The Sonship of Faith

I. THE SONSHIP OF FAITH (Galatians 4:1-7)

A. The Childhood of an Heir (Galatians 4:1-3)

1. The earthly illustration (Galatians 4:1-2)
a. The heir, as long as he is a child (Galatians 4:1)
1.) Differeth nothing from a servant
2.) Though he be lord of all
3.) Note: An heir is the person established to receive all the possession or estate of another (Genesis 15:1-7). When the heir is a child, he generally does not have a full grasp on the depths of his inheritance. In fact, the heir receives his full inheritance at the death of the person having the possessions.
b. He is under tutors and governors (Galatians 4:2)
c. Until the time appointed of the father (Galatians 4:2)
2. The heavenly truth (Galatians 4:3)
a. The comparison made – “Even so”
b. The choice of heirs
1.) Abraham’s seed (Galatians 3:29)
2.) Heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:29)
3.) Through the righteousness of faith (Romans 4:13-14)
c. The childhood of the heirs
1.) We were in bondage
2.) Under the elements of the world
d. The time appointed (Galatians 4:4-5)
e. The doctrinal teaching at hand
1.) The children of Israel were the heirs, basically the children of Abraham.
2.) They did not become heirs through the works of the law (Romans 4:13).
3.) They were already heirs by promise, but more so because of the righteousness of faith (Romans 4:13-16; Hebrews 11:7).
4.) The law did not bring the inheritance nor did it disannul the promise; but rather, it was a tutor or governor or schoolmaster to point them to Christ (Galatians 3:24; Galatians 4:2).
5.) The job of the tutor and schoolmaster was to point the child to a day when he should receive the full inheritance.
6.) However, the child would receive the full inheritance of the estate until the death of the testator. In this case the law was to prepare the children of Israel for a time when they would receive the full inheritance. They certainly were not looking forward to the cross, but it was not because the schoolmaster did not teach of the death of the testator for it certainly did (Isaiah 53; Daniel 9:26).

B. The Fulness of Time (Galatians 4:4-5)

1. The conditions of Christ’s coming (Galatians 4:4)
a. The timing – “when the fulness of the time was come”
1.) Though God dwells outside of time, He works within time.
2.) Time is commonly broken down into smaller specific sections.
i. “The time is fulfilled” (Mark 1:15)
ii. “Elizabeth’s full time came” (Luke 1:57)
iii. “Until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke 21:24)
iv. “In the dispensation of the fulness of times” (Ephesians 1:10)
3.) Considerations of “the fulness of the time”
i. From the perspective of prophecy (Genesis 3:15; Deuteronomy 18:15, 18; Isaiah 7:14; Daniel 9:26; Micah 5:2)
ii. From the perspective of Israel’s preparation (Isaiah 40:3-5; Luke 1:15-17; Matthew 3:1-3; Mark 1:1-3; see the context of Galatians 4)
b. The sending – “God sent forth his Son” (Galatians 4:2)
c. The making
1.) Subject to laws of mortality – Made of a woman (Genesis 3:15; John 1:14)
i. He hungered (Matthew 21:18; Luke 4:2)
ii. He thirsted (John 4:7; 19:28)
iii. He slept (Matthew 8:24; Mark 4:38)
iv. He was wearied (John 4:6)
v. Note: Immortality put on mortality so that mortality could one day put on immortality.
2.) Subject to the law of God – Made under the law
i. Circumcised according to (Luke 2:21; Romans 15:8)
ii. Came not to destroy but to fulfil (Matthew 5:17-18)
iii. Attended all feasts of (John 2:23; John 7:2, 10, 37)
iv. Fulfilled all precepts of (Psalm 40:7-8)
v. Fulfilled shadows/types of (Hebrews 9:8, 11-14; Hebrews 10:1, 11-14)
vi. Bore the curse of (Deuteronomy 21:23; Galatians 3:13)
vii. Note: The Son (also the lawgiver) submitted Himself to the servitude of the law that repentant sinners might receive the benefits of sonship.
2. The purpose of Christ’s coming (Galatians 4:5)
a. To redeem them that were under the law
b. That we might receive the adoption of sons
1.) Though this process began at salvation (spirit and soul) (Romans 8:15)
2.) It will find its completion in the body’s redemption (Romans 8:23, 29).

C. The Heirship of the Saved (Galatians 4:6-7)

1. The gift of sonship (Galatians 4:6)
a. An indwelling Spirit
b. An endearing cry – “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15; Mark 14:36)
2. The relation of sonship (Galatians 4:7)
a. No more a servant, but a son
b. If a son, an heir of God through Jesus Christ (Acts 26:17-18; Ephesians 1:10-14; Colossians 1:12; 1 Peter 1:4; see also Romans 8:17; Hebrews 1:2)

II. FROM SONSHIP TO SERVITUDE (Galatians 4:8-20)

A. The Ignorance of the Saints (Galatians 4:8-11)

1. Their past ignorance (Galatians 4:8)
a. The time of their ignorance
1.) “Then,”
2.) “When ye knew not God,”
b. The practice of their ignorance – “ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods”
c. The vulnerability of man’s ignorance
1.) These people had been under the law (Galatians 4:5).
2.) At present, they were somewhat desirous of being under the law (Galatians 4:21; see also Galatians 2:4).
3.) Yet, the Bible indicates their observance of the law (feasts, sacrifices, i.e.) was more akin to idolatry than to the worship of God.
4.) Two examples should suffice to explain:
i. Men tend to lose sight of the original cause of their religious practices (Zechariah 7:1-7).
ii. Men tend to worship what they can see rather than the unseen God (
2. Their present ignorance (Galatians 4:9-10)
a. The time of their ignorance (Galatians 4:9)
1.) “Now,”
2.) “After that ye have known God,”
3.) “Or rather are known of God,”
b. The practice of their ignorance (Galatians 4:9-10)
1.) They turned “again to the weak and beggarly elements” (Galatians 4:9).
2.) They observed (Galatians 4:10; Colossians 2:16-23; Romans 14:5)
i. Days
ii. Months
iii. Times
iv. Years
c. The vulnerability of their ignorance – “ye desire again to be in bondage” (Galatians 4:9)
3. The apostle’s fear (Galatians 4:11)
a. His lack of fear
1.) Separation from the love of Christ (Romans 8:38-39)
2.) Death (Philippians 1:21)
b. His overwhelming fear
1.) Becoming a castaway (1 Corinthians 9:27)
2.) The ministry (1 Corinthians 2:1-3)
3.) The corruption of those to whom he had ministered (2 Corinthians 11:3)
4.) That those to whom he had ministered were not where they ought to be (2 Corinthians 12:20)
5.) That his labour was in vain (Galatians 4:11; see 2 John 1:8)

B. The Manner of Paul’s Ministry (Galatians 4:12-16)

1. Paul’s appeal to the saints (Galatians 4:12)
a. The object of his appeal – “Brethren”
b. The fervency of his appeal – “I beseech you”
c. The subject of his appeal
1.) Be as I am
2.) For I am as ye are
3.) Ye have not injured me at all
2. Paul’s infirmity of the flesh (Galatians 4:13-15)
a. The description of Paul’s infirmity
1.) “Infirmity of the flesh” (Galatians 4:13)
2.) “My temptation which was in my flesh” (Galatians 4:14)
b. The association of Paul’s infirmity
1.) In general, it dealt with his flesh (Galatians 4:13, 14).
2.) In specific, it appeared to have something to do with his eyes (Galatians 4:15).
3.) Likely what Paul identified as his “thorn in the flesh”
i. What is known?
1. It was attributed to Satan (2 Corinthians 12:7).
2. God could have removed it (2 Corinthians 12:8).
3. It was in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7).
4. It brought weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
ii. What was the purpose?
1. To counteract revelations (2 Corinthians 12:7)
a. Paul received many revelations from God
i. On the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-6)
ii. In Jerusalem (Acts 22:17-21)
iii. At Troas (Acts 16:8-10)
iv. In Corinth (Acts 18:9-11)
v. In Jerusalem (Acts 23:11)
vi. On the way to Rome (Acts 27:22-25)
vii. The vision of Paradise (2 Corinthians 12:1-6)
b. Paul could have gloried in the revelations (2 Corinthians 11:30; 2 Corinthians 12:5, 9)
2. To buffet the apostle (2 Corinthians 12:7)
3. Paul’s acceptance among the saints (Galatians 4:14-15)
a. The saints did not despise the apostle’s temptation (Galatians 4:14).
b. The saints did not reject the apostle due to his temptation (Galatians 4:14).
c. The saints received Paul as an angel of God (Galatians 4:14).
d. The saints would have plucked out their own eyes to give them to the apostle (Galatians 4:15).
4. Paul’s concern for the saints (Galatians 4:16; see 2 Corinthians 12:15)
a. Am I therefore become your enemy (Ephesians 4:15)
b. Because I tell you the truth (2 Corinthians 11:7)

C. The Concern for the Saints (Galatians 4:17-20)

1. The Galatians’ zeal (Galatians 4:17-18)
a. Foundational studies on zeal
1.) Zeal involves a fervent desire to accomplish some particular feat. In and of itself, zeal is neutral (meaning it is neither righteous nor sinful).
2.) Zeal can, and does, at times have its roots in ignorance (Romans 10:1-2).
3.) Christ died on the cross to redeem a people who would become zealous of good works (Titus 2:14).
4.) Many, both historically and at present possess a zeal for evil or vain causes.
5.) Perhaps the best instigator of zeal is godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10-11).
b. The nature of their present zeal (Galatians 4:17)
1.) Generated by men – “They zealously affect you,”
2.) Producing wrong actions – “but not well;”
3.) Eventually harming the Galatians – “yea, they would exclude you,”
4.) Yielding benefit for those promoting the zeal – “that ye might affect them” (Galatians 6:13)
c. The nature of desired zeal (Galatians 4:18)
1.) Generated by God – “not only when I am present with you”
2.) Producing good actions – “in a good thing,”
3.) Eventually bringing good things to the Galatians – “it is god to be zealously affected”
2. The Galatians’ danger (Galatians 4:19-20)
a. The lack of growth in Christ (Galatians 4:19)
1.) Observed in their address – “My little children,” (1 Corinthians 14:20; Ephesians 4:14;
2.) Observed in Paul’s labour (Ephesians 4:13-15)
i. Of whom I travail in birth again
ii. Until Christ be formed in you
iii. Note: This is eerily similar to Paul’s statements in his epistle to the Hebrews (Hebrews 5:12).
1. Paul, among others, was given to the church to encourage growth (Ephesians 4:11-16).
2. These people were not growing. They were zealous, but not maturing.
b. The attention of the apostle (Galatians 4:20)
1.) Paul desired to be present with them now.
i. This is not in the same sense in which Paul desired to be present with the believers at Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 2:17).
ii. Nor is it the manner in which John desired to be face to face with the elect lady and her children (2 John 1:12).
2.) He desired to change his voice. This lines up with the warnings of the apostle Paul to the believers at Corinth (1 Corinthians 4:18-21).
3.) He stood in doubt of them (Galatians 4:11).

III. THE ALLEGORY OF TWO COVENANTS (Galatians 4:21-31)

A. The Appeal to the Law (Galatians 4:21-23; Romans 9:30-33)

1. A general concern (Galatians 4:21)
a. Ye that desire to be under the law
b. Do ye not hear the law?
2. Abraham’s sons identified (Galatians 4:22)
a. Ishmael—the one by the bondmaid
b. Isaac—the other by a freewoman
3. The births distinguished (Galatians 4:23)
a. Ishmael
1.) Born of the bondwoman (Genesis 16:15-16)
2.) Born after the flesh (Genesis 16:1-3)
b. Isaac (Hebrews 11:11-12)
1.) Born of the freewoman (Genesis 21:1-3)
2.) Born by promise (Genesis 15:1-6)

B. The Identity of Covenants (Galatians 4:24-27)

1. The groundwork necessary (Galatians 4:24)
a. Allegory defined—description of one thing under the image of another
b. The allegory identified—speaks of the children’s births as descriptive of the differences between the covenant of the law and that of promise
2. The first covenant (Galatians 4:24-25; Hebrews 12:18-21)
a. From the mount Sinai (Galatians 4:24)
b. Which gendereth to bondage (Galatians 4:24)
c. Which is Agar (Galatians 4:24)
d. Is in bondage (Galatians 4:25; Hebrews 12:22-24)
3. The second covenant (Galatians 4:26-27)
a. Of heavenly Jerusalem (Galatians 4:26; Revelation 21:2-3)
1.) The mother of us all – The New Jerusalem (see Revelation 21:9-10)
2.) The earthly father of us all – Abraham (Romans 4:16)
3.) The heavenly father of us all – God
b. In freedom (Galatians 4:26-27; Galatians 5:1, 13)

C. The Present Associations (Galatians 4:28-31)

1. The children of the flesh (Galatians 4:29-30)
a. Born after the flesh (Galatians 4:29; Ephesians 2:1-3)
b. Persecuting the spiritual (Galatians 4:29)
c. To be cast out (Galatians 4:30; Revelation 20:15)
2. The children of promise (Galatians 4:28-31)
a. Born after the Spirit (Galatians 4:28-29; Titus 3:5)
b. Persecuted by the carnal (Galatians 4:29; 2 Timothy 3:12)
c. Receiving the inheritance (Galatians 4:30-31; Galatians 3:29; Ephesians 1:18)