Doctrine of the New Covenant, part 11.Title: Doctrine of the New Covenant, part 11.
Gal 4:1 Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything,
Gal 4:2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father.
Gal 4:3 So also we, while we were children [nepios], were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world.
Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time came [incarnation], God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
Gal 4:5 in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law [a law], that we might receive the adoption as sons [placed as adult sons].
Rather, we live the ethics of the Mosaic Law as adults, whereas the OT saints, at best, could only do so as well behaved children.
We are adult sons under grace rather than children under law. We have the reality of the truth in Christ and the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit so that in wisdom we can make virtuous decisions from the position of an adult son. We are treated by God as adults. The seeming paradox is that we have the wisdom of spiritual adults and the faith of children. This is not at all a paradox. It is the best of the worlds of wisdom, decision making, and trusting.
Gal 4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"
Because we have been made sons by God's grace, God has sent His Spirit to indwell us.
The Spirit is sent forth into the hearts of the adult sons. Remember, the heart is the place of decision, wisdom, emotion, motivation, will, morality, etc. The Spirit is given to the son in order to control all of the heart, while without removing the self-determination and responsibility of the adult son.
The Spirit reveals to us the reality of our placing as adult sons and to not look at God as Judge, but as Father.
Rom 8:12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh —
Rom 8:13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Rom 8:14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
"sons" - ui`o,j [huios] = adult sons in the same context as Gal 4:5.
Rom 8:15 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!"
Here in Romans, we cry out Abba Father and in Galatians the Spirit cries out Abba Father. Either Paul and the Holy Spirit aren't paying attention to detail or, in the ideal spiritual life we are to be in agreement with God the Holy Spirit. God makes it clear in the next verse that the Spirit is within us crying out to our inner spirit that we are children of our heavenly Father.
We are to desire what the Spirit intensely (crying) desires and loves. This is our agreement with Him, our fellowship with Him.
The fact that the Spirit cries "Abba" within us in one verse and we, by means of the Spirit, cry out the exact same thing in another verse emphasizes that we are to be in agreement with the Spirit.
Rom 8:5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
Rom 8:15 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!"
Rom 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
Rom 8:17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.
Gal 4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"
By the rules of grammar we know that it is the Spirit that is doing the crying. He is intensely convincing us of our sonship.
"crying" is a participle in the accusative case and so it agrees with the direct object which is the Spirit. Therefore, it is the Spirit within us that is crying, which word refers to a loud and earnest announcement. It emphasizes the intensity with which the Spirit of God within us bears witness with our own spirit that we are children of God and heirs of Christ and all that that means.
"crying" - kra,zw [krazo] = onomatopoeic (formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named) word used especially for the cry of the raven. It is a loud and intense cry.
Gal 4:7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
Being indwelt by the Spirit is proof that you are a son, and if you’re a son, then you are an heir.
The son must never allow himself to be enslaved to anyone in his inner man. The outer man is a servant of all and may even be an actual slave or prisoner, but in his inner man he is ever free as a son, a child of God. He has been made a son and given the inheritance of Christ by the grace of God.
The time has come - the fullness of times! The child is made an adult son. That is all believers in this age.
1Th 5:1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.
1Th 5:2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.
1Th 5:3 While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
One of the many benefits of being sons is that we don't ever have to anticipate or fear judgment.
What is ironic is that the rest of the world should fear it, but they fool themselves with myths of "peace and safety."
1Th 5:4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief;
1Th 5:5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness;
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