THE ONE TRUE GOSPEL
Meditations in the Epistle to the Galatians
Galatians 4:1-7
NOT A SLAVE BUT A SON

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IN THESE few verses which are an amplification of the privileges of the Gospel Paul has expressed in the previous few verses, Paul is concerned to increase our understanding and appreciation of the wonderful blessing of Gospel salvation. He does it by placing before us the negative and the positive, contrasting what we are in Christ with what we were in the world. By this contrast Paul inhances the wonder and glory of the redeemed of God. Sandwiched between this 'before' and 'after' Paul talks of the redeemer through whom this great blessing has been made possible and been bestowed upon us. Paul can never speak of the blessings of the Gospel without glorifying Christ through whom the blessings are available and given. So these verses have three aspect. Firstly, what we were, Secondly, we see the redeemer. Thirdly, we are told the greatness of our blessing. We will look at each in turn under the general title of 'Not a slave, but a son.'

NOT A SLAVE

The world so often looks upon the Christian as being in slavery and having no freedom, but the reverse is the case even though the person of the world would deny it. It is true that some brands of so called Christianity, which sadly are taught in perhaps the majority of churches in our land - the type that speaks only of the law of God and our need to be good and please God by so doing, and makes this the sum of religion - such religion does present itself as bondage. The world understands, even if the religious person described above does not, that there is no real inclination in the natural human heart to obey the laws of God and honour God, and so understands that this way only places a person in bondage. However the Gospel, as we have seen in Galatians is not this works religion, but a faith made possible through grace, and a new creation.

The slavery in which the world lies is very real, and devastatingly dangerous, and this Paul speaks of first so that we may understand much more, in contrast, the greatness of Gospel freedom.

The operative words concerning this slavery in our passage are in verse 3 and read "we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world." In understanding the meaning in these words we grasp the slavery in which all of us are born naturally. An excellent explanation of this phrase is given by Paul in Ephesians chapter 2:1-3.

a. Under Satan's dominion

In these verses in Ephesians firstly Paul speaks of following the ways of the world, and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the children of disobedience. The ways of the world are formed by the ruler of the kingdom of the air. The ruler of the kingdom of the air is a reference to Satan. Satan produces in the world the spirit of disobedience against God. This spirit of disobedience is more than just being disobedient. It is rather a spiritual condition within, which makes people naturally opposed to God and his good. We are therefore firstly deep down haters of God. This is not altered by the fact we may say we believe in God, and trust in God, because when the 'chips are down' all we are expressing is a belief in an image of God which we have formed in our mind. When the Biblical revelation of God is brought to bear on our belief, there is a violent reaction to it, and a rejection of the true revelation of God which he has given in his Word. Because of Satan's rule the way of the world is disobedient to God in its core and essence, whatever protestations are made to the contrary.

The slavery is the fact that this condition is beyond us to escape from. Firstly because there is no inclination in the heart or mind to do so. In the world we love darkness rather than light. Secondly because even if we did try to escape by our own effort, we would not be able to. Satan would oppose us, and we have no means of redeeming ourselves from the claims Satan has upon us. Satan is quite happy with good works which a person may do, because these do not change the inner being, and can't in anyway redeem a person from the legal claim of Satan over us.

The power of Satan is in the fact that most are blissfully unconscious of this condition and are quite happy to remain in slavery. Satan has created in our disposition a love of the life that is against God, which disposition is not upset even when life brings so many hard knocks and disappointments. Satan is able to create a hope that it will be better in the future, even in the worst scenarios.

b. Under the control of the flesh

This aspect of our condition is described by Paul in the words "All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts."

There are so many details in these words which need our attention. Notice Paul speaks of every human being having a sinful nature. It is something we are born with and to which we are in slavery. The fact of this sinful nature is demonstrated from the earliest age. Babies are not little innocents as so often described. They naturally show greed, selfishness, bad temper, disobedience and much more. Parents have to work so hard to inculcate good character, but these sinful and unpleasant characteristics are expressed quite naturally.

Then Paul explains why this sinful nature must express itself. He uses the word cravings. Paul always used words to express clear meaning. This word craving is just right to express the truth about us, which, when we are honest with ourselves, we know is true. Even though our upbringing and the standards of society may put a curb on the free expression of these cravings, they are still there, and so often break out in unacceptable behaviour. Sometimes they are so powerful we just behave in some unpleasant way, which others see, but we have no ability to see, and are terribly offended if someone ever tells us the truth.

It is the desire for gratification which is in us which expresses the slavery we are in. Gratification speaks of impulsive actions and thoughts which we can't control. We may hide them sometimes from others, but inside us they are there.

This all is expressed in desires and thoughts which issue out of the gratification of our sinful cravings. Our problem in this slavery is that whatever we do, actions and thoughts result which express this slavery. These are the seeds and source of all the discord, misery and disorder in the world.

c. Under God's wrath.

This is the third devastating result of our slavery to Satan. We are under the just anger or wrath of God. We do not realise this, or if we are told about it we will deny it or water the implications down. It is the truth, however. The just and holy creator cannot leave sin and evil unpunished, and must visit his wrath upon sin, which means death and hell. Paul tells us in Romans that the wages of sin is death. There is no other possible result.

This wrath of God also means that we are not, as so many so easily assume, under the benign hand of God, so that we can therefore turn to God in need and expect it as a right that God will fix up our problems. In fact because of our sin we have forfeited all rights to Gods love and protection. That God in his common grace gives so many blessings, and is so long-suffering and withholds the execution of his wrath for a long time, is no evidence that the wrath will be removed or does not exist. If God did not execute his just wrath against sin, he would cease to be holy and so deny his deity.

THE REDEEMER

Paul never misses the opportunity to speak of Christ. The reason is given straight forwardly here. It is that outside of Christ and the redemption he has worked there is no hope of deliverance from the slavery we have just considered. It is the folly of mankind to imagine that if a person really trys, he or she can gain freedom on their own. This is a foolish dream. It is only through Christ and what he has done for us, that freedom from Satan's slavery can be achieved.

Paul commences with the statement which reveals to us that God always knew that no person could deliver themselves, and had always planned a deliverer. So Paul speaks of God acting when the time was fully come. This eternal plan speaks of the heart of God which is pure love and grace. It is not his will that any should suffer his judgement.

So great is God's love that he sent forth his Son, the Lord Jesus. God gave his most priceless and costly treasure, because no one else was of sufficient value to pay the price of sin. God did not shrink from this greatest of sacrifices. This fact needs always to be remembered, specially when in the troubles that overwhelm us we may think we have suffered enough, or that we are being treated badly. God suffered for us more than any suffering we may be called upon to experience.

God sent his Son, born of a woman. It was essential for the Saviour to be truly human as well as God, because only humanity can atone for humanity. Thus the redeemer was compelled to take our flesh, and become a man.

The Saviour was then placed under the law of God. Jesus was made like unto his brethren, humanity, whom he came to save, though without sin. The creator placed himself under his own law and humbled himself in this way, in order to fulfil his own law on behalf of sinners. It was the law which had been broken that placed humanity under the wrath of God, and in slavery to the evil one. The law had to be perfectly fulfilled in precept and penalty if sinners were to be delivered and saved. Jesus fulfilled every precept of the law, both moral and ceremonial, fulfilling all that was necessary for a human being to be accounted just before God. Then being wholly free from sin and condemnation, Jesus fulfilled the law totally as to its penalty against sin, by suffering fully that penalty, which we have incurred because of sin, when he died on the cross. Jesus suffered eternity of Hell so that there would be a complete satisfaction made concerning the Law to the Law-giver, so all the sin of the world would have justice executed upon it.

Jesus atoned for all sin from the beginning of time to the end of time. This is so important to understand for our comfort. Thus Jesus redeemed fully those under the Law. This means that those who hide in Christ, and trust in him alone as Saviour have all their sins which they have or will ever commit cancelled and the Law satisfied fully on their behalf. The redeemer does not just give us a new start, he saves us completely, so that the moment Jesus is our Saviour we are account righteous before God forever. Because Jesus atoned for all the sins of the world throughout time, the believer is totally secure because the justice of God has been met for all time and eternity for us by the Saviour.

This is the glorious and complete redemption which Christ purchased for us, and it means we can never ever be separated again from the love of God. No sin in the future can ever destroy this security because Jesus has already atoned for every sin we may commit in the future. It is complete because all is bestowed as a gift of grace, and nothing is left for us to do. The Christian life is simply a life of gratitude and love for such love bestowed by God in Christ. We do not live in anyway to win favour. Jesus has won our favour completely for us.

NOW A SON

Because of this complete and perfect redemption, the believer is exalted immediately to the closest privilege and fellowship with God. We are all sons of God. The word son here has no connotation of gender. It refers to male and female. The term son is concerned with the height of the privilege to which every saved one is exalted. The name son is to assure us that all, whatever our gender, receive the position of the first born son, with all its privileges and inheritance. This Paul expresses in the words "that we might receive the full rights of sons."

a. Inheritors of heaven

Firstly, being a son means we are heirs of heaven and eternal life. Eternal life is both timeless duration and much more it is exquisite quality of life. Life dwelt in the presence of and in the love of God. It is a return to the privileges of Eden, where Adam walked with God, but much more. It is a constant and deep communion which will never be interrupted. There is no greater human fulfilment than this, for this is what God created us for. It is the fulfilment of all our creation. We are heirs of God, so that all the riches of heaven our ours. We have a foretaste of these riches in spiritual experience in this life, but we have all to look forward to in glory.

b. A Father's loving care

What the unsaved person assumes without any foundation, which is that they are under the care and protection of a heavenly Father, is now the very real reality for the believer in Jesus. We enjoy this extraordinary privilege of being son's of God, and knowing this intimate relationship with God as Father. There is no familiarity about this relationship in the sense of equality. However there is great familiarity in the sense that we relate to God as our Father, who loves and cares for us, and in whom we can place implicit trust and know ourselves safe and protected. The relationship is much more of a child to its father. We look up to our heavenly Father, feel secure in his love, and also know that we are always welcome by God, who always has time for us, and in whom we can share every aspect of our lives.

c. Abba, Father

The extraordinary experience given to all who believe in Jesus is that, not only by faith do we believe the truth of the Fatherhood of God for us, but God by his Spirit gives us a conscious experience of this blessed relationship and position, so that we feel that God is our loving Father, and that we have the right and privilege of calling God our Father. Such is our feeling of family that it comes naturally to us in prayer to think of God as our Father, and to address him naturally as father. This sense of being children of God opens up our praying to that free ability to talk to God about everything, and to know that he is by our side and listening, and will in love never reject us, and always will answer our cry.

d. Never condemned

As children of God, we may be chastised and receive discipline for our good, and for our training in righteousness, but we are never condemned. This is the certain glory of the perfect work of Christ for us. It is impossible for us to be condemned by God, because in Christ we are accounted holy in God's sight. Indeed it would be unjust of God to condemn us seeing that Jesus has born all our sins in his body on the cross, and in his life has fulfilled all God's law as our substitute.

CONCLUSION

Whatever concepts we may have from time to time of salvation, and God highlights different aspects of salvation to us from time to time for our blessing, the whole of salvation is summed up in this glorious reality that we are beloved sons of God. In this is all the blessings of life and glory. We need to meditate deeply upon in it in all the revelation given us in the Scriptures, so that the fulness of its blessing may ever increase in our souls. From this ever increasing apprehension and experience will come ever greater praise, worship and service in love.