Alright if you wish to follow along turn to Paul's letter to the churches of Galatia chapter 4 Galatians chapter 4 I Will read just one verse for a text this morning. I want to try to deal with the subject that Paul Not introduces but that he deals with in that verse Galatians 4 verse 7 wherefore I And of course, we know that that means based upon what he's just written, specifically in the last few verses. Of course, it's the whole letter up till now, but specifically in what he's written in verses one through six, he says, wherefore, thou art no more a servant, but a son. And if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Let me begin by saying this. Now, this is not a problem here, but I know it is a problem in some places. I was basically steeped in this in my younger years in religion. There are those who believe that Paul's not talking about the elect of God who are unconverted, and then when they are converted, they become sons. What I was taught was, because he refers to us as children, Okay, even before we're converted, but he doesn't say it in those words. And what I was taught was Paul was talking about all who believe are children, and then you reach a certain place in believing that you become a son. Tommy is just another brand of this progressive gaining here, but that's not what Paul's talking about.

Paul is still using the language of his illustration. contrasting servant to son, and we'll read that again. I'm not gonna deal with it, but I'll just read it. In verse one, now I say that the heir, now notice this, now he is illustrating. This is an illustration, but he's illustrating it, illustrating the truth. that the heir, as long as he is a child, the heir is a child. Now he's a heir, but to be an heir in this sense is he hasn't actually attained or obtained what his heirship was due him. Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be Lord of all, but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

" And then he says, even so we. When we were children, okay, we were the children of God, but we were only children of God by election. And as Henry Mahan pointed out years ago, others, of course, have pointed it out years ago and still do. Election itself, election alone is not salvation. It is unto salvation. But he says, even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.

But, then you see that next word, but. So Paul still, His thought is still flowing from that illustration. Now, although, listen to this, although we are eternally God's elect, or we could say God's people, or we could say God's children by decree, We were just like all others by nature. And that's the illustration he gave. That the child who was an heir, though he's just, until he comes into that sonship, until he receives the adoption, he's just like a regular servant in the household. Okay, we were just like everyone else.

Now, you know this, so I'm not going to go back and read it, some of the verses, but I will read this, verse eight. How be it then when ye knew not God, ye did service. That's why he still calls us servants. Remember, he made a distinction between the heir that's a child and the servant, but he's saying we were servants, but we were servants to sin, servants to self. servants to idolatry, servants to the devil. How be it then when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

So the adoption is to bring us out of that bondage into a believing relationship with Jesus Christ. Because he has just said in verse 26 of chapter three, for you're all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. That's how you know it. That's how you know it. So we know we're just like everybody else by nature. Ephesians two, two and three. Even the elect of God, we're just like everybody else by nature. Romans chapter three, verses nine and 10. We know that all, Jew and Gentile alike, that they're all under sin. And he goes on, there's none righteous, there's none that doeth good, and so forth.

But believers, now, but believers, and when I say this, Because, and I have to say this, I'm talking about gospel called believers. We got a lot, we got thousands upon thousands of people in this world that are believers. They believe, they believe the Bible, they believe in God, they believe in Jesus, they believe in the Holy Spirit, but they've never been called by the gospel. And that is the believing Paul's talking about here. That believing that is associated with salvation has to do with being called by the gospel. And until or unless you have been called by the gospel, you have no place in the adoption, okay? It's gospel called believers.

These believers are no longer under legal bondage. And I'm just gonna mention these, because I wanna get to our text. Chapter three, verse 23 through 25. After faith has come, we're no longer under the law, period. We're not under the law, under the law for any reason. Think about it. We're not under religious bondage, chapter four, verse eight. We're not under ritualistic bondage, chapter four, verse nine and 10. We're not under ecdemic or fleshly bondage. Although there is a battle, we're not under its bondage, chapter five, verses 16, 17, and 18. The fact that the battle rages lets me know I'm not under its dominion.

Before I was gospel converted, that's all I had. I had no battle. I just went with the flow. What is it that kept you from believing? The dominion of sin. And it was God, through the work of Jesus Christ, that released you from that dominion so you could believe. So you could believe.

So again, remember, we're not under legal bondage, we're not under religious bondage, we're not under ritualistic bondage, we're not under the Adamic or fleshly bondage, but it's even further than that. There are those that say, well, we know you're not under the rituals. We're not under the ceremonies. But you're still under the moral law of God. If you're still under the moral law of God, you're under condemnation.

For Paul was very clear. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse. For it is written, cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But look at what it says. Verse 11 of chapter three. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident. Paul said, this is clear. And I'll add this, if you got eyes to see. If you don't have eyes to see, it's not clear. But it is evident from the word, what, the just? Now he's quoting from the Old Testament, Mac. This is not what Paul came up with. This is not a dispensational thing to where we used to be able to be saved by the law, but now we're saved by grace through faith, no. The just shall live by faith, and listen, and the law is not of faith. But the man that doeth them, that is the works of the law, shall live in them. Notice, in them. He didn't say by them, though that would be true. If I could keep the law, I would live. by the law, if I could, but I can't. But he says, the man that doeth them shall live where? In them. So if you're trying to keep the law as a believer, you're placing yourself under bondage. You're going to be miserable if you truly believe God. You see it? if you truly believe God.

But then he says this marvelous, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, for it is written, cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree, that the blessing of Abraham might come. Do you see that? How much law did Abraham have? Zero. Now, God had taught him certain things were wrong and certain things were right, okay? God taught even Cain and Abel that certain things were wrong and certain things were right. But the point of from Abel to Abraham all the way to us, it is believing God that makes the difference.

So again, believers are no longer under legal bondage. We're not under religious bondage, we're not under ritualistic bondage, we're not under the Adamic flesh bondage, and we are not under the moral commandments. It's bondage. Because we say that, some people say you're antinomian. If that is the definition of an antinomian, I will take that moniker. I will take that moniker. It's just the way it is. We are no longer servants, but sons. if we believe, right? Wherefore, thou art no more a servant, but a son, but it's more than that. And if a son, then a heir of God through Christ. Do you see that? That's my title and my subject. No more servants, but sons and heirs.

Think about it. He says, wherefore. Okay, wherefore, you see it? Because, now Paul's already said it, because of what Christ has done, right? Look at the context. It's not anything we've done, it's what he's done. And someone says, but I believed. If you've truly believed, you know it wasn't of you, you know God brought it in you. And you know God's still working it in you today. And then you are forced, you are forced to confess with that one individual recorded in scripture that says, Lord, I believe. Help thou my unbelief. Tommy, I can't even deal with my own unbelief. God's got to deal with it for me. And you know where he did? On the cross. See, he's already dealt with it. You know what it is to be helped by God? Concerning your unbelief is to be constantly reminded of the person and the work of Jesus Christ.

Wherefore, in other words, because of what Christ has done. 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 ye are sons, God has sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts crying, Abba Father, so from start to finish, even the crying Abba Father is not something God leaves up to us, but it's what His Spirit works in us. You see that? See it? And because ye are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying. Who's doing the crying Abba Father? The Spirit of God is. So it's not about just saying it. It's about the Spirit of God working it down in here.

Think about this. Go through this briefly. He subjected himself to be a real man, just like us. He didn't just appear as a man on the earth. He was conceived in the womb of a virgin. He was made flesh. He grew, Paul, from that small, if my words are not exactly right, forgive me, but from that small embryo, and Tommy, he grew into a living child in Mary's womb. And it was born in pain and blood and sweat, just like we are. And had to feed upon his mother's breast for months with his parents. taking care of him.

Why? He was being us. He was being us. He subjected himself to be a real man just like us. He subjected himself to God's holy law, and he's the only man that ever did it willingly and lovingly and rejoiced in it. He said, I'm come to do thy will, O God. Can you say that today? Oh, I know we think it sometimes, don't we?

Think about it, he redeemed us from God's holy law. He redeemed us in order to bestow upon us the adoption. Isn't that the language Paul used here? Upon bestowing the adoption, he indwells us by his spirit. And lastly, number six, by his crying in us, and oh, God help us to remember that, it's by his crying in us, Abba Father, you ever begin to pray and just didn't even have the words? The more you try to come up with the words, the more sinful you felt, but yet there is that inside of you that cries out, God, I need your help, even when you're crying out for someone else, because I can't do it.

By his crying in us, Abba, Father, he brings us into that experienced union to God. That's what our adoption is for. It's not for some higher state of Christianity. It's for actually living in life, Paul. It's living that life that Jesus Christ rose again in.

But then it says this, this is what I wanna deal with. Then it says, an heir of God. but notice it's always and only through Christ. You see, now let me try to concentrate on this. It's not just, now I'm not denying that it is this, but it's not just God made us heirs, okay? Although he does. It says, wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God.

Now let me try to elaborate on what I'm trying to point out here and what Paul is saying here. It's not just God made us heirs, although he has. It is not we are heirs of things, although everything we have or will have or do not have is all based upon the fact that he either gives it or he takes it away or he withholds it. The point is I'm trying to stress that Paul is stressing we are heirs of God. God himself is our reward. That's what Paul's saying here. Our inheritance, our possession, our heirship is to have God himself. Okay?

We read this right off the bat with Abraham. And we're just a few years after God called him. And if you want to turn, I'm just gonna read one verse. In Genesis 15, listen. After these things, the word of the Lord came unto Abram. Now his name wasn't even changed yet. The word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, fear not, Abram, I am thy shield. Now, what I was trying to stress there a moment ago, yes, Paul, we can say he gives us a shield, but it's more than that. He is our shield. Do you see that? I am thy shield. Look, fear not, Abram, I am thy shield. And I can add this, I am, I am, I am thy exceeding great reward. Do you see that? We are an heir of God himself. He's the reward. And our minds, our puny little minds don't really lay hold of what that's saying. Think of it.

Now, here's another one, Psalm 18. If you're following along, turn to Psalm 18. Some words from the psalmist, Psalm 18. Let me turn to it. Just a couple verses there, or actually just one verse, Psalm chapter 18. Listen to what the psalmist said, and this is a psalm of David himself. Look at verse two, Psalm 18, two. The Lord is my rock. Do you see that? He doesn't just give us a rock. He is the rock. That's what Paul's pointing out. That's what I'm trying to stress this morning. The Lord is my rock and my fortress. Do you see it? He don't just give us a fortress. He is the fortress. That's the whole thing. You see it, but it's more. And my deliverer, my God, my strength. You see how it's still the psalmist, our brother David is emphasizing that God himself is these things to us. in whom I will trust, my butler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower, my place that observes everything that's going on. He's it. He doesn't depend upon us to be upon the high tower, watching out for all the trouble. He's the one who is the high tower. He knows what's coming down the pike. He sends it. He sends it.

Now turn to Psalm 73. I have the 73rd Psalm. I have a few things to say here. Remember, we are heirs of God. Let me go back and read it. Wherefore, thou art no more a servant, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God, but always remember it's through Christ.



Our sonship doesn't make us worthy of it, he made us worthy. Yea, I must say this, he is our worth. And I put it that, isn't that not a better way to put it? Yes, we're accepted, but how? In the beloved. You see, God doesn't save me and now I'm accepted and Jesus is accepted. God accepted him and if I'm in him, I'm accepted in him.

But here's the thing, we rarely ever really remember that God himself is our reward. That's why when the things he gave us, he takes away, we become despondent. I'm talking about things he gives us. Good things. Things that matter. And when he takes them away, we become despondent. Why? Because we don't have that thing anymore. But we still have him. You see that? We still have him.

But our flesh is battling against the spirit, and we're constantly looking at the things he gives as the reward, rather than seeing himself as the reward. If he takes everything from me, I still have him, for he changes not. He doesn't become less to me. I may see less of him, but he does not become less to me. He is my reward. He is your reward. Do you see that?

This is why you decide you'd just rather stay at the house rather than go out in public. because you're afraid something's gonna happen. You're gonna mess up, right? This is why you'd rather stay at the house. We're forgetting that he's our reward, even when we mess up. Oh, especially when we mess up. He's our fortress, he's our high tower, he's our shield. He doesn't just give us these things, he is them to us. Hmm.

And we do things like, I mean, some of us have to go out there. We're still working. We have to go out there. Mac, we gotta go out there in the public. You got to. I mean, it's nothing but unbelief and rebellion against God to crawl up in a corner and say, well, I'm afraid I'm gonna dishonor his name. You will dishonor his name even if you just stay at the house. Because you'll begin to think about the things rather than himself.

But think about it, we think things like that in our mind, and then we criticize the monk and that nun for going off in a monastery somewhere. You know what we are? Hypocrites. Yeah, we'll criticize that monk and that nun for going up in that monastery, trying to be separate from the world, and we'll do the same thing. We'll say, well, I don't like going out in public.

Listen to how Peter puts it. That's so amazing to me. Let me find the passage. First Peter chapter two, I believe it is. Let me make sure before you turn. Yes, first Peter chapter two. Listen to what it says. First Peter two verse nine. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of him. Do you see that? So being in the monastery or the house, that's not where it takes place at, is it? That's not where it's at. That ye should show forth not your praises, not how great you are, not what a great believer you are, but his praises.

Every time you go out into public, you ought to say, God, give me the opportunity just to brag on you. That's what it's about, but what do we usually do when somebody mentions religion to us? We become defensive, thinking about ourselves, rather than bragging on our Lord. How often do we talk about what we believe, rather than what God has done for us?

Do you remember the Gadarene demoniac? He said, Lord, I will follow you. I want to go with you. Isn't that an honorable request? Sure it is. But you know what our Lord told him? No. Go back home to those people. Remember, those people were the ones binding him, trying to bind him with chains and fetters. Go back home and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you.

Why is that so difficult for us? Because we view the things as the blessing, as the reward, rather than he himself as the reward. Look at it. that you should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God, which have not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims. That means you come from somewhere and you're going somewhere. Where you're at now is not where you live at. You're just passing through, that's a stranger. A pilgrim is someone who's going somewhere else. That's what we are. As strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, and the best way to do it's knocking it up at the house, having your way of life honest among the Gentiles. You see it?

Somebody said, but I don't have the language to say it. I don't know, if you can't tell people what God's done for you, then guess what? God ain't done nothing for you. If he's done something for you, you can definitely tell somebody what he's done for you. The problem is, we think it's about telling people what we are, what we believe at chapel. It don't matter. It's telling, what's showing forth the praises of him, him.

Now, go back, you're in Psalm, the 73rd Psalm, yeah, 73rd Psalm. Why are we often so despondent? You ever been despondent? Just why are we so despondent? What is our tranquilizer? What is it that will calm me? Listen to the psalmist, Psalm 73, verse 22.

If you know what I'm talking about, this rebuke I've given all of us, I'm not preaching down to you. I'm talking about me too. And if you feel this despondency, this desire, I wish I could just kind of crawl up in a ball and stay with God's people. You know, you got a spouse that believes God and you stay with them. You understand what I'm saying? I wish I could just stay at the house.

Listen to what the psalmist wrote. This is a Psalm of Asaph. So foolish was I and ignorant. I was as a beast before thee. You don't mind being, now it hurts, I'm not saying it don't hurt, but you don't mind being told that if you can relate to that, do you? If you know it's true about yourself, you don't like hearing it, but you say thank you God for reminding me of it. Isn't that what Asaph said? So foolish was I and ignorant, I was as a beast before thee.

Nevertheless, I am continually with Who is it? Thee. Huh? Thee. My brothers and sisters, think about this. There are at least two. There are at least two among us still living today that God has taken them away from us. They cannot, they physically cannot gather with us anymore. Mary Linda Pendleton and Debbie Galussi. They cannot. And one of them is around unbelievers all the time. And I'm being personal, and I say to myself, thank God for the dementia. Because she doesn't even recognize it. Can you imagine how horrible it would be to be in that situation and still have all your faculties about you?

Now listen to me, nevertheless, I am continually with thee. Thou hast holded me by my right hand. Do you see it? It's still all about him. Look. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory. He's got you through this far in spite of what you failed in before. Right? He hasn't let you go.

It's not the things that matter Think about this. We'll walk on a street of gold one day. Isn't that what it says? We'll walk on it. Now, if you're walking on gold, that lets me, it signifies to me, at least in this puny little finite mind, there must be something greater there in that city if the street is made of gold. What's the glory of that city? Christ the Lamb himself. He's the light, he's the temple, he's the glory, he's the blessing, he's the reward. We'll be able to, Tommy, sit right down, I don't know how, I'm just using human, we'll be able to sit right down and talk with him, embrace him, and he'll embrace us back in a way that we never experienced before. He's the reward.

When gates are made of one big pearl, when one gate, Paul is made of one big pearl, just a gate, he must be glorious. To not even need the sun or the moon in that new heaven and new earth because he's the light of it? Look, let's go on. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory.

Whom have I in heaven? But Christ, I'm gonna put that, that's it. But thee, do you see it? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. You see it? How often, we'll forget, we'll walk right out these doors. We'll get in our cars, we'll go have us something to eat, sit down, watch a little TV and relax, and I'm not rebuking you for doing that, but we'll forget the gravity of what we've just heard from this word, that he himself is our reward. He is our shield. He is our high tower. He is our, he don't just give us salvation, he does, but he is my salvation. You see it?

Let's read on. My flesh and my heart faileth. So don't beat yourself up about failing. It's going to, ASAP did, didn't it? Now somebody said, well, you're given license. You don't need license. If I stood up here and screamed at you, don't you dare sin today. You're gonna walk out that door and sin. If nothing else in thought, well, I'm glad I'm out of there. My flesh and my heart felleth, but God is the strength of my heart. That's what I'm trying to say. Do you see it? No, your heart, he didn't give you a strong heart. He is the strength of your heart. Now thank God, I can also say, Paul, he gave us a good heart. But that's not the good heart's not the glory. He is the glory, right? Look at it.

See, I'm not making this up. Wherefore, you're no longer a servant, but a son. And if a son, you're an heir of God through Jesus Christ. My flesh and my heart felleth, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. So just if he takes everything away from you, if you have him and you don't even remember you have him, you still have him.

Mack, one of these days, It may get worse for one of us than it is even for Mary. She still remembers the Lord, son. I go in and we'll listen, she listened, when was it, last Sunday, Paul, or whenever it was, and you preached that message on forgiveness. It may come a day when you don't even remember Him, but bless God, He remembers you. He remembers you, you see it? And my flesh and my heart felleth, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

For lo, they that are far from thee shall perish. Look at this, we're gonna see some strong language. Thou hast destroyed all them that go whoring from thee. Most people preach against idolatry, things, and that's wrong, that's wrong. But God talks about going whoring, what, from him. What if you don't turn to anything else? To leave him is called whoring. Ever been guilty? How about you old whores, huh? Well, that won't go on TV, it's kind of past the 2730. Come on now, isn't that what it says?

But it is good for me to draw near to God. And I will say this, and I'm not picky. Elizabeth, I don't know what God's got coming for you and Katie. I have no idea, but you always have Him as you believe Him. I don't know what He's got coming. I pray and I pray for everybody here and I beg God, but God knows best. And I don't even know what that is. But no matter what he gives you, you still got him. Because what he gives you may hurt you. It may hurt you. And no matter what he takes away from you, it may seem like it's gonna kill you. But if you have him, you got something. Mm, see it?

But it is good for me to draw near to God. I have put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all thy works. Don't try to tell people about what you're doing for the Lord. They really don't give a flip in the wind. Oh, they may pat you on the back and just say, I appreciate you, I appreciate what you do. Start to tell them what God's done and who God is, you'll see their countenance change. Start to brag on who God is. And if their countenance doesn't change, pity, that's a good thing. If they say, you know what, that is who God is. You could say, well, that would be glory to God. Think about it. A street of gold one day, yeah, but he even gives me a little bit of pocket change now. Right? He's got me through.

This is not about easy street. It's about making it to the end and dying in faith. You know what it's actually about? making it to the end, and I don't mean that in some, you know what I'm talking about. These all died in faith, the book says. He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. That's why the psalmist said, I cling to him, I trust him. Think about this. We have God himself as our weakened, weakened without fear of condemnation and utter banishment speak his name. You don't have to be afraid that you might mess up. You will. Even when you brag about him, you'll mess up. All right? We can speak his name without fear of condemnation and utter banishment. We can give witness to his majesty. We can feast upon his perfections. We can love him in his son, even with all our imperfections and sins still present. He's accepted us into beloved. All I can say to that is glory to God's dear son. Aren't we glad for this truth?

I am the Lord. I change not. Therefore, ye sons of not Israel, but even Jacob. Therefore, ye sons of Jacob, are not consumed. He said, I know my thoughts toward you, thoughts of love. Let me tell you something. Let me say this and then I'll close with a prayer. God loved Peter just as much when he was down there denying the Lord three times as he did when he took up that sword and was ready to defend Christ with his life. Now, let me go even further. God loved Lot when he was in that cave, doing that god awful stuff he was doing, as much as he did when he was down there in Sodom, not allowing those reprobates to come through those doors to get at those two messengers that he had taken in, right? Now, if that gives you license to sin, well, whatever. Call it whatever you will. Who's your reward? God is. God is, Heavenly Father.

These things are so beyond us to wrap our puny minds around that we'll escape that failure of heart and mind and soul just as we have this, as Paul, our brother Paul said that we, sometimes we despair even of life. But Lord, you're our salvation. You have saved us, you are saving us, and you'll save us all the way to the end. We thank you in Christ's name, amen.