Sermon: Adopted by Faith Galatians 3:23-29
Truth Taught- By faith we are justified and adopted into God’s family
Introduction
The Apostle Paul takes us now on further into wonderful implications of the Gospel of free grace. When we believe, we are justified before God. The born-again believer repents and trusts Christ. He has been telling us that it is only by faith that the sinner is reconciled to God and not by works. We are justified before God by faith alone.
Now, he takes us on further to show that faith not only justifies but it also unites us into one body, the Church. Faith breaks down barriers between people who share this faith in common. So, faith then determines the make-up of the body of Christ.
The Apostle calls us all sons or brothers. He uses this term generically which of course also takes in women as well. In Christ we are all children of God regardless of anything else that may identify us. Race, Gender, Social Status, or any other barrier has been broken down for all who have saving faith in Christ.
Please Stand
Galatians 3:23–29 (ESV)
23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
1. Sons of God Through Faith (3:26)
23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
I wanted to go back and read these verses in their context so we do not miss the connection 26 has with the previous section. The for (gar) in Greek connects the two sections. What he is getting at is that before faith came to us, we were under the Law which served us as a guardian with children who were unable to inherit the family fortune. So too we before faith were not able to inherit the riches of Christ. Now that faith has come, we have been taken from children under a guardian to son and daughters of God.
Faith not only Justifies us but it inserts us into the family of God as sons and daughters. Paul uses sons, the Apostle John uses children…
1 John 3:1-3 (ESV)
3 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
So, whether it’s Paul’s Sons of God or John’s Children of God we see the same truth, Faith takes us from being God’s enemies to Sons. We have been adopted by the Father through faith.
The Doctrine of Adoption
26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
It is Christ who has united God’s Sons. Notice the word ALL here. All who put their faith in Christ are children of God. Jesus is God’s Son by nature and we are God’s Sons by adoption. He is the Son we are adopted Sons and Daughters.
We may define adoption as follows: Adoption is an act of God whereby he makes us members of his family.
John mentions adoption at the beginning of his gospel, where he says,
“But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God” (John 1:12).
By contrast, those who do not believe in Christ are not children of God or adopted into his family, but are
“children of wrath” (Eph. 2:3) and “sons of disobedience” (Eph. 2:2; 5:6).
Although those Jews who rejected Christ tried to claim that God was their father (John 8:41), Jesus told them,
“If God were your Father, you would love me … You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires” (John 8:42–44).
The New Testament epistles bear repeated testimony to the fact that we are now God’s children in a special sense, members of his family. Paul says:
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Rom. 8:14–17)
2. Baptism Portrays Our Adoption into God’s Family (3:27)
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Here again is the connecting word For. It shows us that in proper context, Sonship entails baptism and a shared connection to the larger community of believers.
What faith does spiritually, securing our eternal adoption as Sons, baptism does communally. It being a visible picture of what has already taken place eternally. John Stott says it this way, Faith secures the union; baptism signifies it outwardly and visibly.
Paul makes a wonderful connection between Faith-Justification-Being in Christ-Water Baptism. Being in Christ is pictured by our baptism for the rest of the gathered Christian community to witness.
Baptism models what has taken place in our Justification. We have died with Christ. Our old life has been buried with Jesus.
Galatians 2:20 (ESV)
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
This has taken place in the spiritual realm and baptism makes it visible for the community of believers to share in rejoicing and also accountability. Baptism brings two dimensions together so the community can visibly see what heaven has already witnessed.
Your faith and baptism join you to the community who has also been joined in unity through their faith and baptism.
3. All Who Are in Christ are Placed into One Body (3:28)
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Since by the works of the Law no flesh shall be justified, Gentiles were given access to salvation the same as the Jews. Christianity is for all people of all time. Jews, Greeks, slaves, free, male and female alike can be saved by faith in Christ.
Before Christ, Gentiles were viewed by Jews as dogs. They were seen as ignorant. Slaves were viewed as less than human in many cases. Women were also not among the privileged or educated. However, in Christ all are to be accepted into the community of faith.
Paul’s statement here has social implications and even were viewed with hostility by those outside the Church.
All who come to Christ by faith are joined to the community. He’s teaching Unity more so than perfect equality as some wrongfully assert. He’s not promoting women preachers or women Elders or that women should govern the Church, but teaching that men and women can equally be justified by faith and added to the Christian community by Baptism.
Remember in the Old Covenant is circumcision that was the visible marker of one who has entered into the covenant. In the New Covenant men and women share in the visible covenant picture.
All people from all walks of life have access to salvation by grace through faith and all people can be baptized and added to the visible church.
Ephesians 2:11–13 (ESV)
11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Paul shows us a wonderful picture of what he speaks of here in Galatians…lets look to Colossians…
Colossians 3:9–17 (ESV)
9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
In Christ there must not be racism, social inferiority, discrimination, feminism, or any other worldly divisions.
I want to say to our young people, be thankful for who you are. If you’re a boy, be thankful to God that He created you a male. Grow to be a godly young man and someday a godly man and potential husband and father.
If you’re a girl, embrace that God has made you female. Be a godly young lady modeling modesty and godly virtues. Grow to be a godly young woman and someday a godly woman and a potential wife and mother.
For all here, seek to serve Christ and His people with the specific gifts that only you have.
4. Your Adoption into God’s Family Makes You an Heir
29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
The Judaizers were telling those in Galatia that it was their genealogy that makes them sons of Abraham. If you’re Jewish and circumcised, they said, then you are a son of Abraham. Tracing your lineage back to Abraham does not make you a son of Abraham.
What makes you a son of Abraham is if the Promise made to Abraham extends to you. The Promise of the Offspring who is Christ. If Christ is yours by faith, then the Promise has been extended to you and you are a Son of Abraham.
When we have faith in Christ then we are sharing the same faith Abraham had. It was faith that Justified him not the works of the Law. So, when we believe we too are Justified like Abraham was and we share in his spiritual family.
Christians are the true sons of Abraham.
So, we are Justified by faith. By faith we are in Christ. We are Baptized into the community of believers. Where we are called to serve Christ by serving one another.
Faith Justifies and also places us into the community of believers.
HEIR…
LORD’S SUPPER
Benediction
Ephesians 3:20–21 (ESV)
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Resources Used:
Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology
Galatians by Peter Barnes
Galatians by Timothy George
