become intimate members of His family. This may not be a big deal to you unless you've never had a mother or a father.
The Bible depicts mankind as in bondage to sin, "sold under sin," "born in sin and shaped in iniquity."
Jesus describes lost people as those who are: poor; brokenhearted, captive; blind and oppressed (Luke 4:18).
In Romans Paul tells his readers:
There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.
Their throat is an open tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit
The poison of asps is under their lips
Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
Their feet are swift to shed blood;
Destruction and misery are in their ways;
And the way of peace they have not known.
There is no fear of God before their eyes.
In Titus 3, Paul describes lost humanity as: “foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.”
In 2 Corinthians 4:4 Paul describes unbelieving mankind as those whom “the god of this world has blinded the minds…”
We were streetwalkers, spiritually speaking; wondering, groping about, like the blind leading the blind.
We were like that man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
The Bible doesn’t say much about this man who was on the road.
* Perhaps he shouldn’t have been on that road—he was selling drugs or doing something immoral or illegal. You know, how we did things that we even as unbelievers knew we shouldn’t have been doing. You live by the sword, you die by the sword.
* Perhaps he was living “high on the hog.” He had money and clothes and jewelry and flaunted it. So they robbed him.
* Perhaps he was the arrogant kind of guy. Someone looked at him funny and he said with defiance, “What are you looking at?” So they gave him a good whooping.
Maybe he was out late when he should have been home with the family. Too much overtime—you never know what lurks about in the night.
This man was traveling down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, departed and left him to die.
Jesus was like that Good Samaritan who went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
I don’t know about you but before I had become a Christian, this world had given me a beating. The thieves of this life had jumped on me; sin had stripped me of everything. I was emotionally wounded.
The Bible says I was “dead in trespasses and sins.” I was spiritually dead and physical death was right around the corner.
Many of the people I grew up with are no longer here.
Many of the friends I had growing up are dead.
Even some I went to church with have died of AIDS or drug abuse or are wandering the streets—mentally unstable.
But Jesus like that Good Samaritan came to me, applying His balm of mercy and grace, bandaged my wounds.
No, He didn’t set me on his own animal but lifted me up in His own arms, brought me to His house, and took care of me. This is what Paul means when he uses the word, "redeem" in verse 5 of our text.
But God went a step further and adopted me into His family and made me a son with all the rights and privileges of sonship.
He removed from me those old clothes from my life in the world and washed me in His precious blood clothed me in His righteousness.
In Ephesians chapter one, Paul says it a lot better than me:
* He blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
* He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world
* He is making us holy and without blame before Him
* In love, He predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
* He has made us accepted in the Beloved.
* He has redeemed us through His blood
* He granted us the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
* He made His grace to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
* He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in * Himself,
* He gave us an inheritance
* He sealed us with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance
Aren't you glad you've been adopted!
(Gal 4:4 NKJV) But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
(Gal 4:5 NKJV) to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
(Gal 4:6 NKJV) And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!"
"Abba" is Aramaic for "father" or "Daddy."
Like that man who fell among thieves, sometimes life throws us a few blows and beats up on us. Sometimes the enemy of our soul and his demons oppress us and seek to destroy us.
But we don't have to fear. Since we have been adopted, we can cry out "Abba" Father! Daddy!
You can’t cry out “Abba, Father!” unless you’ve been adopted!
Turn to Romans 8:15:
Paul writes in Romans 8:15 that we "did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but we received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."
Sometimes I don't feel like I'm His son.
Sometimes I don't feel like a son and sometimes I feel as if God has abandoned me.
Sometimes I feel like the trials of this life are too much.
Sometimes I'm tempted to go "back to Egypt."
Sometimes I'm afraid of the future.
Sometimes I want to abandon the Christian life.
If you like me have ever felt like this, both you and I can take consolation in what God has written for those who have been adopted as sons of God by faith in Jesus Christ:
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
Rom 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."
When the elements of the world creep up on you, attempting to take you captive; attempting to drag you back into bondage; attempting to make you fearful of life and to doubt God, you can cry out, “Abba, Father!”
Rom 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
Rom 8:17 and if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
The Spirit living in the believer gives confident assurance that one is accepted fully as a child into God’s family (8:15-16).
Galatians 4 tells us that we were in bondage to the elements of the world:
* We were following after the world, the flesh and the devil.
* We lived according to what was right in our own eyes.
* We were under the judgement of God.
* Many of us were in fear that the hammer of God was coming down and many of us didn't care.
* We like so many were paranoid of our future. One day death would show up on our doorsteps and we would not be ready.
* We weren't sure if God knew about our existence and if He knew whether or not He cared.
But Christ saved us!!!. And the Bible said, "you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."
The Spirit living in us gave us the confident assurance that we were accepted fully as a son into God’s family!
(Gal 4:6 NKJV) And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!"
(Gal 4:7 NKJV) Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
This is what the Incarnation is all about!
It is God coming in the flesh as Jesus Christ, the God-man. Very God and very man.
He came born of a woman, born under the law to redeem us who were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons.
If you are in Christ, you are a son and God is your Abba, Father (Daddy).
You are no longer a slave to the law or pagan rituals but a son.
You are no longer a child but an adult-son with full privileges of sonship as an heir of God through Christ.
