SONS & HEIRSGalatians 3:26-4:7

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Galatians 3:26-4:726 For you are all sons of God

through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were

baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew

nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all

one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are

Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the

promise.

1 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, 2but

is under guardians and stewards until the time

appointed by the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children,

were in bondage under the elements of the world. 4 But

when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born

under the law,…

…that we might receivethe adoption as sons.

6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir

of God through Christ.

A CASE OF ADOPTIONTo appreciate the full significance

of the apostle’s figures in Galatians 3 and 4 they must be viewed in the light of the law of

adoption - and more particularly, the Greek law of adoption. At the same time it must be remembered

that Paul also uses the term in Romans, so that we must also bear in mind the Roman law on

the subject.

1.The adopted son became a member of the family, just as if he had been born of the blood of the adopter; and he was

invested with all the privileges of the family.

2.The father in Roman law had absolute control over his family, possessing the

same rights over his children as over his slaves. The son was deprived of the right

to own property, and the father could inflict any punishment he thought fit, even to the extent of the death penalty. He

could even sell his son into bondage.

3. When the person to be adopted was his own master, he was adopted by the form called adrogation (from the latin word

for ‘ask’, since in this case the adopter, the adopted, and the people

were ‘asked’)4. Adrogation brought the adrogatus

(adopted one) out of his previous state and into a new father-son relationship

within his adopting family.5. The adrogatus and children in his

power, if any, passed into the power of the adrogator (one adopting)

6. All the debts of the adrogatus were cancelled, and in effect he started a new life. The adopted person did, though, lose all rights in his old family, but gained all

the rights of a fully legitimate some in his new family. The adopted person did,

though, lose all rights in his new family.

http://www.bibleunderstanding.com/adoption.htm

http://www.quodlibet.net/articles/murray-adoption.shtml

1. By FAITH we enter into the lineage of Abraham and become heirs according to the promise!

Promise = Heirs of the world.

No matter what our race, tribe, sex, religious views, etc....once

we are

IN CHRIST we become ONE and heirs of the SAME promise.

“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, 2 but is under guardians and stewards until the time

appointed by the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the

elements of the world.”

Just as slaves in Roman times lived under fear of punishment, making them lowly in status and inferior- so we too lived in fear because of the LAW which was our slave driver which ruled us by

fear of punishment if we broke the rules.

Ephesians 1:4-64 just as He chose us in Him

before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and

without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to

adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good

pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which

He made us accepted in the Beloved.

Romans 8:15-17

“You have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have

received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the

children of God: and if children, then heirs”

The spirit of adoption is not one of fear!

(1 John 4:18)

The Spirit Himself is witness to the adoption process- irrefutably sealed!

Galatians 4:4-5“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we

might receive the adoption as sons.

The Roman fathers could estrange their own biological sons, selling them and even issuing the death

penalty- this would often trigger the adoption of a new son or slave to carry on the Fathers lineage/rule.

Galatians 4:6-7

6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God

through Christ.”

The process of adoption was called Adrogation. It consisted of the verbal

will of the Father and child being adopted -witnessed by the people.

Eph. 1:13,14

‘In Whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of

promise, which is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the

purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory’.

‘Redemption of the purchased possession’ was accomplished by the act of the heir ‘taking possession’. We too receive our inheritance by the act

of taking possession by faith!

SLAVE SONADOPTED

SON

Rights Nonesame as

slaves until a man

Full access to the

father/estate

Security

low/inferior,

exploitable,

inhumane

could be sold, death

penalty, estranged

untouchably secure

Responsibility

to serve the

master

to honor and carry on family

name

to carry on family line,

often to reign

Relationship Bought Born Chosen

Rights of Adoption

•Loose all rights to your old family, Gaining ALL rights as a legitimate son in new family with a new Father.

•Become irrefutable heir of all of the Fathers belongings/estate

•Old life is wiped out, all debts payed: regarded as a new person not linked with a past life.

•Protection: God cannot do to us what He did to Jesus for our sake. Permanent sonship.

CONCLUSION:

EMBRACE YOUR SONSHIP IN

CHRIST!