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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THE PROMISE:
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 and female. You are all one in Christ Jesus. Now that you belong to Christ, you are true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God's promise to Abraham belongs to you."

We're talking about being SET FREE from slavery to becoming ADOPTED CHILDREN of God.

BEFORE CHRIST:
We were like children under guardians until maturity. We were slaves to three things:

The Law - Religious tradition and works
The Flesh - The ways of the world
Spiritual Rulers - Fallen angelic beings given authority over nations at Babel

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

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

He didn't just forgive us. He ADOPTED us. We're not just forgiven; we're FAMILY.

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 and 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. Results: the fulfillment of promise, blessing, inheritance.

Paul: "We are children born out of the promise of God, not out of trying to cling to works."

THE CORE TRUTH:
You can either live by WORKS (trying to earn God's favor) or by GRACE (trusting God's promise). But you can't do both.

The Judaizers want to add works (circumcision, laws) to faith. Paul says: NO. That's Ishmael energy, trying to do it yourself. That's slavery.
True freedom, true sonship, comes through FAITH in what Jesus accomplished.

THE IMPLICATIONS:
When you're adopted as God's child, you get:
- God's protection (He blesses those who bless you; He curses those who curse you)
- God's provision
- God's purpose (You become a blessing to all you encounter)
- God's inheritance (You're His heir)

But it also means: You're no longer trying to earn His love through performance. You REST in His love.

THE QUESTION:
Are you still trying to be "good enough" through works? Or have you accepted adoption through faith?

You can't be both a slave and a child. You have to choose.

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Week 3 of our "Set Free" Galatians series. Set free from what we THOUGHT would save us.

Peter came to Antioch, friendly with Gentiles. But when Paul's Jewish friends arrived from Jerusalem, Peter CHANGED, became standoffish. Paul called him out publicly.

GALATIANS 2:15-16:
"We know a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law."

TRANSLATION ISSUE:
Greek doesn't say "faith IN Jesus." It says "faith OF Jesus"—Jesus' FAITHFULNESS.

We're saved by JESUS' FAITHFULNESS in going to the cross, not our works of the law.

GENESIS 22: ABRAHAM & ISAAC
God told Abraham: "Sacrifice Isaac." Isaac CARRIED the wood up the mountain. He was at least a teenager. Why didn't he fight back? Judaism says: Isaac was a WILLING PARTICIPANT.

THE LOCATION:
2 Chronicles 3:1 - Mount Moriah, where Abraham offered Isaac, is the same mountain. The highest point? Golgotha. Calvary. Where Jesus was crucified.

IN HEAVEN:
Son: "Father, next time there'll be no angel to stop it, will there?"
Father: "No, Son. The sacrifice will be carried out."
Abraham/Isaac is a PREMONITION of the Father sacrificing the Son on the SAME SPOT.

GALATIANS 2:20:
"I live because of JESUS' FAITHFULNESS in going to the cross."
WHAT DID YOU THINK WOULD SAVE YOU?
Church? Tithe? Baptism? Confirmation?

Jesus' faithfulness saves you, not your works.

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0:00 - Introduction: Set Free Series Week 3
1:00 - The Judaizers' Problem
2:00 - Peter Changes Behavior in Antioch
3:00 - Paul Calls Peter Out Publicly
4:00 - Galatians 2:15-16 - Faith in Jesus
5:00 - Greek Translation Issue: "Of" vs "In"
6:00 - The Randy Speight Version (RSV)
7:00 - External Signs of Jewishness
8:00 - Jesus' Faithfulness vs Our Faithfulness
9:00 - Genesis 22 - Abraham Told to Sacrifice Isaac
10:00 - Isaac Carried the Wood Up the Mountain
11:00 - Why Didn't Isaac Fight Back?
12:00 - Isaac Was a Willing Participant
13:00 - Judaism Fills the Gap
14:00 - Hebrews 11 - Abraham's Faith
15:00 - 2 Chronicles 3:1 - Mount Moriah
16:00 - The Highest Point: Golgotha/Calvary
17:00 - In Heaven: Father and Son Watch
18:00 - "No Angel Next Time"
19:00 - The Sacrifice Will Be Carried Out
20:00 - Jesus Was a Willing Participant
21:00 - Galatians 2:17-19 - Died to the Law
22:00 - The Law Condemned Me
23:00 - Galatians 2:20 - Crucified with Christ
24:00 - Jesus' Faithfulness in Going to Cross
25:00 - What Did YOU Think Would Save You?
26:00 - Church? Tithe? Baptism? Confirmation?
27:00 - Closing Challenge