In our last study we considered the fourth chapter of Galatians as it related to the experience of the believers to whom the Epistle was primarily addressed. Now let us consider it as relates to its revelation of the blessings which have come to us through our Lord Jesus Christ.

In this connection, verses 4-5 are key verses:

"But when the fulness of the 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."

A volume might be written about these two verses alone. In it we see God's methodical working — not a moment too soon: "When the fulness of the time was come." In it we see Christ's eternal sonship and pre-existence: "God sent forth His Son." In it we see His incarnation by means of the Virgin birth: "Made of a woman." In it we see His identification with His people, Israel: "Made under the law." And in it we see His redemptive grace: "To redeem them that were under the law." But for our present purpose we would like to stress the fact that here we see God's gracious purpose in redemption: "That we might receive the adoption of sons." Every blessing which is suggested in the verses which follow in the fourth chapter of Galatians, to which we now direct our attention, comes to us through the redemptive work of Christ. Remember this! Redemption is for our sakes! Every blessing which comes to the believer comes by way of the Cross:

"He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Rom. 8:32).

Now let us take note of six of the blessings which come to the believer through our Lord Jesus Christ and His redemptive work.

First, it is through Him that we receive the hope of adoption. Verse 5 says that Christ came to redeem us.

"That we might receive the adoption of sons."

"Adoption" is not the method by which we become sons of God. We become His sons by regeneration — by the miracle of the new birth (See John 3:3, 5, 7; I Pet. 1:23). "Adoption" (in the Greek, literally, "son placing") as we saw in our last study, is our open manifestation as sons of God in the glory of the resurrection. In the adoption, or son placing, our Lord Jesus Christ shall publicly acknowledge us as His sons and heirs. Then it will be apparent to men, angels, and demons, that we are the children of God. This will take place at His second coming. We have not yet experienced it, but we know that we shall experience it. By virtue of the redemptive grace of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, simply because we have trusted Him as our Saviour, we are among those to whom is reserved that blessed and thrilling experience.

". . . we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body" (Rom. 8:23).

Second, it is through the redemptive grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that we have received the witness of the Spirit.

"Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba! Father!" (Gal. 4:6).

It is especally fitting and significant that this cry of the Spirit is voiced in two languages. "Abba" is Hebrew for "Father." And the Greek was employed in the original, "Pater" being the word translated "Father". God is the Father of every man who trusts Him for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus, whether he be Jew or Gentile.

The very presence of the Holy Spirit in the heart of a man, leading him to call God "Father", is evidence that he is a son of God. And how thankful we should be that we do have the Holy Spirit in our hearts, the instant that by faith we receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, for the Scripture says,

"If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His" (Rom. 8:9).

In view of this, how earnestly we should thank God for the added assurance of Romans 8:15-16:

"Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba!', 'Father!' The Spirit itself beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the children of God."

Third, through the redeeming grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we enjoy the blessing of sonship:

"Ye are sons" (Gal. 4:6).

Think of it, fellow believer, not only do we have the privilege of calling God our Father, but we have also His assurance that we are His children.

"Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God; therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (I John 3:1-2).

There is a delightful bit in the Greek of verse 1 which has been lost in the English translation. In the Greek it reads literally,

"Behold what manner of love the Father hath given to us, that we should be called the sons of God, and sons we are!"

In other words, we are not sons in name only, but in fact as well. Of course this only serves to emphasize the thrilling statement of verse 2, "Now are we the sons of God." And the hope of this verse is identical with the hope involved in the prospect of adoption which we first noted, though it is stated differently:

"We know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is!"

Our sonship involves, of course, our experience of the new birth, and our receiving God's gift of life. But it involves more, also. What a thrilling suggestion of fellowship is involved in God's calling us His sons! As a father fellowships with His children, and as children fellowship with their father, so God wants to fellowship with us, and wants us to have fellowship with Him:

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord, Almighty" (II Cor. 16:17-18).

The fourth blessing which comes to us through the redeeming grace of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, is the blessing of heirship:

"Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ" (Gal. 4:7).

The fact of sonship involves also the fact of heirship. Because we are sons, we are heirs. Other Scriptures, however, clearly reveal that the measure of our sharing the inheritance of the sons of God depends upon the measure of our willingness to serve our Lord and to suffer with Him:

"If children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together" (Rom. 8:17).

As we meditate upon the fact that we are heirs of God, and upon what is involved in that heirship, our hearts leap for joy. But there is something about this heirship which is exceedingly delightful. Before the heir can inherit, the one who has made him his heir must die. Thus, in human relationships, while we enjoy the inheritance which has been left to us, we are deprived of the companionship of the one who has left us our inheritance. Not so with the heirship which we are now considering. It is true, Christ died, that we might inherit the numberless blessings inherent in our heirship. But He rose again from the dead, and when we receive our inheritance, with it we shall enjoy the blessed fellowship of the One Who gave it!

The fifth blessing which is ours through our Saviour's redemptive grace, is the blessing of fellowship:

"Ye have known God . . . rather are known of God" (Gal. 4:9).

These words were addressed to backslidden believers, but the fact should not for one moment detract from their blessings to our hearts. If this can be said, even of backsliding Christians, then surely one who is living in obedience to the will and Word of God may the more boldly say, "I know God, and God knews me!" Think of it, dear fellow-Christian! God is not a stranger to us, neither are we strangers to Him. We know Him, and He knows us! What intimacy is indicated here!

"He calleth His own sheep by name!" (John 10:3).

"The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his" (II Tim. 2:19).

The sixth blessing which we note here as coming to us through the redemptive work of Christ is liberty. This is the sweep of the whole epistle to the Galatians, and it is the fact back of all the exhortations of this fourth chapter. But we would note particularly verse 31:

"So, then ,brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free."

Bear in mind the comparison we noted in our last study. Hagar, the bondwoman, is compared in the preceding verses in this chapter, to the covenant of Law, from Mount Sinai. But Sarah, the freewoman, is compared with the heavenly Jerusalem, and with the covenant of Grace. So this is just another way of stating the same truth which the Holy Spirit, through Paul, voices in Rom. 6:14:

"Ye are not under the law, but under Grace."

We are not under law, in the sense that having trusted Christ, its righteous demands are satisfied. He bore its condemnation, therefore there is now no condemnation to us. On our behalf He fulfilled the just demands of the law, therefore, without straining to keep the law we are credited with perfect law-keeping. And He lives in us, to live out in our lives the righteousness of the law; so we need not engage in futile efforts to live according to the multiplicity of rules contained in the law, but simply to yield ourselves to the indwelling presence of Christ, and thus,

"The righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit" (Rom. 8:4).

These, then, O child of God, are samples of the blessings which we enjoy through simple faith in the crucified and risen Son of God. Shall we not unite in praising and thanking Him for the unsearchable riches of His grace?