You are Sons of God

Galatians 3:26–29 (ESV)

For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

1. You are All Sons of God (3:26-27)

Theme of inheritance continues: family metaphor

Sons inherit in OT:

(1) Oldest son gets double portion

(2) If no sons: daughters inherit

(3) If no sons or daughters: distant kinsman (e.g., brothers)

=> Interesting: (1) inheritance never goes outside the family (2) the priests did not get an inheritance, but rather:

Deuteronomy 18:1–2 ESV

“The Levitical priests, all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the Lord’s food offerings as their inheritance. They shall have no inheritance among their brothers; the Lord is their inheritance, as he promised them.

Calling everyone “sons” is uplifting, not pejorative

Through Faith

Galatians 3:26 (ESV)

For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.

“In Christ” - we get “into Christ” by faith, not law and works.

Faith = belief and trust in Jesus’ work (obedience, death and resurrection)

By Baptism

Galatians 3:27 ESV

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Avoid two extremes: (1) Roman Catholicism (2) Zwingli Reformed

RC: “Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water and the word” (Catechism, #1214)

“The baptismal water is consecrated by a prayer of epiclesis . . . The Church asks God that through his Son the power of the Holy Spirit may be sent upon the water, so that those who will be baptized in it may be ‘born of water and the Spirit’” (Catechism, 1238)

“[Baptism] signifies and actually brings about death to sin and entry into the life of the Most Holy Trinity” (Catechism, #1239)

ZR: “Water-baptism is a ceremonial sign with which salvation is not indissolubly connected” (“Of Baptism”)

=> Baptism (the water and act itself) does not justify; it does not dispense salvation - clearly, Paul says that the inheritance, promises of salvation are received by faith

=> But baptism is not disassociated from salvation either. It is not contrary to justification by faith. Baptism means nothing apart from faith. Paul’s words here clearly tie baptism together with being sons of God.

Conclusion: Paul does not view baptism as a work (we can even see this in that it is a passive act); but neither does baptism in itself save.

1 Peter 3:21 (ESV)

Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal [pledge] to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Galatians: Verse by Verse (Clothed with Christ (3:27))

This means that baptism is in a sense the final step of the salvation experience, the point at which we in effect sign the salvation contract . . . with God. ~ Grant Osborne

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Chapter 3)

This proves that baptism . . . is not a mere empty sign, but a means of spiritual transference from the state of legal condemnation to that of living union with Christ, and of sonship through Him in relation to God (Ro 13:14). Christ alone can, by baptizing with His Spirit, make the inward grace correspond to the outward sign. ~ David Brown

2. As Sons, You are Heirs (3:28-4:3)

Sonship as Heirship

Galatians 3:28 ESV

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

The “new” interpretation of this verse: evangelical feminism

The context is KING: inheritance

In regard to the promises of salvation, we are ALL heirs. We ALL inherit the promises. We are all priests, kings, sons, heirs of promise. Paul expands upon this in the following few verses.

Heir vs. Slave

Galatians 3:29–4:3 ESV

And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.

There was a time when we were not sons of God. We were like children with promises, but even so, we were like slaves. The Law enslaves, does not give you the inheritance. The inheritance is still locked up in the will.

Slaves do not have freedom.

3. As Heirs, You’re No Longer Slaves (4:4-6)

A price had to be paid and was paid to make us sons, heirs.

Christ Redeems Slaves to Law

Galatians 4:4–5 ESV

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Notice the nuance now: we are adopted sons.

How adoption works: something must be paid.

Redeem = to buy back. The price to be paid was eternal death. This is what God’s justice and holiness demanded for sin. The idea is that Jesus paid the debt owed to God to buy us back.

The Holy Spirit Indwells Sons

Galatians 4:6 ESV

And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

Absolutely amazing: we are Sons by justification by faith and through our baptism, but we also know that we are sons/heirs because the Holy Spirit testifies to this, and in the most intimate of ways: “Abba! Father!”

Romans 8:15 ESV

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Abba = Aramaic; Father = Greek

The emphasis is upon an intimate relationship with God. Abba still used in Middle East by sons when addressing their fathers.

Sometimes we say “Abba” can be translated as “daddy.” This, however, could leave the impression of being a little child. But the emphasis is rather upon intimacy as a son (no matter the age).

Today, it can be difficult for some to envision God as a good Father. Some grew up without a father, or abusive father.

Fatherhood is demonized in our culture. “Toxic Masculinity.” Make no mistake: It’s an attempt by the devil to turn upside down who God is.

But our God is not toxic, etc.. We see how much he loves us by sending his Son to die for us thus adopting us as sons.

He came to set us free from the slavery of sin.

4. Conclusion: We are Sons and Heirs According to Promise (4:7)

Galatians 4:7 ESV

So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

We are no longer a slave to the law because we have been redeemed by Jesus. As such, we are now sons, and if sons, heirs according to the promise given to Abraham.