SONS & HEIRS Galatians 3:26-4:7 www.worshipharvest.org

and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:26-4:7 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

1 Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, 2but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,…

…that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

A CASE OF ADOPTION To appreciate the full significance of the apostle’s figures in Galatians 3 and 4 they must be viewed in the light of the law of adoption - and more particularly, the Greek law of adoption. At the same time it must be remembered that Paul also uses the term in Romans, so that we must also bear in mind the Roman law on the subject. Paul alludes to the patria potestas, the absolute power of the father in the family, in the fourth Chapter of Galatians where he speaks of ‘the child differing nothing from a slave’ and goes on to say ‘Thou art no longer a slave, but a son’ (Gal. 4:7). Paul also alludes to tutelage in Galatians 3 and 4, where we have such phrases as ‘kept in ward’, ‘tutor to bring us to Christ’, ‘under guardians and stewards’, and ‘children held in bondage’ (Gal. 3:23 to 4:3). **Just as Roman law states that only natural sons could be estranged or disowned from a family, so Jesus, God’s natural son, was estranged from him. In the Greco-Roman world, this very estrangement prompted adoption of a new son.  Likewise, Jesus was estranged so that we could be adopted. His ensuing resurrection was not only a show of divine power.  When God welcomed Christ back into his family through the resurrection, he welcomed us too. We have full assurance that these bonds will never be broken for Christ has already suffered estrangement from his Father so we never may.  This parallels the Roman law that only natural sons could be estranged from a family; a legally adopted son, though gaining the same status as a natural born son, could never be estranged. Unfortunately, the slave or poor children who did not receive this treatment lived in fearful circumstances. Slave children were especially low in status in society because both children and slaves as separate sectors were considered inferior. The ruling class considered slave children denotatively illegitimate and granted them hardly any rights.[11]  Often, slave children did heavy manual labor as apprentices, were sexually exploited, or were beaten.[12]  The law and culture initially did not even recognize that slaves had families consisting of genuine relationships.  As a result, families were routinely separated and young children were often sent to other places.[13]

The adopted son became a member of the family, just as if he had been born of the blood of the adopter; and he was invested with all the privileges of the family. The father in Roman law had absolute control over his family, possessing the same rights over his children as over his slaves. The son was deprived of the right to own property, and the father could inflict any punishment he thought fit, even to the extent of the death penalty. He could even sell his son into bondage. Paul alludes to the patria potestas, the absolute power of the father in the family, in the fourth Chapter of Galatians where he speaks of ‘the child differing nothing from a slave’ and goes on to say ‘Thou art no longer a slave, but a son’ (Gal. 4:7). Paul also alludes to tutelage in Galatians 3 and 4, where we have such phrases as ‘kept in ward’, ‘tutor to bring us to Christ’, ‘under guardians and stewards’, and ‘children held in bondage’ (Gal. 3:23 to 4:3). **Just as Roman law states that only natural sons could be estranged or disowned from a family, so Jesus, God’s natural son, was estranged from him. In the Greco-Roman world, this very estrangement prompted adoption of a new son.  Likewise, Jesus was estranged so that we could be adopted. His ensuing resurrection was not only a show of divine power.  When God welcomed Christ back into his family through the resurrection, he welcomed us too. We have full assurance that these bonds will never be broken for Christ has already suffered estrangement from his Father so we never may.  This parallels the Roman law that only natural sons could be estranged from a family; a legally adopted son, though gaining the same status as a natural born son, could never be estranged. Unfortunately, the slave or poor children who did not receive this treatment lived in fearful circumstances. Slave children were especially low in status in society because both children and slaves as separate sectors were considered inferior. The ruling class considered slave children denotatively illegitimate and granted them hardly any rights.[11]  Often, slave children did heavy manual labor as apprentices, were sexually exploited, or were beaten.[12]  The law and culture initially did not even recognize that slaves had families consisting of genuine relationships.  As a result, families were routinely separated and young children were often sent to other places.[13]

3. When the person to be adopted was his own master, he was adopted by the form called adrogation (from the latin word for ‘ask’, since in this case the adopter, the adopted, and the people were ‘asked’) 4. Adrogation brought the adrogatus (adopted one) out of his previous state and into a new father-son relationship within his adopting family. 5. The adrogatus and children in his power, if any, passed into the power of the adrogator (one adopting) Paul alludes to the patria potestas, the absolute power of the father in the family, in the fourth Chapter of Galatians where he speaks of ‘the child differing nothing from a slave’ and goes on to say ‘Thou art no longer a slave, but a son’ (Gal. 4:7). Paul also alludes to tutelage in Galatians 3 and 4, where we have such phrases as ‘kept in ward’, ‘tutor to bring us to Christ’, ‘under guardians and stewards’, and ‘children held in bondage’ (Gal. 3:23 to 4:3). **Just as Roman law states that only natural sons could be estranged or disowned from a family, so Jesus, God’s natural son, was estranged from him. In the Greco-Roman world, this very estrangement prompted adoption of a new son.  Likewise, Jesus was estranged so that we could be adopted. His ensuing resurrection was not only a show of divine power.  When God welcomed Christ back into his family through the resurrection, he welcomed us too. We have full assurance that these bonds will never be broken for Christ has already suffered estrangement from his Father so we never may.  This parallels the Roman law that only natural sons could be estranged from a family; a legally adopted son, though gaining the same status as a natural born son, could never be estranged. Unfortunately, the slave or poor children who did not receive this treatment lived in fearful circumstances. Slave children were especially low in status in society because both children and slaves as separate sectors were considered inferior. The ruling class considered slave children denotatively illegitimate and granted them hardly any rights.[11]  Often, slave children did heavy manual labor as apprentices, were sexually exploited, or were beaten.[12]  The law and culture initially did not even recognize that slaves had families consisting of genuine relationships.  As a result, families were routinely separated and young children were often sent to other places.[13]

6. All the debts of the adrogatus were cancelled, and in effect he started a new life. The adopted person did, though, lose all rights in his old family, but gained all the rights of a fully legitimate some in his new family. The adopted person did, though, lose all rights in his new family. http://www.bibleunderstanding.com/adoption.htm http://www.quodlibet.net/articles/murray-adoption.shtml Paul alludes to the patria potestas, the absolute power of the father in the family, in the fourth Chapter of Galatians where he speaks of ‘the child differing nothing from a slave’ and goes on to say ‘Thou art no longer a slave, but a son’ (Gal. 4:7). Paul also alludes to tutelage in Galatians 3 and 4, where we have such phrases as ‘kept in ward’, ‘tutor to bring us to Christ’, ‘under guardians and stewards’, and ‘children held in bondage’ (Gal. 3:23 to 4:3). **Just as Roman law states that only natural sons could be estranged or disowned from a family, so Jesus, God’s natural son, was estranged from him. In the Greco-Roman world, this very estrangement prompted adoption of a new son.  Likewise, Jesus was estranged so that we could be adopted. His ensuing resurrection was not only a show of divine power.  When God welcomed Christ back into his family through the resurrection, he welcomed us too. We have full assurance that these bonds will never be broken for Christ has already suffered estrangement from his Father so we never may.  This parallels the Roman law that only natural sons could be estranged from a family; a legally adopted son, though gaining the same status as a natural born son, could never be estranged. Unfortunately, the slave or poor children who did not receive this treatment lived in fearful circumstances. Slave children were especially low in status in society because both children and slaves as separate sectors were considered inferior. The ruling class considered slave children denotatively illegitimate and granted them hardly any rights.[11]  Often, slave children did heavy manual labor as apprentices, were sexually exploited, or were beaten.[12]  The law and culture initially did not even recognize that slaves had families consisting of genuine relationships.  As a result, families were routinely separated and young children were often sent to other places.[13]

Promise = Heirs of the world. 1. By FAITH we enter into the lineage of Abraham and become heirs according to the promise! Promise = Heirs of the world. No matter what our race, tribe, sex, religious views, etc....once we are IN CHRIST we become ONE and heirs of the SAME promise.

“Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, 2 but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.” Just as slaves in Roman times lived under fear of punishment, making them lowly in status and inferior- so we too lived in fear because of the LAW which was our slave driver which ruled us by fear of punishment if we broke the rules. Paul alludes to the patria potestas, the absolute power of the father in the family, in the fourth Chapter of Galatians where he speaks of ‘the child differing nothing from a slave’ and goes on to say ‘Thou art no longer a slave, but a son’ (Gal. 4:7). Paul also alludes to tutelage in Galatians 3 and 4, where we have such phrases as ‘kept in ward’, ‘tutor to bring us to Christ’, ‘under guardians and stewards’, and ‘children held in bondage’ (Gal. 3:23 to 4:3). **Just as Roman law states that only natural sons could be estranged or disowned from a family, so Jesus, God’s natural son, was estranged from him. In the Greco-Roman world, this very estrangement prompted adoption of a new son.  Likewise, Jesus was estranged so that we could be adopted. His ensuing resurrection was not only a show of divine power.  When God welcomed Christ back into his family through the resurrection, he welcomed us too. We have full assurance that these bonds will never be broken for Christ has already suffered estrangement from his Father so we never may.  This parallels the Roman law that only natural sons could be estranged from a family; a legally adopted son, though gaining the same status as a natural born son, could never be estranged. Unfortunately, the slave or poor children who did not receive this treatment lived in fearful circumstances. Slave children were especially low in status in society because both children and slaves as separate sectors were considered inferior. The ruling class considered slave children denotatively illegitimate and granted them hardly any rights.[11]  Often, slave children did heavy manual labor as apprentices, were sexually exploited, or were beaten.[12]  The law and culture initially did not even recognize that slaves had families consisting of genuine relationships.  As a result, families were routinely separated and young children were often sent to other places.[13]

Ephesians 1:4-6 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

The spirit of adoption is not one of fear! Romans 8:15-17 “You have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs” The spirit of adoption is not one of fear! (1 John 4:18) The Spirit Himself is witness to the adoption process- irrefutably sealed!

Galatians 4:4-5 “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. The Roman fathers could estrange their own biological sons, selling them and even issuing the death penalty- this would often trigger the adoption of a new son or slave to carry on the Fathers lineage/rule. As can be seen in the process of adrogation, a father could disown his natural son; but this was not an option with his adopted son.  Once someone was adopted into a paterfamilias, the bonds could not be broken.[30]

Galatians 4:6-7 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” The process of adoption was called Adrogation. It consisted of the verbal will of the Father and child being adopted - witnessed by the people. Our adoption is inextricably linked to our inheritance!! Adoption proper. It must be remembered that the father in Roman law had absolute control over his family, possessing the same rights over his children as over his slaves. By this patria potestas the son was deprived of the right to own property, and the father could inflict any punishment he thought fit, even to the extent of the death penalty. He could also sell his son into bondage. According to the law of the XII Tables, however, a father forfeited his potestas if he sold his son three times. For this reason, in the case of adoption, a legal ceremony took place in which the father went through the process of selling his son three times, and the son passed over completely to the potestas of the adopter. In later times the cumbersome ceremony was substituted by a simple declaration before the Praetor or Governor. Adrogation.When the person to be adopted was his own master, he was adopted by the form called adrogation (from the word for ‘ask’, since in this case the adopter, the adopted, and the people were ‘asked’, rogatur). The law demanded that the adopter should be at least eighteen years older than the adopted. Adrogation:So far as the ceremony was concerned, the difference between the transferring of a son into slavery, and his becoming a member of the family was very slight. In the one case the adopter said: ‘I claim this man as my slave’; in the other, ‘I claim this man as my son’. The form was almost the same; it was the spirit that differed. If the adopter died and the adopted son claimed the inheritance, the latter had to testify to the fact that he was the adopted heir. Furthermore - ‘the law requires corroborative evidence. One of the seven witnesses is called. "I was present", he says, "at the ceremony. It was I who held the scales and struck them with the ingot of brass. It was an adoption. I heard the words of the vindication, and I say this person was claimed by the deceased, not as a slave, but as a son"‘ (W. E. Ball).

Eph. 1:13,14 ‘In Whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory’. ‘Redemption of the purchased possession’ was accomplished by the act of the heir ‘taking possession’. We too receive our inheritance by the act of taking possession by faith! That is what Paul is thinking of. He uses still another picture from Roman adoption. He says that God's spirit witnesses with our spirit that we really are his children. The adoption ceremony was carried out in the presence of seven witnesses. Now, suppose the adopting father died and there was some dispute about the right of the adopted son to inherit, one or more of the seven witnesses stepped forward and swore that the adoption was genuine. Thus the right of the adopted person was guaranteed and he entered into his inheritance. So, Paul is saying, it is the Holy Spirit himself who is the witness to our adoption into the family of God.It was Paul's picture that when a man became a Christian he entered into the very family of God. He did nothing to deserve it; God, the great Father, in his amazing love and mercy, has taken the lost, helpless, poverty-stricken, debt-laden sinner and adopted him into his own family, so that the debts are cancelled and the glory inherited " This is "the ransoming accomplished by act of taking possession". In the last words of the passage - "to the praise of His glory", there is an allusion to a well-known Roman custom. The emancipated slaves who attended the funeral of their emancipator were the praise of his glory. Testamentary emancipation was so fashionable a form of posthumous ostentation, the desire to be followed to the grave by a crowd of freedmen wearing the "cap of liberty" was so strong, that very shortly before the time when St. Paul wrote, the legislature had expressly limited the number of slaves that an owner might manumit by will’. From this, we see that God calls us and adopts us “according to his good purpose.”[65]  This purpose, as also with the Romans, is not only for our protection and maintenance, but for bringing glory and honor to God.  He aims at bringing us into relationship with him for the praise of his glorious grace.  Throughout redemptive history, God acted for the honor and preservation of his name and his glory.  He lavishes his grace on us that we might live worshipfully and to the “praise of his glory.”[66]  God honors his paternal obligations to us because he loves us and is compelled by his nature to do so.  It is in God’s best interest to protect and maintain those who bear his image because through us endures the legacy of his love and goodness.

SLAVE SON ADOPTED SON Rights Security None same as slaves until a man Full access to the father/estate Security low/inferior, exploitable, inhumane could be sold, death penalty, estranged untouchably secure Responsibility to serve the master to honor and carry on family name to carry on family line, often to reign Relationship Bought Born Chosen There are a few differing readings of the rights of a son vs. adopted son. Some texts say son has rights at manhood- some when Father dies.

Rights of Adoption Loose all rights to your old family, Gaining ALL rights as a legitimate son in new family with a new Father. Become irrefutable heir of all of the Fathers belongings/estate Old life is wiped out, all debts payed: regarded as a new person not linked with a past life. Protection: God cannot do to us what He did to Jesus for our sake. Permanent sonship. When we come into God’s family, we leave our old family.  We lose our old rights within the sinful nature. Granted, this is not a true loss but a glorious gain.  The major significance here for us is remembering that the sinful nature no longer has any claim on us.  We have all the rights that come with being a son of God, and that includes the right to live independently of sin and free of guilt and fear.  Since we are united with Christ, we are considered Abraham’s seed.  Throughout Scripture, the “seed of Abraham” were objects of God’s favor, not his wrath or their own shame.[45]  This reassures us as we face our own weaknesses, temptations, and spiritual battles.  While our old family of darkness calls to us, we have no obligation to it.

EMBRACE YOUR SONSHIP IN CHRIST! CONCLUSION: EMBRACE YOUR SONSHIP IN CHRIST!