Week 5 of "Set Free" Galatians series. Today: Adoption to Sonship.

THE CORE TRUTH:
You're not just forgiven. You're ADOPTED. You're not a guest in God's family, you're a CHILD. You're an HEIR.

Galatians 3:27-29: "All who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ. There's no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female. You are all one in Christ Jesus. You are true children of Abraham. You are his heirs."

WHAT JESUS DID:
Jesus lived a perfect life in obedience to the law. He conquered the flesh, defeated sin and death, and took back all authority from spiritual rulers. Then, He offers adoption.

Galatians 4:4-7: "God sent His Son to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law so He could adopt us as His very own children."

THE STORY OF TWO SONS:
Paul uses Abraham's two sons as archetypes:
Ishmael (born to Hagar, the slave) = What happens when you DON'T trust God. You try to take life into your own hands. Results: broken relationships, suffering, exile.

Isaac (born to Sarah, the free woman) = What happens when you trust God. You let God work. Results: fulfillment of promise, blessing, inheritance.
Paul: "We're children born out of the promise of God, not out of trying to cling to works."

THE JUDAIZERS PROBLEM:
Some want to add works (circumcision, laws) back into faith. Paul says: NO.
It's either GRACE through faith OR works. Not both. Works don't bring faith. Works don't bring salvation. Salvation is only a free gift through faith in Jesus.

WHAT YOU'RE SET FREE FROM:

Slavery to the law
Slavery to the flesh
Slavery to spiritual rulers

WHAT YOU'RE SET FREE TO:
You're set free TO be LOVED by God. Better yet, you're set free to be LIKED by God.

God doesn't just love you; He LIKES you. He actually wants to be in your life.

THE FAMILY BUSINESS:
Once you've accepted adoption, you join the family business: bringing others into the family of God.

Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane (John 17:21-23): "That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. So that the world may believe. I've given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one."

Jesus' whole point: Getting the family back together.

YOU GET TO:

Live righteously before God
Love God and love people
Do this freely without fear of failure
Enjoy being a son or daughter of God
Join Jesus in restoring the family

When you fall, you don't say "sin's fine." You get up and say "I'm sorry, God. Help me be better."

That's who you get to be.

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