From Slave to Heir

Introduction

A. When did you know that you were an adult? When did you take responsibility for your life and what was going to happen? There are different events which signal that we are moving toward adulthood and assuming responsibility for our lives. Getting your driver’s license is a sign. Turning 18. Neither of these are usually enough to designate adulthood and full responsibility. Going to college. Going to war. Moving out of your parent’s house and into your own place. Your first full-time job and assuming responsibility for your bills. Getting married. Having your first child. These may get us closer to those milestones that demonstrate that we are taking greater responsibility for our decisions and the outcome of those decisions. From childhood to adulthood usually carries the idea of depending less on someone else and more on self.

B. There is a spiritual transformation that takes place as well from childhood to adulthood. While we take responsibility for our decisions, in spiritual terms we move from depending on self to learning to depend more and more on God the Father. We quit trying to prove that we are good enough and trust that Jesus is enough. This spiritual transformation results in a relationship that far exceeds what we could possibly do for ourselves. Let’s sing of this transformation.

Childhood

A. The first century culture was quite different especially among the wealthy. The culture provided custodians or tutors for their children. This was usually a slave who was given the responsibility of training and teaching the boys in the family. The boy did not leave home without the custodian. The custodian was expected to keep the boy in line even being severe at times. The custodian carried out the wishes of the father but he wasn’t the father. This is important for us to understand Paul’s point in Galatians. In 3:24–25, the NIV translates the gist of the intent of Paul’s words without providing the fuller image. “In charge” and “supervision” in these two verses means the custodian.

B. The law was the custodian. It was a harsh custodian. The law enslaved just as the custodian enslaved. The custodian kept a tight rein on the boys. So did the law. The law keeps pointing out your sin. The custodian could keep the boys in line. He could punish or scold as needed. But what the custodian could not do is make the child’s heart good. Nor can the law. Rules tell us what is right or wrong, but the rules cannot change our hearts. Nor can the rules provide us one the one thing we really want — a relationship with God. The custodian represented the father’s will and desire but he wasn’t the father. Paul writes that the law could not give life (3:21) and it could not give relationship. It could point out sin. It couldn’t bring relationship. Only Jesus could do that.

C. At some point in a person’s life, we come to realize that we are not good enough to keep all the rules. At some point we recognize that our guilt from failure or our pride from our success actually leaves us very much alone and spiritually separated. Like the older brother in Luke 15, We end up on the outside of the family looking in. Trying to keep all the rules makes us a slave — a slave to what others think; a slave to our guilt and shame; a slave to trying harder and harder and feeling more and more empty.

D. Paul says in 4:1 that as long as you a child — one enslaved to the law; one who is trying to prove how good you are — then you are no different from a slave. Just like that boy who was under the custodian the child has no power over the estate and no real relationship with the father. Paul’s point is simply this — trusting yourself to keep all the rules and to finally prove how good you really are means that you cannot have access to the very thing that you want — a relationship with the father.

How?

A. Look at 3:25. Paul says we get out from the custodian through faith. Faith in Jesus. And in 3:26 he reminds his readers of that event which revealed that they were no longer under the custodian of the law — their baptism. It was in their baptism that they revealed their faith and it was in their baptism that they became a part of Christ’s family — a spiritual family of children trusting Jesus.

B. In Paul’s day the family blessing was passed through the son. When Paul writes, his readers would see the significance of his point. Today it is different. So we can use the image of children and capture the same point. The family blessing is given to the children. The true heir is the one who trusts Jesus. And the proof that we have a close and intimate relationship with God is the presence of the Spirit. Remember back in 3:14, Paul reminds his readers that the gift of the Holy Spirit came as a result of their trusting in Jesus. Now in 4:6 he tells us something about the work of the Spirit.

C. This Spirit confirms for us that we are full heirs of God’s promises. This Spirit cries out “Abba, Father.” But the implication is that the Spirit’s presence also allows us to be intimate with God. The Spirit is God living within his people and God the Spirit and God the Father are one. So God resides inside of us and we can know the intimacy of relationship with God. This relationship is not based on what we do, but is based on what Jesus has done and our trusting Him. And as God’s child we share in the inheritance.

So What?

A. Paul paints a picture of how the spiritual world works. In an effort to prove that we are good enough, we actually push God away. We trust self — our goodness, our perfection — to make God take notice of us. We don’t want to be like others who struggle. We want to be strong. And what does it get us? Guilt; constant reminder that we aren’t as good as we want everyone to believe we are; shame; constantly worrying if someone will find out the truth about us; or pridefully separating ourselves from others; isolation.

B. But to trust Jesus brings something that we really want — intimacy with God. Freedom; relaxed; closeness. I’m not sure when it happened, but there came a time when I knew that my dad was going to love me no matter what. At some point I became aware that I didn’t have to fear him nor impress him. He loved me for me. Not everyone has had that experience. Father is a bad word. But can you relate? We want to be accepted for who we are — warts and all. And God promises that for each one of us. How do I get that?

1.  Baptism is the beginning.

2.  For those who are already baptized, you have to be truthful.

    a.  I am not good enough; but Jesus says I don't have to be.

    b.  I am not strong; but God provides all we need.

    c.  I am alone; but God is near. In fact, he is the good father who loves you and wants you to be near him and to relax with him. Abba is the word that Jesus used when he talked with Father and it is the word that we are encouraged to use as well.

3.  Invitation.

Follow Jesus

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