Would you turn to the fourth
chapter of the book of Galatians. I'd like to begin reading in
verse 29 of chapter three. And if you'd be Christ's, then
are you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. Now I say that the heir, as long
as a child differs, nothing from a servant, though he'd be Lord
of all, but as under tutors and governors until the time appointed
of the father. Even so, we, when we were children
were in bondage under the elements, the principles, the rudiments,
the ABCs of the world. But when the fullness 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. And because you are sons, God
has sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts, crying,
Abba, Father. Abba is the Aramaic word for
father. Wherefore thou art no more servant,
but a son. And if a son, then an heir of
God through Christ. Let's pray. Lord, we're. amazed by your grace that has made your children,
your sons and daughters, heirs of you. We thank you for
the Lord Jesus Christ, thy son, and the salvation that's in him.
We pray that we might be enabled to see him by faith, to worship
him, to trust him, to bow at his feet. May his name be exalted. Lord, we're so thankful for the
forgiveness of sins. We pray that we might be found
in your son. We pray for your blessing upon
our friends that are sick. We pray for your healing hand
upon them according to your will. We pray for all your people wherever
they meet together and we pray for the Leaders of this world,
that you would direct them as we know you do, that we might
live a quiet, peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
We pray for your blessing upon our homes. We pray for your salvation
toward our children. Bless us for Christ's sake. In
his name we pray, amen. Adoption. Adoption. When we hear the gospel, We should
hear it as if it's a will being read, and we're trying to find
out what's in it for us. That's a good way to hear the
gospel. Hear this as a will is being read, and you want to find
out what's in it for you and how much. What? That is the way the gospel is
to be heard. Now, if I was the sole heir of
Elon Musk, or Jeff Bezos, I guess I'm pronouncing his name right,
or Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg. Those are the richest men I can
think of. It would be hard to conceive of the wealth that I
would have coming if I was one of their heirs. I mean, billions
and billions and billions of dollars. Yet, if you're an heir
of God, that's nothing. That's absolutely nothing. To be an heir of God, every believer
is an heir of God because they are sons of God. Now we're sons
of God in two ways. First, we're sons of God by adoption.
We've been taken out of the family of Adam. and made his children,
his adopted children. He chose us to be his children. And this cannot be duplicated
in human affairs, but not only are we his adopted children,
we're his children by birth, birthed into the kingdom of heaven,
born of God. So a believer is both. We're
his adopted child taken out of the house of Adam and placed
in his own household. And we're children by birth born
of the spirit born again, birth fathered by God. That's a glorious
concept, isn't it? Fathered by God. Now look at our text. verse 29 of chapter 3, and if
you be Christ's then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according
to the promise. Now back up to verse 25 of chapter
3, but after that faith has come. You know there was a time you
didn't believe and then you believe it's because faith came. You
didn't decide to start being a believer. Faith came to you
because God, by his spirit, came to you and revealed himself to
you. But after the faith has come,
we're no longer under a schoolmaster, for you are all the children
of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many as of you as have
been baptized into Christ, immersed into Christ, to put on Christ,
there's neither Jew nor Greek. There's neither bond nor free.
There's neither male nor female. All fleshly distinctions have
been removed for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you'd
be Christ, then are you Abraham seed and heirs according to the
promise. Now I say that the air, as long
as he's a child differs, nothing from a servant, though he'd be
Lord of all. Now, the air, and he's talking
about a. something Gentile now, not something
Jew. This was a Gentile practice.
He was writing to Gentiles, and the Gentiles, if there was a
wealthy man and he had a son, he was treated just like a slave
until the time his father appointed him to experience being heir
of everything. But until then, he was treated
like a slave, the heir. Now he He's Lord of all. He doesn't know it, though. He
has all the wealth of his father coming to him as his father's
heir, but he doesn't know it. Now, us being heir, turn to Ephesians
chapter one. He was already heir when he didn't
know it. Verse four, Ephesians chapter one, according as he
hath chosen us in him. When? When? Before the foundation
of the world. That we should be holy and without
blame before him in love having predestinated us unto the adoption
of children. This adoption we're talking about
right now. I was adopted before the foundation of the world.
Now, I don't know about it until I believe, but I was an adopted
child before time ever began. Isn't that glorious? The heir didn't know he was an
heir. When I was born into this world, I didn't know I was an
heir. Now, I was an heir of the vastness
of God's wealth. joint heirs with Christ. Like
I said, those rich guys I talked about, they have nothing. The
Lord has infinitely more. And that is, and I'm not talking
about material blessings, you know that. I mean, we all got
what we need and, but the spiritual riches that every believer has
in Christ Jesus is infinitely above any kind of material wealth. Heirs of God, but we did not
Know it. Now I say that the heir, as long
as he's a child, and he's talking about being the heir, this is
the Greek child that's treated as a servant. And this is really
the way we were as unbelievers. Now I say that the heir, as long
as he's a child, differs nothing from a servant, though he be
Lord of all. In his experience, he's nothing
more than a slave. He's just like everybody else.
And doesn't the scripture say we were by nature children of
wrath, even as others. No difference. No difference.
The man that's an heir of God, when he's born into this world,
before he hears the gospel, he's just like everybody else. If you're different, it's because
God made you different. You're by nature like everybody
else. I love that passage of scripture in 1 Corinthians chapter
4 verse 7. Who maketh thee to differ from
another? And what do you have that you
didn't receive? If you're a believer, why are
you a believer? You can't give yourself the credit. You can't
pat yourself on the back. This is the work of God. for
Christ's sake, for you and in you. Now, this man, though he
is heir of everything, he doesn't know it. And he is just like
everybody else. He's under, verse two, he's under
tutors and governors until the time appointed of his father. You and I will remain unbelievers
just like everybody else until the time appointed by the Father. I think of what Paul said in
Galatians chapter 1 verse 15. When will you save Paul? When
it please God. Not a second before then, in
my experience. when it pleased God, who separated
me from my mother's womb. I want you to think about that,
child of God. He separated you from your mother's
womb. His hand has always been upon
you. Every event he's in control of,
you didn't know it, but his hand has always been upon you from
the womb. whom he did foreknow. Them he also did predestinate
to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be
the firstborn among many brethren. Oh, the father's appointed time. Verse three, that man who is
under tutors and governors and to the time appointed by the
father, even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under
the elements of the world. Now, when he's talking about
being children, this Greek heir who had a wealthy father, he
was treated no different than a servant. He was just that way. And what Paul is talking about
here is even so when we were children, it's talking about
the same thing. When we did not know God in our experience, when
we were unbelievers, In our experience, we were in bondage, slaves to
the elements of the world. Now the word element is look
how it's used in verse eight. How be it when you knew not God,
you did service unto them, which by nature are no gods, but now
actually you've known God or rather are known of God. How
turn ye again to the weak? and beggarly elements, wherein
do you desire again to be in bondage. Turn over to Colossians
chapter two. Colossians two, this is that
word again, Colossians chapter two. Uh, the elements are the
ABCs, the principles, the foundations, uh, in Colossians chapter two,
we read in verse eight. Beware lest any man spoil you
through philosophy. And vain deceit after the tradition
of men, after the rudiments, the elements, the ABCs of the
world, the way the world thinks. and not after Christ. Look in
verse 20. Wherefore, if ye be dead with
Christ from the rudiments, the elements of the world, why, as
though living in the world, are you subject to ordinances, touch
not, taste not, and handle not? If I can Not touch this, and
if I can not taste this, and if I can stay away from this,
I'll be good. Now look what Paul says about this type of thinking,
which all are to perish with the using. If that's my religion,
touch not, taste not, and handle not, I'll be in hell. That's
what he's saying. That person will perish that
believes that way. After the commandments and doctrines
of men, which things have indeed a show of wisdom and will worship.
Let's stop there for a moment. Will worship. The elements are
the ABCs, the fundamentals, how you spell everything. Here's
something interesting about the elements of this world. The alphabet
begins with an F, free will. That's where everything begins
in men's thoughts, free will, my will. I'm saved because I
will to accept Jesus Christ as my personal savior. Well, that's
foolishness, but that's what people mean. This is the elements
of the world. I become more holy as an act of my will. I choose
to do good. I choose to do this. Everything
begins with man's will. And if everything begins with
man's will, that cuts out God's sovereign will, but that's not
gonna happen, is it? Free will is so foolish. There
is no such thing. It's just wrong. Every bit of it's wrong. It's
will worship, as Paul said. That's man's religion, will worship. Free will is false. And this is what he's talking
about when he's talking about bondage. Now let's go on reading. Even
so, when we were children, we were in bondage, enslaved under
the elements of the world. Now what were we enslaved by?
An evil nature. That's what I'm enslaved by,
by nature, an evil nature. I can't be good. I can't be right. I am enslaved
in the bondage of an evil nature. That's why free will is so wrong.
Your will is controlled by your nature. God doesn't have a free
will. His will is controlled by his
nature. He's holy. He can't sin. He can't
lie. He's incapable of anything like
that because of his holy, righteous nature. And men are born into
this world with a sinful nature and they are in bondage to that
nature. And that's the bondage he's speaking
of. I have to have almighty grace
to rescue me from this bondage. I'm locked up in the cell of
my own evil nature and I can't just open the door. Why I think
I'm on my free will going to get out of this cell. No, it's
locked and I can't get out. Somebody's going to have to do
something for me. That's my only hope is that the Lord would do
something for me. If he doesn't, I'm toast because
I am under the bondage of this sinful nature that I cannot rid
myself of. Do you know it's as natural to
believe in salvation by works as it is to breathe for an unbeliever? It's just what they naturally
believe. And that belief in salvation
by works thinking there's something I can do to change my state demonstrates
a complete ignorance of the character of God. If I knew who he was,
I wouldn't dare think I could be saved by my works because
I'd see something of his holiness. It demonstrates a complete ignorance
of my own sinful character. If I think there's something
I can do to save myself, and that's what works means. There's
something I must do before God can do something for me. If I
believe that, I demonstrate a complete ignorance of my own sinful character
and a complete ignorance that salvation's of the Lord. It's
a work of his grace and a work of his grace alone. Now back
to Galatians chapter four. Even so, we, when we were children,
verse three were in bondage under the elements, the ABCs, the principles
of the world, but there's a great word. But Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. But God, who is rich in mercy,
for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. But, but, verse four, when the
fullness of the time was come. God sent forth his son made of
a woman made under the law. The fullness of time is God's
time. The fullness of the time when
God appointed for this to happen. That's interesting. I have read
that the Lord sent his son at the time when the gospel could
be spread. Because of Roman infrastructure, there would be roads where people
could go and spread the gospel. And because of the Greek language,
the Greek language is the perfect language to have the gospel spoken
in, that's in the New Testament. And perhaps those things are
so, but that means nothing to me. When did it happen? When
God determined for it to happen. God wasn't looking for a time
when he could work better. God's will's always done. It's
not like he needs anything for his will to be done. The fullness
of the time. I like that, don't you? The fullness
of the time, God's time. God's timing is always perfect
and it's always right. He dwells outside of time and
everything that happens in time happens according to his wise
decree and purpose. God's will is always done. The fullness of the time. It says God sent forth his son. John 3, 17, 18 says, God didn't
send his son to condemn the world. The world's already condemned.
Already in the bond of fallen human nature. Can't get out. God didn't send his son into
the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him
might be saved. Lord said in John 6 38, I came
down from heaven. I love to think of people listening
to Him. What if I said to you, I came
down from heaven? You'd say, you're an idiot. You're
crazy. There's no way you could have done that. That's what we
would say. But the Lord said it. I came down from heaven,
not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me, God
sent forth his son. And this is the will of him that
sent me. that of all which he hath given me, I should lose
nothing, but raise it up again at the last day. And this is
the will of him that sent me that of everyone that seeth the
son and believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting
life. And I'll raise him up at the
last day. Now, if you ever see who he is, you will believe. And if you don't believe it's
because you've never really seen who he is. Everyone who's that
sees who he is, they will believe. You can't help it. You can't
stop it. If you see who he is. And if
you don't believe it's because you've never seen who he really
is. Now the father sent his son. What a glorious thought. He sent
him for the purpose of making known who he is and saving his
people. Now let's go on reading. God
sent forth his son made of a woman. Now this is an answer to the
prophecy in Genesis 3 of the seed of woman bruising the serpent's
head. You see, Christ was born of a
virgin. He was made of woman. Somebody says that's impossible.
With God, nothing's impossible. This is not difficult. I mean,
God's God. And Christ Jesus did not have
Adam's sinful nature. He was made of a woman. And if he's not made of a woman,
that means he's a sinful person like you and I. But he was the
virgin born son of God, made of a woman, made under the law. The lawgiver, the Lord Jesus
Christ, he's God. He's the lawgiver. He willingly
put himself under the law. Now that is an amazing act of
condescension. You know, God has no law over
his head. I love thinking about that. He has no law over his
head. He has no one to answer to. He's
God. He's holy. Whatever he does is
right and just and holy and true, but he doesn't have a law over
his head. And yet he placed himself under
the law. The Lord Jesus Christ placed
himself under the law that he made, and he had to keep it and
obey it perfectly. Now, why? Because God demands
perfect obedience. And the only one to keep it perfectly
is the Lord Jesus Christ. And what was his purpose in doing
this? Being made under the law? Look at the language of verse
five. to redeem them that were under the law. Not to make them
redeemable, not to try and redeem them, not to make their redemption
possible, but to redeem them. Now, understand this. Jesus Christ
did not make redemption available to you. He was not offering it
to you. It's up to you to accept it or
reject it. He redeemed everybody the Father
gave him. Now understand this. This is
so important. Jesus Christ did not shed his
blood for all men without exception. I know that's what most religion
teaches. It's a lie. Okay? Take it for what it is. It's a lie. It's not true. He died for His elect, and He
redeemed them. He accomplished their salvation. Somebody doesn't believe that
doesn't believe the gospel. I understand that. The only hope
I have is that Christ died for me. And if He could die for me
and I end up in hell, His blood didn't do anything for me. He came to redeem. He made himself under the law,
kept you under the law to redeem them that were under the law
that we might receive the adoption of sons. Now, receive. If I give you something, you
know what you do? You receive it. And if you don't receive
it, then I never gave it to you. If you receive the Lord Jesus
Christ, it's because God gave him to you. And if you fail to
receive him, don't think God ever gave him to you. He didn't. We receive, by his grace, we
receive what he gives. Now let me give you a scripture
that that I think will help us understand this, uh, receiving
the adoption of sons where you receive it. It's yours. You know,
it's something you receive. It becomes yours. Let's say the
scripture Romans six 11 says, reckon yourselves. Is this a
command? Reckon yourselves to be dead
indeed unto sin. but alive unto God through our
Lord Jesus Christ." Now, reckon yourselves. You say, but I'm still sinful. I still struggle
with sin as much as I ever have. How am I supposed to reckon myself
to be dead indeed to sin? Because God said to do it. God
said to do it. Here's a even better, there's
not a better reason than that. I shouldn't say that, but this
is equal. You are dead to sin. Christ put
away your sin. You stand before God's law as
having never sinned. Justified because Christ redeemed
you, because he kept the law for you and because he redeemed
you. Receive that. Receive that. Receive the joy
of knowing right now you're accepted in the beloved. God loves you. God's pleased with you. He's
as pleased with you as He is with His only begotten and well-beloved
Son. That's how pleased He is with
you right now. Receive it. Receive the adoption
of the Son. This is not pie in the sky. This
is true. Receive. The adoption of sons
to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive
the adoptions of sons. And because you are sons, God
has sent forth the spirit of his son. Into your hearts, crying
Abba father, who is it that cries Abba father, the spirit of his
son. And this is Christ in you, the hope of glory. This is speaking
of God, the Holy spirit. And here's what we cry from our
hearts because of him in us. Abba, father. Abba is Aramic for father. The father is Greek for father.
Somebody says, why does he use those two words? Let me tell you what I read,
because I've heard people say Abba means dada. I don't know. Maybe it does. Maybe it does.
But somehow, he's holy. But Abba is what an infant would
say that doesn't have a reason. It's his dad, Abba. And father
is more intelligent, knowing he's our father. If that's helpful,
I don't know. We cry, Abba, Father. The Lord cried, Abba, Father. And we cry because of His Spirit
in us, the Spirit of Christ, God, the Holy Spirit, Christ
in you, the hope of glory. We cry, Abba, Father, wherefore,
verse seven, thou art no more a servant, but a son. Behold,
what manner of the love the Father bestowed upon us that we should
be called the sons of God. And if a son, then an heir of
God. What an inheritance I have. If you were in debt and you knew
that soon you would inherit billions of dollars and it was for sure,
you know, don't count on earthly inheritance. You may get it,
you may not. Something may happen. Don't count on earthly inheritance.
But this is an inheritance you can absolutely count on. If you
knew that you had this inheritance coming, everything's fine. Amen.