We Are Not Children of the Bondwoman - Part 895

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free .... and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." (Galatians 5:1)

"Now I say," writes Paul the apostle to the Galatians, " that the heir -- as long as he is a child differs nothing from a servant -- [even] though he be lord of all."

Why? Because the child remains under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. The same principle applies to you and I as believers in our faith journey. That is, while we were still children, we were in bondage under the elements of the world. (Galatians 4:1-3) 

But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth His Son made of a woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons ... and because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, "Abba, Father." Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." (Galatians 4:4-7)

That is, "if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who  was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification" ...  we are justified by faith. "We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ -- by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand." 

This is why we can continually "rejoice in the hope of the glory of God." (Romans 4:25; 5:1-2)

Indeed, the same God who John bare witness of when he wrote: "He was in the world and the world was made by Him but the world knew Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on His name which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth. " (John 1:10-15)

This is why the Lord God could say to the serpent in Genesis 3:15: " I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." Because the same Lord God who created the world had already decided the plan of salvation -- even before the world was shaped. Such is the mystery of godliness.

And as such, He came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give His life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28) And His name? Jesus -- the only name under heaven whereby we can be saved.

This same point is further clarified in Colossians 2:6-10 which states: "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up in Him and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving." (Colossians 2:6-10)

Abba, Father. The hope that makes us not ashamed because the love of our Lord God and Saviour is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us -- for when we were yet without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. God commendeth His love towards us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

Not only as children, or sons and daughters, or servants but so that we could become His friends. Therein, our joy and peace and hope and salvation. (Romans 5:1-5) We can joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement. (Romans 5:11) 

John wrote: "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." (John 1:12) 

Jesus said, "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you. Henceforth, I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. These things I command you, that ye love one another."

Sadly, the "religious culture" and "worldly spirit" of this day does not want you to take hold of the promises that are intended for those who press into Jesus. Therefore take warning. Beware -- lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after the Christ -- "for in Him dwelleth all of the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in Him which is the head of all principality and power." (Colossians 2:9-10)

Trust Jesus today. Stand firm in His love and grace. Stand in the offering plate.