Session 4 True Heirs Galatians 3:23-29; 4:1-7 September 22-23, 2018 Summary and Goal: In these passages, Paul explains why believers were placed under the law- to show us our sin problem as lawbreakers as well as our inability to save ourselves by being perfect law keepers. Paul then points us to the promise we have as believers in Christ perfectly positioned as true heirs, adopted into God s family forever. Main Passage: Galatians 3:19-29; 4:1-7 19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. 22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham s descendants, heirs according to promise. 4 Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. 3 So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! Father! 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. Session Outline: I. Placed Under Law a. Law as Mirror b. Law as Guardian/Tutor c. Law as Pipeline to Grace II. Positioned IN Christ a. Positioned as Sons of God b. Positioned as Clothed with Christ c. Positioned as One with Christ d. Positioned as Heirs through Christ, with Christ Session in a Sentence: Though placed under the law to guide us and guard us until God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins, Christ s work on the cross now redeems us from the bondage of sin and secures our legal status as sons of God with all of the rights and privileges that go with that relationship.
Christ Connection: Through faith in Christ we are divinely adopted into God s family as heirs with Christ. Missional Application: As true heirs IN Christ, God calls us to share the good news of the Gospel, to live out our freedom from the bondage of sin, and to live on mission with Christ. True Heirs Page 2
Session 4 True Heirs Introduction: In July my husband and I traveled to Oregon so that he could play in a golf tournament with a friend who has a cabin there. Most every evening we concluded the night sitting by their fire pit, bundled up in jackets and blankets watching the fire and looking at the night sky. The stars were spectacular! We could see different constellations and several planets including Jupiter. The moon glowed in all of its beauty. But it wasn t until we turned off the fire pit and all of the lights inside the cabin that we could see the majesty of the canopy above us! Amazing in number, majestic in depth and vastness, the individual stars shone brightly against the blackness of the night. John Stott uses this illustration to help us understand the Gospel as it relates to the law. He says: No man has ever appreciated the gospel until the law has first revealed him to himself. It is only against the inky blackness of the night sky that the stars begin to appear, and it is only against the dark background of sin and judgment that the gospel shines forth. (Stott, The Message of Galatians, pp. 92-93) Until we see ourselves as we truly are, we cannot understand our need for grace. In our passage for this week, Paul explains to the Galatians 1) why we were placed under the law to show us our sin problem as lawbreakers as well as our inability to save ourselves as perfect law-keepers; and 2) Our perfect position as believers in Christ, adopted into God s family as true heirs. Let s start by looking at the context. As discussed in previous weeks, Paul is writing to the church of Galatia to explain that God s grace is received by faith in Christ alone, not earned by works of the law. Though most of us understand that we are saved by the Gospel, all too often we rationalize that we grow by doing the Christian life, by performing biblical principles day in and day out. Paul is explaining to the Galatians that in the very same way the Spirit entered our lives when we believed in Christ, so does the Spirit work to mature us in our faith. We are not only justified by faith in Christ but are also sanctified by faith in Christ. We begin with grace and move forward in grace. Commentator Warren Wiersbe explains that Paul uses six different arguments in chapters 3 and 4 to make his point. He first gives them the personal argument in verses 1-5, pointing them to their own experiences when they first became believers. He then gives them a scriptural argument in verses 6-14, quoting Old Testament verses and taking them back to the salvation of Abraham by faith. In the section for today, 3:23-29 and 4:1-7, Paul gives them the logical argument and the historical argument reasoning with them on the basis of covenant and promises, and explaining the place of the law within the history of Israel. The final two arguments are covered in next week s passages, 4:12-31. Paul s sentimental argument based on his love for them and the allegorical argument again pointing back to the life of Abraham. (Wiersbe, Bible Commentary, New Testament, p. 558). Let s look at the first part of our passage for today, Galatians 3:19-25: 19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been True Heirs Page 3
made. 20 Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. 22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. I. Placed Under Law One of the most practical questions any Christian can ask is, If grace saves me, what then is my relationship with the Law? In this passage we see three explanations: a. Law as a Mirror: Paul had just used the illustration of a covenant promise, explaining that once made, it stands regardless of changes in circumstances. Just because the law of Moses came AFTER the covenant with Abraham, it is not greater than the promise, the covenant God made with Abraham that in him all of the nations would have the blessing of salvation by faith. A promise needs only to be believed to bring the result, a law requires performance, it must be obeyed to bring result. So, Paul asks the rhetorical question, Why the Law then? His answer- because of transgressions. Our sin, the law, points us to the mirror to see ourselves for what we are lawbreakers, without a solution to save ourselves. In verse 21 he explains that the law was never intended to impart life, otherwise, we could be made righteous by our obedience. The law shows us our imprisonment to sin, helpless to free ourselves. It reveals to us our fallen nature and need for a Savior. The law points us to our hopelessness so that we can see our only hope is IN Christ. As a mirror, it shows us as we are, so we can see Christ as He is -- our Savior who obeyed the law on our behalf and then died in our place so that we may receive the promised blessing. b. Law as a Guardian and Tutor: Paul uses the metaphors of guardian and tutor, familiar to his readers, to characterize the way the law works in the life of a believer. Before Christ, we were under the custodial care of and guided by the law until the promise by faith in Jesus Christ was revealed. This is more of protective custody guardianship than imprisonment. In many Greek and Roman households, well-educated slaves took the children to and from school and watched over them, protecting them, sometimes disciplining them until they reached maturity. They were their masters, not their parents. So too the law regulated the life of the Galatians before they became believers, it did not nor could not impart life to them. The law s purpose was instructive in nature, pointing to the future. John Stott explains it this way: After God gave the promise to Abraham, He gave the law to Moses. Why? He had to make things worse before He could make them better. The law exposed sin, provoked sin, condemned sin. The purpose of the law was to lift the lid off Man s respectability and disclose what he is underneathsinful, rebellious, guilty, under the judgment of God and helpless to save himself. And the law True Heirs Page 4
must still be allowed to do its God-given duty today. The Message of Galatians pages 92-93. So, if the law is our supervisor until we receive Christ as our Lord and Savior then can we now forget about it? No. As with the guardian, the relationship changes, but it is still there. Once a child reaches maturity, his guardian moves from master to friend. The child brought up disciplined in the ways of the guardian doesn't suddenly forget everything they've been taught. They continue in those ways, but no longer by coercion, rather by choice. And so it is with us. It is not that we in Christ have nothing to do with the law, it s that we no longer look to it as a means of salvation. Living in the light of the Gospel means no longer obeying out of fear or coercion or to receive salvation-by-performance. But instead, obeying out of gratitude in response to what Christ has done for us on the cross. We no longer obey out of fearful compliance but in grateful response. c. Law as a Pipeline to Grace: Pastor Michael Yousef tells a story about a peace conference in Paris, after WWI. Lawrence of Arabia came to that conference and brought delegates. When they came to their hotel room, they were fascinated by the faucets because to their amazement; water came out when they turned the handle! Water was scarce in Arabia. Most of their country lived in tents at that time. They truly thought the faucets were magical. So, when the Arabian delegation prepared to leave, they unscrewed the faucets to take with them back to Arabia! They assumed the faucet was the source of the water. They had no idea of the pipeline, the system of pipes that ran through Paris to bring that water to the faucets. The faucets in and of themselves were useless apart from their connection to the source of the water. So often that is what we do with religious activities, we think they are like the faucet. But unless there is a connection to the Source of life, Jesus Christ, religious activity in and of itself leaves us dry. It is like turning the handle of a disconnected faucet. If we are connected to Christ, however, the law can be a pipeline to the grace of God, as we obey in response to what He has done for us. We can respect the law as a means to honor God and to live in imitation of our Lord and Savior, not as a means to salvation. II. Positioned IN Christ Now that faith has come to the Galatians, what is their relationship to God in Christ? Paul answers this in the last few verses of Chapter 3 and the first part of Chapter 4 with the doctrine of adoption. In the text, Paul explains to them their new position as sons and daughters of the God Most High through faith in Christ: 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham s descendants, heirs according to promise. 4 Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. 3 So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born True Heirs Page 5
under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! Father! 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. This passage beautifully explains divine adoption- that the true and living God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, by grace has made believers members of His family with all of the rights and responsibilities that go with that status. In union with Christ, we find acceptance by the Father and a new family in heaven and on earth! This position is not of our own doing. It is all through the work of Christ on the cross. Through adoption, we become sons of God, clothed with Christ, one in Christ and heirs with Christ. a. Sons of God v. 26 The New Testament word for "adoption" is literally translated "to place as an adult son." It is a picture of our standing, our position in the family of God with all of the legal rights and privileges of sonship. It is important to understand the significance of this word choice. Tim Keller explains in most ancient cultures, daughters could not inherit property. Therefore, son meant legal heir which was a status forbidden to women. But the gospel tells us we are all sons of God in Christ. We are all heirs. If we don t let Paul call Christian women sons of God, we miss how radical and wonderful a claim this is. In the Greco Roman world of the 1 st Century they would not often adopt babies but would wait until they were teens or even young adults because it was primarily for wealth, power or legacy. They would wait to see if the child showed promise or potential. Paul is reminding them that God has adopted them, He has already found them worthy of heirship by virtue of their relationship in Christ. b. Clothed with Christ v.27 The image of clothing or being clothed is one of Paul's favorite metaphors. In their culture, your clothing told a lot about your identity. Children traded their robes for togas as adults; centurions were clothed differently than sheepherders, men differently than women. Paul is establishing a NEW identity for believers in Christ. Clothing ourselves with Christ means we are putting Him on as our primary identity. It also implies our closeness with Christ as our clothes are our closest possessions. Finally, it infers that we are "putting on Christ," His virtues, His actions in imitation of Him. (See also Colossians 3:12-17) c. One in Christ v. 28 While verse 27 describes our closeness to Christ being clothed with Him, verse 28 explains the unity of believers in Christ. Our identity as believers in Christ is first and foremost and is what unifies us, though we remain distinct individuals. Tim Keller explains that this means the barriers that usually divide people into warring factions, come down 1) cultural barriers- "neither Jew nor Greek;" 2) class barriers- "neither slave nor free;" and 3) gender barriers- "neither male nor female." (Keller, Galatians for You, p. 93). All are equal heirs in Christ. d. Heirs in Christ v. 29; 4:1-7 Notice that the contrast here is between servants and sons, not young, immature children and adult sons. When a sinner trusts Christ and is saved, his position as an heir is immediate. Though he needs to grow in Christian maturity, his position as a son of God is fully established. Too often we continue to live our lives as slaves striving to relate to Him on the basis of our deeds and merit instead of recognizing the gift of grace we have received, and living as the adopted sons that we are. True Heirs Page 6
In verse 4-5, Paul emphasizes the dual nature of Christ as both God and man noting Jesus fulfilled the ancient promise that the Redeemer would be of a woman s seed (Genesis 3:15). Christ was born as all humans are born, under the law, but was uniquely able to redeem those under the law. Outside of Christ they and we are slaves in bondage to sin. In Christ, when we trust in Christ, we are positioned into the sons and daughters of the Creator God. Christ secured for us the legal status of our position in Christ as sons, but God also sent the Spirit to live in us. The Spirit empowers us to take on the characteristic of our Father, to no longer call Him Master, but Abba Father as Jesus did. Our divine adoption makes the way for us to have a personal, intimate relationship with God the Father. Conclusion: Though placed under law to guard us until the fullness of time when God sent His son Christ to die on the cross for our sins, Christ s work on the cross now redeems us from the bondage of sin and secures our legal status as sons of God with all of the rights and privileges that go with it. Optional Glove illustration (have a glove with you as a prop): What does it mean to be heirs IN Christ and have Christ IN us? This glove by itself can do nothing. It is useless, lifeless in and of itself. But, it comes alive, it takes the shape of my hand and the movements of my hand when my hand is in it. It becomes active, able to accomplish great things when my hand is formed inside the glove. Now, everything my hand can do, the glove can do because my hand is formed inside the glove. We can be like the glove, ineffectual, lifeless. Even if we started well, like the Galatians, we can get stuck in the ditch of legalism and performance. Though we may have started with God's power, we often resort over time to our performance, to self-help and to our might. Paul is clear; we are only effective when Christ is formed in us. References and Additional Resources: Kyle Idleman- The Book of Galatians, video series, Right Now Media Tim Keller, Galatians For You John Stott, The Message of Galatians Warren Wiersbe, Bible Commentary, New Testament Michael Yousef- Got Freedom? video series on Galatians, Right Now Media True Heirs Page 7