Lesson 36 September 1, 2002

4:4-6 Their present status as adult sons

4:4 First a timing marker

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,

What God did!

God sent forth His Son

born of a woman born under the Law,

Summary 4:4

1. One thing that we can count on is that God's timing is never wrong! There are many historic factors that make this time a unique time. The fullness of time. Convergence!

a. Roman empire essentially ruled the world, had brought about a comparative timeframe of peace.

b. A road system had been developed which facilitated travel.

c. Grecian civilization provided (via Alexander the Great) a language which was adopted as the lingua of the Empire. koinh Greek

d. Historically the stage was set of the greatest event in all of human history.

Short Rabbit trail Eph 1:9-10

Human history is moving toward an objective, it is going somewhere!

2. It was then that God sent His Son, the pre-existent One, out from heaven and to the earth on a mission. John 1:1-3,14

3. Jesus Christ as the future heir, humbled Himself becoming a slave in becoming humanity putting Himself under the Law. Phil. 2:5-8

4. Although Christ is heir of all things (Heb. 1:2) He was willing to condescend to an inferior position in becoming a man. Did so to meet man's need in justification.

5. Often an heir was tested before receiving the inheritance.

6. Jesus Christ was tested by being under the law and then bore the curse of the law for us.

4:5 Two fold purpose of God sending His Son

1^st Purpose clause

so that He might redeem those who were under the Law,

His point here is Galatians think, Christ redeemed you from the curse of the law and he redeemed you from bondage to the law. Your free! Why would you now want to place yourself back under bondage to the law.

2^nd [more of a result clause]

that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Summary 4:5

1. Jesus Christ's obedience to God the Father's will, secured for us in the Church age the potential of being adopted as sons.

2. Believers become adopted sons, not real sons.

3. There are two principle points to be made by adoption:

a. adoption stresses the release from slavery, where the former slave is granted all the rights and privileges as a son in the family; and

b. adoption is used to stress heirship -- that as a son, one is fully qualified to share in the inheritance of the father.

Col 1:12-13

4. Since we as believers are adopted sons in Christ we share in an inheritance secured by Jesus Christ. Rom 8:17

5. The badge or seal of our adoption is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit Gal. 4:6.

6. The full benefits of our adoption will be realized at the time of the rapture Rom. 8:23.

7. As an adopted son we are not under the slavery of the Law or any other law performance system with its purpose to acquire salvation/justification or to maintain ones spiritual status by keeping it.

8. Paul's argument here for the Galatians is this: Since Christ redeemed you and set you free from enslavement to the Law, why would you Gentile believers want to put yourself under its bondage.

9. Jesus Christ as the heir of all things (Heb. 1:2) and will distribute a portion of our inheritance at the judgement seat of Christ. 1 Cor. 3:10-15; 2 Cor. 5:10

10. There is a eternal aspect also to the inheritance promised in 1 Pet. 1:4.

11. Our sharing in all this inheritance is based on Positional truth.