As we come to chapter four, Paul continues with the thought of sonship and joint heirs of Christ. As he continues to remind the Galatians that they are no longer slaves but sons, he shares with them four important truths about their adoption as children of God.
4 Truths About Sonship
- There is a for sonship (4:1-3, 8-11).
- ” I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way, we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.” – Galatians 4:1-3
- “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” – Colossians 2:8
- “Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?” – Galatians 4:8-9
- “You observe days and months and seasons and years! I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.” – Galatians 4:10-11
- There is a of sonship (4:4-5).
- “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” – Galatians 4:4-5
- There is a of sonship (4:6).
- “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” -Galatians 4:7
- “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” – Romans 8:15-16
- There is an in sonship (4:7, 9).
- “So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” – Galatians 4:7
- “But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? ” – Galatians 4:8-9