All In The Family
Read This Week: Galatians 4
But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. – Galatians 4:4-7
The Bible contains a familial theme. Families are the center point of so many stories throughout the Scriptures, and through a family, God established His covenant. The language of the family is also common, and there is not a more beautiful picture of this than God as our Father. It is comforting, securing and affirming to know that we are loved by our Heavenly Father, even if we don’t have an earthly one.
Paul reinforces this truth about our relationship with God in Galatians 4. He uses the analogy of adoption and states that because God’s Spirit saved us, we are adopted sons and daughters that are given absolute privileges in the family of God and equal status as heirs. This is an incredible blessing that we are given through salvation and it is a demonstration of God’s grace and true love for us.
We can imagine someone helping or even saving another person, but not going so far as to make them a part of their family. Every human being is a child of God in the sense of being His offspring and made in His image. But not every person is a child of God in the sense of this close, adoptive relationship that we enjoy through Jesus Christ. Yet, this is what God has done for us. He gives us the distinction of being his sons and daughters.
Pastor and Author, John Piper once wrote, “God does not leave us in the condition of aliens when he adopts us. He does not leave us with no feelings of acceptance and love. Rather, he pours his Spirit into our hearts to give us the experience of being embraced in the family.”
The Lord is our Abba Father as Paul tells us in this passage. He is our Daddy who withholds nothing from His children. Through faith, and because God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship, we are all in the family of God.
I greatly appreciate the family of God. Getting to know God better through each member is God’s intent. You are not meant to go through life alone, you have God and the family of God. This is one of the major benefits of being a Christian.
I agree wholeheartedly, Ken. I was reminded of the benefits of being in the family of God over the last two weeks like I haven’t been in some time. To go halfway across the world and meet people who don’t speak my language, but to be able to relate to them, worship with them, be encouraged by them and serve the Lord with them is a testimony to the power of the Holy Spirit and “the major benefit” of being a part of God’s family.
Galatians 4:11 says, “I am alarmed [about you], lest I have labored among and over you to no purpose and in vain.”
1 Corinthians 15:58 says, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord [always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord], knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile [it is never wasted or to no purpose].”
It may feel sometimes like all your time and labor serving the Lord on the brothers and sisters looks like it was for nothing sometimes, you may not see the growth, but we don’t always know the outcome, may not until we get to heaven. God showed me as long as your doing what I asked you to do, it wasn’t wasted or to no purpose, because it’s all about you and me doing it together, you’re always in training, always learning, what you do you’re doing it for Me. I’m always working everything out for your good and for your brothers and sisters too.
What that means to me is when my friend kept inviting me to church over and over, when I did finally make it there and when I gave my life to Jesus my new life with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit began to help me, teach me, guide me and Love me in this wonderful, awesome relationship together in this life here and forever and ever.
Like Paul, God was flowing through him to help those who were in the family of God, he was being a good Father in the Lord to the people in the bible and continues to help those who read the bible.
Just like Paul, my friend was being a good Mother (sister) in the Lord to me, and my Pastor Randy being a good Father in the Lord was concerned for me too, all the Pastors and leaders in the church because of their Love for God, they poured a lot of God’s Love, His guidance and teachings in me and helped me to grow in the ways of the Lord, and helped me to be able to hear God for myself.
But if I didn’t listen to God, and didn’t listen to them and turned my back on God and to them because I didn’t want to grow in the ways of the Lord it wouldn’t be their fault, it would have been mine. (I’m so thankful I did.) Because of the work they did for God, it was not wasted because they did it for God and God knows they were doing their best, doing more than enough, they don’t give up because they know it’s good work. They were and still are continuing to reach out, excelling, doing more and more to help the brothers and sisters who want to grow and desire to not only want to be God’s child but they want a relationship with God too!
When you are in a place to want to be in a relationship with God and you continue to grow and then desire to learn to help those who God puts in your life, the ones who respond to God its great work and God loves it, it blesses His heart, their heart, and your heart will be blessed too!! never forget all that you do is for something because you’re doing it with God. Jesus Loves you. God loves you so all you do let it be pleasing to the Father because He Knows and He loves it!
Thank you for your insight on Galatians 4:11, Heidi. You presented some good commentary on Paul’s lament over the Galatians’ spiritual regression. He was obviously distraught over what was happening and the Galatian believers potentially negating and losing the work God had done through Paul’s ministry. Who hasn’t felt like Paul in the journey of helping and discipling others? It’s messy and sometimes can be two steps forward and three steps back. The same can be true for our own walks.
I liked your perspective though where you said: “It may feel sometimes like all your time and labor serving the Lord on the brothers and sisters looks like it was for nothing sometimes, you may not see the growth, but we don’t always know the outcome, may not until we get to heaven.”
I had a mentor once tell me that God is always doing exponentially more, through the power of the Holy Spirit, than we ever think or imagine. That’s why His calling for us is to just be faithful and as you said, “continue to reach out, excel, and do more and more to help the brothers and sisters who want to grow and desire to be God’s child, but they want a relationship with God too.”
Galatians Chapter 4 v.7 says, “Therefore, you are no longer a slave (bondservant) but a son; and if a son, then [it follows that you are] an heir by the aid of God, through Christ.”
The Apostle Paul continues to tell the Galatians that they are free from Legalism and that they are sons and daughters of God by His grace and power that works within us. Paul says that the inferior way of living by the law is causing dissatisfaction and robbing the Christians of joy and peace that only Grace brings. The Old Testament Law is keeping the believers in bondage, causing a sense of powerlessness, robbing them of their freedom and draining their faith by turning their attention to the useless self-effort.
God is saying to you and me to hold steadfast to God’s promises. Continue to follow God in all your ways. The inheritance as an heir of God is endless and matures to fruition in His timing. Do not abide by the Law of the Old Testament and be a bondservant to no avail, walking in efforts of vanity. Don’t let your deeds go unnoticed.
We are Christians by grace. We are redeemed by God. We no longer are slaves to religion. Instead, through God’s grace and power within us, we are all Christians, sons, and daughters by the atonement and blood of Christ through the Holy Spirit.
God seems to be saying, “My child, stay out of bondage; let the Holy Spirit set you free. You have full rights as my sons and daughters. Go now and let your freedom ring and be seen and heard by all. You are my child now. I am your Abba Father. I Love You!”
I really appreciate this insight, Trina. The line and thought that stuck out to me was: “We are Christians by grace. We are redeemed by God. We no longer are slaves to religion.” I am thankful for the grace of God and that it sets us free to enjoy a deep, personal relationship with Jesus. Religion is enslaving and not empowering in the least. It certainly doesn’t move us to know, love and serve the Lord.
However, understanding and receiving God’s grace poured out on us through the cross is the very definition of freedom. It is liberating like nothing else on earth.
This week, I have a song from God out of Galatians chapter 4 called, “Living with Christ”:
Living in our new nature, our new nature
Leaving behind our old
Glory, glory, glory, we are living free
Building a relationship, a relationship with our glorious Father
What a glorious day living with our Father
A Father who builds us up always
Loving, understanding, and forgiving
Living with you, Jesus
I am thankful to Jesus for wanting us to have a relationship with Him and giving us His grace, hope and faith. I love Him so much.
I appreciate this offering from you, Alma as always. As I read the lines of your song, I couldn’t help but think of 2 Corinthians 5:17-19:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.”
I’m so thankful for the new nature we get to enjoy in Christ and how that gives us the benefit of and access to life with Him. It truly is a glorious day every day that we get to spend with Christ.