Adopted as Children & Heirs of God

 

Adopted as Children & Heirs of God

Galatians 4:1-7

 

We as followers of Jesus are not natural born children of God, but we have been adopted into God’s family as His children. We do not enter God’s family by adoption the way a homeless child would enter a loving family in our culture. The New Testament word for adoption means to place as an adult child. It has to do with our standing in the family of God.

 

In Galatians 4:1-7 Paul shares with us the journey of becoming an adult child of God.

 

Verses 1-3: What We Were: Children in Bondage

A minor child is under guardians & managers until a time set by their father. In Roman culture the children of wealthy parents were looked over by a slave. The slave was under the master of the house & the child under the slave. This was the spiritual condition of the Jews under the law. They were being taught by the law their need & preparing them for the coming of the Messiah. The Father had set the time for their becoming adult children when Jesus came. Legalism is not a step to maturity, but a step back into childhood. Jesus, not the law, is the final revelation of God to us.

 

Raise the Roof & Remove the Walls is about growing into mature adult children of God through Jesus.

 

Verses 4-5: What God Did: Redeemed Us

When the fullness of time had come which was determined by God the Father, the Messiah, Jesus came as a human & as part of the nation of Israel, so He was under the law. He came to redeem or pay the ransom price for those under the law so they could become adult children of God & to be witnesses of the gospel of Jesus to the world.

 

Raise the Roof & Remove the Walls is about being redeemed from sin & a legalistic approach to God & coming to a relationship with God through Jesus as His adult children.

 

Verses 6-7: What We Are: Children & Heirs

When we become adult children of God, we receive the Holy Spirit & the privilege of calling God our Abba or Dad. So, we are no longer slaves but children. Notice, the contrast is now between a slave & a child.

In this passage there are five contrasts between a slave & a child:

The child has the same nature as the father; the slave does not.

The child has a father, while the slave has a master.

The child obeys out of love, while the slave obeys out of duty.

The child is rich, while the slave is poor.

The child has a future, while the slave does not.

 

But also, the adult child is an heir & as heirs we inherit all of God’s promises.  We inherit a new nature that is not controlled by sin. We also inherit an eternity with God.

 

Raise the Roof & Remove the Walls is about surrendering our lives to Jesus as Savior & Lord & becoming adult children & heirs of God.

 

We were created by God to be His adult children & enjoy a loving relationship with Him through Jesus being our Savior & Lord. The law cannot make this a reality. It is only through God’s grace that this will be a reality in our lives. 

 

Raise the Roof & Remove the Walls,

                         Joe