Hello
Friends!
During
this week’s gathering, we’ll continue to work our way through the book written
to the Galatians as we consider
the ONE and ONLY saving “salvation” message of “Jesus Christ” as decreed throughout this excellent
Epistle – “Only ONE Gospel!”
Galatians: Only ONE Gospel! (Chapter 4:1-7)
1 Now I
say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant,
though he be lord of all; 2 But is under tutors and governors
until the time appointed of the father. 3 Even so we, when we
were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 4 But
when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman,
made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law,
that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye
are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying,
Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a
son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ – Galatians 4:1-7
OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: We must never knowingly
MISREPRESENT the
saving POWER of the “gospel of grace”
unto “salvation” of the LOST soul. To do so, DISHONORS our Almighty “God the Father,”
“Jesus Christ” and the “Holy Spirit” Himself. And to do so CONFUSES the
true “church” and thus DEADENS our
“saving” missionary “message”
unto the “wicked” world abroad.
Therefore, we MUST Biblically “understand” the true “gospel
of God” in its fullness. Thankfully, the “Apostle Paul” was absolutely passionate
about the great “gospel” and was thus “called” to be the amazing “messenger” of its Biblical clarification
for “us” all TODAY.
And it was “Jesus Christ” of Whom
personally “chose” Paul to dutifully DEFINE and
DEFEND this
“doctrine” of which “proclaims”
that our “salvation” is ONLY through
“faith” completely APART from the “works”
of feeble mankind. It was for THIS reason the mighty “Apostle
Paul” writes this beautiful book of Galatians to rightly – REAFFIRM this TRUTH!
Sons & Heirs!
Therefore, Paul begins this next “passage” by utilizing a natural illustration to pursue his poignant “doctrinal” deposit:
Now I say, That the heir, as long
as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father – Galatians 4:1-2
POIGNANT POINT: In our so-called “modern-day” culture, we don’t really know what the term
“grown up” means! We have thirty-year-old immature “boys with beards” who haven’t “grown up” yet. Conversely, we also have ten-year-old children “adults” of whom have been so overexposed to the wicked “things of the world” that their THINKING and
ACTIONS are perverse. Sadly, we have obliterated
the deep DEFINING declaration of
human growth & maturity by creating a “sinful” culture sandwiched somewhere
between childhood and adulthood audaciously
acclaimed as adolescence. And as a result, ours is largely a culture
of IRRESPONSIBILITY. However, in the ancient
world, one moved DIRECTLY from being a “child” to being an – ADULT!
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: In the ancient world, the
process of “growing up” was much
more dramatically identified than ours in modern times. HOW? When a “Jewish”
boy reached his twelfth birthday, on the “Sabbath”
subsequent to this special day, his fleshly father would bring him to the “synagogue” and present him to the rabbi in
proclamation of the fact that his son is now “bat
mitzvah” of which means “son of the law.”
And during this important “Jewish”
ceremony, the male “child” would readily recite
the following “religious” prayer:
“O my God, and God of my fathers, on this
solemn and sacred day which marks my passage from boyhood to manhood, I humbly
raise my eyes unto Thee and declare with sincerity and truth that henceforth, I
will keep Thy commandments and undertake to bear the responsibility of my
actions before Thee.”
That
is bat mitzvah! Thus,
this young “Jewish” man now passes
out of his biological father’s hands and is now considered
personally RESPONSIBLE for his own adamant ADHERENCE to
the “law” of “God”
Himself. This “time appointed of the father”
is the “Jewish” journey unto – Maturity IN God!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: The deep “doctrines”
of “election” and “predestination” support the purpose of the
many “spiritual blessings” available to “us” all TODAY.
And for the “church” of “Jesus Christ” our Lord, the dear “doctrine” of “adoption” is one of
the most precious of all “Christian”
truths found in God’s wonderful Word! Specifically speaking, our spiritual “adoption” as beloved “children”
by our great “God
and Father” Himself:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath
blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According
as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children
by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the
praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the
beloved – Ephesians 1:3-6
And
surrounding the REALITY of our “salvation”
are the foundational endeared “doctrines”
of “regeneration”, “justification,”
“conversion,” “union”
and “sanctification” by God. Therefore, “because” of this dear “doctrine” concerning the “adoption of children” by “God”
Himself THROUGH His only “Son” incarnate, “we”
loudly proclaim this tremendous TRUTH
to all the world – Praise the Lord!
CONTEXTUAL COMMENTS: Many first-century households trusted
in a mature “servant” of whom would
partake as the “tutor” and “governor” – caretaker and mentor
– for the “children” of that family. WHY? Because the “child”
could not yet rightly administer his own “estate” nor take possession of his
future “inheritance” as presumed.
Thus, his earthly “promise” was awaiting his maturity
upon possession. And as long as he’s a “child”
he definitely “differeth nothing” from his
assigned “servant” and thus dutifully takes
orders as such. Therefore, the “child”
doesn’t give orders until the date “appointed”
by his natural “father” as previously planned…
God’s APPOINTED time!
Next, Paul moves from
a human ILLUSTRATION to the spiritual APPLICATION of this poignant passage:
Even so we, when we were
children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness
of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the
law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons – Galatians 4:3-5
QUIZZING QUESTION: What are the elusive “elements of the world” to which Paul
refers here?
They
are the IDENTICAL rank “religious” ruinous “rudiments of the world” and the trite “traditions” and the
corrupt “commandments” and the damning “doctrines of men” to which “we” were ONCE held blindly “captive”
unto BEFORE the
Lord “Jesus Christ” had “saved” our soul:
Beware lest any
man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men,
after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ… Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the
rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to
ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the
using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship,
and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying
of the flesh – Colossians 2:8 & 20-23
For
the “Jew” in question, his “bondage” was essentially DEFINED by
the “written law” of “God”
along with his biological father’s waning will. And just as these natural
men created a boundary of “bondage”
for their “children” by natural
birth, so did the “law of God” itself.
Conversely, for the “Gentile”
in question, his “bondage” was also DEFINED by
the “written law” of “God”
that was “written” on his “heart” of hearts. And although the “Gentiles” did NOT
have a religious “written law” in which to
rightly adhere, “God’s Law” is none the less
“bearing witness” as is “written” eternally upon his – CONSCIENCE!
For when the Gentiles, which have
not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not
the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in
their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the
mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall
judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel – Romans
2:14-16
Thus,
the “law” is “written
in the heart” of the “Gentiles”
and the “law” is “written in Scripture” for the “Jews” to which this beseeching “bondage” was created by “God” Himself:
And if children,
then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer
with him, that we may be also glorified together – Romans 8:17
Therefore,
neither the “Jew” nor “Gentile” are EVER rightly RELEASED
from this spiritual “bondage”
until “we” become “glorified together” as
mature “sons” and “heirs of God” Himself “when” the “fulness
of the time” had “come”
unto His own. HOW? Through our wonderful “adoption” as spiritual “joint-heirs with Christ”
and beloved “children” found IN Him – Saved BY
Grace!
Then,
Paul further BUILDS upon this line of thought concerning the “sons” of the Most High:
And because ye are sons, God hath
sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of
God through Christ –
Galatians 4:6-7
But as many as
received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them
that believe on his name – John 1:12
Beloved,
“we” boldly “believe on His name” and thus rightly “received” His “saving” great GRACE eternal. Thus, being “delivered”
from the spiritual “bondage” of “sin” we are now FULLY adequately “adopted”
as a “son” and “heir” of our dear DADDY
in Heaven and Blessed “Abba, Father”
the One and Only – Most HIGH God!
In closing:
Here
we are, five hundred years AFTER
the Reformation and
the professing
pragmatic “church” of “Jesus Christ” continues disputing
over the ONE and ONLY saving “promise”
of God’s great GRACE unto ETERNAL life…
For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest
any man should boast – Ephesians 2:8-9
Yet,
this spiritual quandary represents “no great thing”
and is thus NOT at all surprising. WHY? Because the enemy of our soul
“Satan” works VERY
hard to OVERTHROW the “truth” of God’s wonderful “Word” and thus REPLACE
it with ERROR through his “false apostles”
and “deceitful workers” of whom MASQURADE as
menacing “ministers of righteousness”
but are REALLY concentrated corrupt
evil…
For such are false apostles,
deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no
marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it
is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of
righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works – 2
Corinthians 11:13-15
And
with the MAJORITY of evangelicals TODAY holding to the LIE of which proclaims that “salvation” is a combination of “faith” AND “works”
of their own making, it is quite OBVIOUS that we are in desperate need of yet – Another GOSPEL Reformation!
REAL REFLECTIONS: Beloved, may God give US the courage and boldness
to “contend earnestly for the faith”
that was signed, sealed and delivered
some – 2000 years ago…
Beloved,
when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was
needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly
contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints – Jude 3
Praise the Lord Jesus Christ!
With
these thoughts in consideration towards your own personal studies, please read
through verses 1-7 in the fourth chapter of
the excellent book to the Galatians.
We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
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Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><
Encouraging Concepts
Truth for Today
"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"Lighthouse Publications <><
