By God’s grace through faith in we are: redeemed & adopted. We are redeemed through Christ, and have now been adopted as heirs. Redemption, v.1-4. From the inheritance to the heir, v.1-2. Chapter 3 ended with the acknowledgment that in Christ we are now heirs. Throughout chapter 3 the focus has been on the inheritance. (Grace) Now in chapter 4 Paul shifts this focus to the heir. He gives the illustration of a child who is “to be” lord of an estate. Until the time appointed by the child’s father, the child differs little from a servant in the home. He remains under the authority of tutors and governors. (guardians and managers) (1-2) Uniquely, he will in the near future be boss of those guardians. But, it is still necessary up to a certain point for them to have authority over him. Then, in the father’s appointed timing, he will receive his inheritance. So it is with God’s people in the spiritual sense, v.3. Until faith comes we are under guardians and managers, like children. After faith we take our inheritance as sons of God. Initially, God’s people were under the yoke of the law; the sacrifices and ceremonies were continual. The law lorded over every aspect of life: clothing, food, the home. By faith, we are free from the law. We are under law to Christ, even as the full-grown son is still under the discipline of his father’s house…but this is a law of love and not of fear, of grace and not of bondage. And this came in… The fullness of time, v.4. The birth of Jesus is possibly the most wonderful event in history. There were prophecies, many which pointed exactly to that hour. He came at the hour that God had determined. “The infinite Lord appoints the date of every event; all times are in His hand. There are no loose threads in the providence of God. No stitches are dropped; no events are left to chance.” -Spurgeon God’s watch keeps great time! He is always punctual! Can you sense God’s grace in this text? God sent—mankind did not move toward God, He moved toward us. God sent His Son—no angel, no created being, His only son! Born of a woman. Jesus came and took on our humanity. He was in all points tempted, as we are, without sin. He was not born of man. Mary, without knowing a man, conceived through the Holy Spirit, thus Jesus was born…sinless. Though still 100% human. God created, timed, and completed all of this….FOR YOU! Made under the law—the lawgiver/lawmaker Himself came under the law. Notice v.5—To redeem—to set free by paying a price. Before you wreck your brain trying to comprehend all of what the God-head did…consider why. Redemption is the action of being set free from sin, error, or evil. Galatians 3:13a, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us:” 1 Peter 1:18-19, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things…But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” Hebrews 9:12b, “but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Ephesians 1:7, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” God bent low to lift men up out of the sin and mire of a world which has forgotten God and His will for lost men. From a cradle in Bethlehem to Calvary, to the empty tomb, and to the throne where the Savior sits. We have the good news of salvation to all men who will receive it. This is the Doctrine of Redemption. Adoption, v.5-7. The Adoption of Sons, v.5. Those under the law are redeemed to receive adoption. Those under the law know only of service…not inheritance. In contrast, we are redeemed and given “sonship”. The putting on of Christ is the token of our admission into the position of sons of God. Every blessing of the covenant of grace belongs to those who are Christ’s. Every believer belongs to Christ. We receive adoption by faith as the gift of grace. Consider this point within the context: Paul is writing here like a painter making broad strokes….speaking briefly about immense topics. We are not justified by works, our righteousness is by faith. He makes a definitive statement in v.4 in regards to God’s timing and control. (When the fullness of the time was come…) Paul is directing our attention to a fact we can grasp…God controlled when, where, how Jesus came to Earth. To drive home a principle about our own situations. It is plenty to be redeemed, but there is more. We’ve been adopted! (lit. “made sons”) And adoption is not a “maybe”, it is a certainty! Ephesians 1:5, “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will…” It is the good pleasure of God’s will, that since we are redeemed, He is going to make us sons! What a comfort to know, among life’s uncertainties, that it is settled with God that I am a son. Jesus said in John 3, that we enter through regeneration, “being born again.” It is redemption in our text in Galatians. The redeemed, then receive the inheritance of sons! We enter the family by being born again. Then, in God’s eyes we are treated as though we had been adopted. We are the children of God by faith in Christ, born into God’s family. But every child of God is automatically placed into the family as a son, and as a son he has all the legal rights and privileges of a son. When a sinner trusts Christ and is saved: As far as his condition is concerned, he is a “spiritual babe” who needs to grow. But, as far as his position is concerned, he is an adult son who can draw on the Father’s wealth and who can exercise all the wonderful privileges of sonship. We enter God’s family by redemption, but we enjoy God’s family by adoption. Notice v.6, and consider what we enjoy… *Because you are Sons, v.6.* As sons we have received God’s Spirit. In Christ we have God’s Spirit indwelling us, thus we can cry, “Abba, Father…” In his letter to the Romans, Paul says this again, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15) Abba to the Jewish child is to say “Papa”. It is a term of endearment. (Daddy, Mama) The issue at hand here is grace plus works. We have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear. Paul wants this church to avoid that. They are adopted sons who have inheritance, but they are trying to still be servants to the law. Through faith in Christ (because you are sons), you’ve been redeemed and adopted, given the Spirit, and now can call God, “Abba.” You are no longer servants of the law! You are now heirs through Christ. *An Heir through Christ, v.7.* God’s sons all serve Him, but not all servants are sons. The son has the same nature as the father, the servant does not. The son has a father, the servant has a master. The son obeys out of love, the servant obeys out of fear. The son is rich, the servant is poor. The son has a future, the servant doesn’t. So we must consider, “Am I living now as a son, or a servant?”