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Blessings of Sonship in Christ (Galatians 4)

God sent forth His Son...that we might receive the adoption as sons. (Gal 4:4-5 NKJ)

The poets asserted that we are offspring of God (Acts 17:28). But, like the prodigal son, we were lost, groping like the blind, in bondage to the elements of the world (Gal.4:1,2). Yet, when His Grace appeared, we saw light, we received the right to be called the children of God (Jn.1:12). He received us in loving embrace (Lk.15:20). He put His ring on our hand (Lk.15:22).He placed and positioned us as sons (Gk. huiothesia, "to place as son").

And with this placement as sons, this sonship, we received blessings:

1. The Spirit of the Son by which we call out "Abba, Father" (Gal.4:6)
He is the Spirit of prayer and supplication (Eph.6:18). He helps us in our weakness by praying for us (Rom.8:26). He is the inner witness (Rom.8:16) and the one who speaks the words of Truth in our heart (Jn.16:13; Rev.2:7).

2. Heirship. We became heirs of God through Christ (Gal.4:7)
We have received an eternal, imperishable inheritance; an eternal kingdom, and a bold access to all that belongs to God (Heb.9:15; 1Pet.1:4; Lk.15:31). What is ours is His and what is His is ours. We have free access and liberty in the house of God.

3. Spiritual Freedom. We became free from the elements of the world (Gal.4:8,9; Col.2:16,20-23).
He liberated us from the traditions of the fathers that put a hedge on us (1Pet.1:18,19). He liberated us from the dictates of human tutors (Gal.4:1-3). He brought us into the liberty of the walk in the Spirit, the Spirit of Freedom (Gal.3:4; 2Cor.3:17; Gal.5:1,5). He delivered us from false superstitions, false fears, false humility, false spirituality. He gave us spiritual freedom in the Spirit.

4. Family Likeness. We are transformed every moment into the image of the Son (Gal.4:19; 2Cor.3:18; Rom.8:29; Phil.2:5; 1Pet.2:21).

5. We are set apart from the world and the world of flesh conflicts with the children of promise (Gal.4:29)
The world cannot understand the sons of God (1Jn.3:1). The world persecutes the children of God as it persecuted Christ (Jn.15:20). But, by faith in Christ we overcome the world (Jn.16:33; 1Jn.5:4). We must learn to rejoice in persecution (Matt.5:11,12) looking to the joy ahead of us (Heb.12:1-4).


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