Sons of God

***** SERMON MANUSCRIPT*****

Melburn H. Hardin, D.Min. Kerrville, Texas

TITLE: The Sons of God

SCRIPTURE: Galatians 3:26-4:7

TOPIC:

SERIES TITLE: No Other Gospel!

INDEX NUMBER: SF 1452

DATE PREPARED: 2007/02/12

DATE PREACHED: 2007/02/18

PLACE PREACHED: Kerrville Sunrise Baptist Church

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Introduction

I believe that the most difficult challenge for young people in our crazy, modern world is simply that of growing up—taking on the responsibility and stature of mature adults. Our nation is literally overwhelmed with 20 year old, 30 year old, 40 year old children, who still depend on their parents or grandparents for material sustenance.

Oh, it’s true that most of these overgrown babies take on privileges and licenses of adulthood. They demand their freedoms, they drink adult beverages and do adult things like procreating children. But, so often, their parents and grandparents have to come in and clean up the messes they make and, literally, rear the children they produce!

Am I overly exaggerating this? I think not!

In the New Testament world the process of growing up was much more definite than it is with us. There were definite rites of passage from childhood to manhood.

In the Jewish culture, on the first Sabbath after a boy passed his twelfth birthday, his father took him to the synagogue, where he became “A Son of the Law.” The father would utter a benediction: “Blessed be thou, O God, who has taken from me the responsibility for this boy.” The boy would then offer a prayer to God, promising to obey God’s commandments and bear responsibility for all his actions. There was a clear dividing line in the boy’s life; almost overnight he became a man.

Among the Greeks, an eighteen year old Athenean boy would participate in a festival called an Apatouria. He would have his long, flowing hair cut off and burned as an offering to the gods. This would officially mark the day he became a man. He was accepted as an adult, and expected to act like one in every way.

Among the Romans, the specific year was not so definite, but somewhere between the ages of fourteen and seventeen, a boy was declared a man. At a sacred festival called the Liberalia, a young man would remove his childhood toga—which was a white robe with a small, purple band around the bottom of it—and put on the plain white toga of adults. He was then conducted by his parents to the forum and formally introduced to public life. There was a definite day when a youngster became a man. And there was something similar for girls. On the day that the young person grew up, the boy offered his ball—and the girl her doll—to Apollo, to show that they had put away childish things.

An awareness of this background can give us some clarity and insight as we approach our text this morning—Galatians 3:26 through 4:7. The text is concerned with our blessed status, in Jesus Christ, as being “the children of God.”

I. WHAT A PRIVILEGE—TO BE CALLED THE CHILDEN OF GOD!

Look at verse 26 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, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Paul wrote to Gentile and Jewish believers in Jesus: You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Now, I loved my earthly father and mother, and I cherish their memory. I am proud to be their son. But, O, the supreme joy and the eternal bliss: to be a child of God!

The Apostle John exclaimed (1 John 3:1) How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! And that is what we are…

Yes, Almighty God is the Creator of all mankind, but not all are God’s spiritual children. Only those who place their faith in God, through Jesus Christ, are God’s children. Yet, we were not always God’s children; once we were the children of the world, alienated from God, lost in sin. John 1:12-13 teaches us that “…to all who received (Christ), to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

When we trust Christ as our Savior, God adopts us as His sons and daughters. His Holy Spirit comes to dwell in our hearts. Note verse 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. This is not talking about water baptism, which is merely a symbol, although an important symbol. This is talking about our immersion in the Holy Spirit—where God’s Spirit indwells us and surrounds us with His divine presence.

Romans 8:15 states: “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" “I once was an outcaste stranger on earth, a sinner by choice, and an alien by birth; But I’ve been adopted, my name’s written down, an heir to a mansion, a robe and a crown. I’m a child of the King! With Jesus my Savior, I’m a child of the King.”

Do I look like my Heavenly Father? No, I’m afraid not. Do I act like Jesus? Well, no, not often enough. But one glorious day I am going to be made like Him! (1John 3:2) Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.

We shall be like Him! We won’t look like white people or black people, rich people or poor people. It will be irrelevant whether we are men or whether we are women. Note verse 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Notice verse 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. All of us who come to God through faith in Christ are “Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise God made to Abraham.” We have already noted, in our study last Sunday, that “Abraham’s Seed” here refers—not to all the physical descendents of Abraham—but to only One Descendent, Jesus Christ, son of Abraham, Son of God. By virtue of our being in Christ, and His Holy Spirit being in us, we are Abraham’s seed, heirs of the promise God made to Abraham.

II. REDEEMED BELIEVERS ARE THE HEIRS OF GOD

Note verse 4:1 What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So, also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. 4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

I was speaking about ancient “rites of passage from childhood to adulthood” a few moments ago. How I wish our modern culture had some definite point where we could expect our youth to become responsible adults! In our society, many young people consider getting a driver’s license as a rite of passage into adulthood. Unfortunately—as we know too well—the license to drive doesn’t necessarily bring a commitment to responsible behavior.

But here the Apostle Paul gives an illustration, common to the world of his day. How different were childhood and adulthood! In the Mediterranean cultures of the New Testament period, children had no rights; they were considered the legal property of their parents. Even the children of wealthy families, who one day would inherit great wealth and power, while they were children, had little more status or privileges than the slaves of the household. It was sort like our old adage: “children are to be seen and not heard”—only much more severe.

As here in verse 2 The child was subject to guardians and trustees—but, Oh, when the child reached the point of maturity, the (specific) time set by his father, he was declared a man, and he received the full rights of a son, with all the privileges and honors and responsibilities that that entailed. Now he was truly considered the heir.

The Apostle uses this ancient custom to illustrate the radical difference in our relationship to God when we receive Christ as our Savior. 3 So, also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. Earlier Paul has been talking about those Jews who were enslaved by the law. Now it seem that he is writing about all people, Jews and Gentile—all religions, whether Jewish or pagan, that do not have a personal experience and an adequate knowledge of God, the heavenly Father. As it were, people are actually enslaved by their religion. Though all men and women are potentially the children of God, without Christ, they do not have the freedom of the sons of God.

And now note verse 4 But when the time had fully come, (Brother, was God’s time for the children to grow up!) God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, (Why? So…) that we might receive the full rights of sons. No longer are we immature children of the household, kept in a backroom with a Nanny and other servants. In Christ, we have become, not just human beings created in God’s image, but now, truly the Sons of God!

Now because we are His sons, God sends the Spirit of Jesus into our hearts. We have a personal, immediate, intimate relationship with God our Father. And we speak to Him directly as “Abba, Father.” Abba was a beautiful Aramaic word used in the closeness of family. Probably our best English equivalent is “Dad” or “Daddy.”

And now we are heirs, along with our elder brother Christ, of all that God has made. 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

(1 Corinthians 2:9) “No eye has seen, nor ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” Glory!

The grand point that the Apostle was making to the Galatian Christians who were considering going under the Jewish law, was this: In Christ you have been made the sons of God, and heirs of God. Why, oh why, would you even consider going back to being slaves or immature infants with no real knowledge of God? Why would you exchange freedom in Christ for the slavery of the Jewish Law? Why would you give up everlasting life for everlasting death?