The Spirit of Adoption

WELCOME PRAYER SONG SILENCE

Genesis 16.13-end Part II October 23rd 2022

So, we are in Genesis 17 where the narrative begins to talk about Abraham and Sarah and Isaac. But before that, we have been reading all about the creation of Hagar and Ishmael. Last week, we turned to Galatians 4 to help us see the significance of the two sides of the Old Testament, which both became great nations.

Embracing God's Family

Paul has been writing to the Galatians to ask them why they have sought to embrace the Law, which he points out to them, brings nothing in but sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace. and condemnation. He brought us to a place where he talked about the adoption of Gentiles into God’s family as Sons and Daughters, which occurs when believers mature and are able to bear fruit. We left off where Paul describes something that occurs at this adoption, saying: “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”

This line directly describes those who have been given what Paul describes as the Spirit of Christ in Romans 8, saying (at verse 9)

Romans 8:9-17

9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 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. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

To me, it is in the suffering as Sons and Daughters that we will find ourselves, as Christ himself did, crying out personally and intimately to our Father, God. Interestingly, in the Jewish Babylonian Gemara, it reads that slaves were not permitted to use the title of Abba in addressing the master of the family to which they belonged. It appears that Paul is gently referring to this as a means to show that when a person internally relates to God as their papa (Abba), they cannot any longer be seen as servants – especially the servants of sin. This is why he continues in Galatians 4 verse 7 and says:

7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Identity as Sons and Daughters

Wherefore (or in consequence of this privilege of addressing God as your Father because He has given you the Spirit of Christ) “you are no longer a servant infant or child” under tutors or governors, “But a son/daughter.”

We call Jesus Christ the Son of God – which he is. The ONLY begotten Son of God – Jesus of Nazareth. Unlike us, He was begotten by the Holy Spirit, the Word of God with us. “God” with us surrounded by flesh of Man. Likewise, there is no issue with human beings, first by faith, then by love, who have matured in their walk, and have had God Himself send them the “Spirit of His Son into their hearts,” becoming and calling themselves too, his very “Sons and Daughters.

There is not one thing wrong with human beings calling themselves “heirs of God,” or anything wrong with calling themselves “joint-heirs with Christ.” Of course, these titles are not bestowed by the fleshly merits of a person but are all based on their willingness to let God work in and through them – JUST LIKE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON DID WHEN HE WALKED THE EARTH NOT DOING HIS OWN WILL BUT THE WILL OF HIS FATHER. And so it is with any and all Sons or Daughters.

Spiritual Maturation and Inheritance

who have (via spiritual maturation) allowed God to work in and through them! They are God’s Sons and Daughters – His heirs! Joint-heirs with Christ, and they alone can call God papa.

I know I harp on this a bit too much, and trusting God is in control should probably rest a bit on it, but to focus on the regenerative experience alone is akin to having a baby and then focusing on keeping that infant a baby for the rest of its life. Because it is by and through “the washing of the Word” that believers learn to become Son and Daughters – through the ingestion of the milk and meat of the Word – it is vital for believers to hear the Word as much as it is vital for an infant to be fed with a constant flow of milk. To just gather to worship God with gratitude over having been saved over and over again, and not be exposed to the washing of the word as often as possible, is contrary to the reason God saved us in the first place! Just as contrary it would be for him to just send the world babies that stay babies. So, Paul adds:

and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

I’m not going to belabor the point but listen to this last line:

and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

. . . then an heir of God through Christ.
. . . then an heir of God through Christ.

Differentiating God's Creations, Children, and Heirs

God has creations. God has children through faith. And God has heirs, sons, and daughters, also through Christ, but matured. Through our personal choice, we decide what we will be. Every minute of every day. Freely. Without fear, guilt, or compulsion.

Paul's Address to the Galatians

(Beat – verse 8) At this point Paul seems to address the Galatians who have come out of paganism and he does this with the use of the word, “Alla,” translated, “howbeit,” and he says

8 Howbeit then, when you knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
9 But now, after that you have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

In the previous verses Paul had evidently had the Jewish converts in mind and had described their former condition as one of servitude to the Mosaic rites and customs compared with the freedom imparted by the gospel. Now he refers to the Gentiles to illustrate their servitude. The sense is, "If the Jews were in such a state of servitude, so were you,” and he reminds them, saying that there was a time when “you knew not God.” And in your state of heathenism, you did service (you were slaves) “to them which by nature are not gods.”

Paul seems to be speaking of pagan idols here or false gods they served. They were imaginary gods lacking all divinity, objects in creation like the sun, and wind, and streams or they were departed heroes that had been elevated to be objects of worship. And while their gods were not real in terms of actual power or glory, their slavery to them was as they demanded their obedience, offerings, and allegiances. Idolatry will always amount to a form of empty slavery which typically becomes relentless. Idols are cruel masters demanding constant offerings in terms of time, gold, and obligations. The Gaul’s were once under such bondage, but Paul adds:

9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

The Call to Remain Free from Bondage

The sense is, that since they had been made free from their slavery to false gods and had found the freedom and liberty in the worship of the true God, it was totally absurd for them to embrace ANY thang that would bring them back into slavery – including embracing elements of the Law the Jews were under.

In verse 8 we also come to an interesting correction Paul makes when he says:

9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

Why does Paul correct himself after writing:

“But now, after that ye have known God . . .”
And adds, “or rather are known of God?”

Understanding Paul's Corrective Teachings

This correction appears to be to avoid the impression that their acquaintance with God was owing to themselves. We tend to make this mistake – even if it's just for conversational ease – when we say things like: "When I found God," or "when I accepted God into my life." Paul even corrects himself here after saying something like this and adds after saying: "But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God."

Of course, we speak of God being all-knowing, so what gives? Are we not known by God until we are received as children by faith? Again, context helps us discern. I suggest that we are all known of God generally speaking as Jesus says that when a sparrow falls from the sky He knows or the count of the hairs of our heads. But the meaning of “our being known of God” appears to mean as His Sons or Daughters. In other words, Paul is speaking of the point when God recognizes us as His and not Him knowing of us or our existence generally.

Being Known as Sons and Daughters

This line is in harmony with the fact that we do not choose to become sons or daughters of God but God is the one who appoints the Spirit of His Son to come into our hearts (as it says in verse six) and this is what I think he is speaking to. To me, it’s sort of like a King over a large kingdom. He knows the people in his kingdom are His subjects, and they know of Him, but when He appoints someone as a person in His presence to serve Him, they become known to Him.

And so having been known of God as Sons and Daughters, Paul asks: "How do you turn again to weak and beggarly elements (meaning the Law and its demands, which are not really less demanding than that of idols in their lives) "whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage." He says that it seems as though they wish to be back in slavery to something! And he adds in verse ten some of the things to which they had adopted that are outside the free walk in the Grace of God, saying:

10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.

In addition to circumcision, these are some of the other elements of the Law that the Galatians had embraced – they observance of days, months, times, and years. The days referred to here are doubtlessly the days of the Jewish festivals – and there were numerous days of such observances specified in the Tanakh but the Jews had added many others including days that commemorated the destruction and rebuilding of the temple and of other important events in their history.

Observing Religious Practices

The question is was Paul speaking also of the Sabbath? Many commentators say no to this because they say Jesus observed the Sabbath so this was not meant. However, in Colossians 2:13 Paul does write:

Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

How was the Sabbath day a shadow of things to come? We know the answer. The Sabbath day was a day of rest. Jesus said, “Come to me and I will give you rest.” And so in Christ (the thing to come) Christians find rest every day of the week, not just on a specific day. Under the law, six days were servile culminating with one day and the end of the week for rest – and even that rest was regimented and therefore a form of bondage. “No more days,” Paul intimates.

“And months,” which seem to refer to the festivals of the new moon which too were kept by the Jews (and are described in Numbers 10:10 and 28:11-14). “And times” which appear to speak to more festivals but those that appear periodically, like the Passover, the feast of Pentecost, and the feast of tabernacles.

The Law and Liberty in Galatians

“And years.” Some people don’t realize that there were annual celebrations in the Old Covenant including what is called, a sabbatical year or year of jubilee. Again, Paul includes participation in these as forms of bondage.

11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain.

We are going to skip verses 12-20 because they do not contribute to the reason we are appealing to Galatians in the first place but having expressed he fears for the believers at Galatia embracing the Law to make their flesh perfect, Paul now adds at verse 21 saying

21 Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Paul's Allegory of Abraham's Sons

Now, before we even get into the heart of this understand that Paul, once again, has taken some liberties in teaching the story of Abraham and Hagar and Sarah and the children from them – and there are entire books dedicated to trying to explain this unique teaching. We are going to try and see what Paul was trying to say but will avoid attempting to make his appeal to this story “stand on all four legs” (as it were). Paul appeals to the story and uses the central information in it to his advantage to illustrate his point.

He will do this in other parts of scripture, and he begins by saying at verse 21

21 Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?

The believers at Galatia had sought to be back under the Law (that was not even given to them) and Paul begins by asking those who sought circumcision and observing days of the week: “Do you not hear the Law?”

Now listen – we tend to think that Paul is speaking of the Law of Moses here – and this has certainly been a topic of discussion here in Galatians. But we note that Paul does not cite the Law of Moses but recites a story about Abraham and the two women which took place well before the establishment of the Law through Moses.

Abraham's Sons: An Illustration from Genesis

So, what is Paul talking about when he asks, “Do you not hear (understand) what the law says?” Apparently, He is talking about the first five books that the Jews referred collectively to as “the Law” and not the law of Moses specifically. It was from the first (of the first five books) of the Tanakh that Paul is speaking (Genesis) that tells the story of Abraham – which is where we are in our verse by verseTGNN’s Bible teaching series—book-by-book, through the lens of fulfillment and spiritual liberty. study of the Tanakh. Got that?

So, in this sense his question is, "Will you not listen to a narrative found in one of the books of the law itself which fully illustrates the topic at hand? And he adds, continuing at verse 22 and says:

22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

At this point Paul begins to introduce an illustration he will make which is drawn from an important story from Jewish history. The construction of Paul’s allegory, as I said, has brought some real confusion to Bible expositors. Without examining the explanations which have been proposed to explain what Paul really means, we will try to explain, in as few words as possible, the simple meaning and design of the allegory itself.

Frankly, the overall layout of the allegory is pretty simple as its purpose is to show the deleterious effects of being under the bondage of Law as compared to the freedom of being out from under it and operating under the pure gospel of Christ. In this chapter Paul has made it plain that the Galatians seemed to really desire to be under bondage or to be servants. And we have discussed that for many people, and in many areas of their lives, they had

Choices in Freedom

Rather be under the thumb and rules and laws rather than, as Jean Paul Sartre quipped:

“Condemned to be free.”

Which is a secular statement that means that there is a constant almost ominous demand hanging over all human beings which reminds us of the condemnation we have in personal freedom. It is a relentless chasm of choice, made wider and deeper by the constant and relentless response-ability upon all of us to choose something, anything and to live with the outcome. This freedom is too much for most people to bear so they resort to escapism, substances and/or religious authorities to tell them what to eat, what to wear, what to believe, how to act, how to live and even how to die.

Paul has made it clear that these Galatians SOUGHT to be in bondage. Why? Because, gosh-darn-it, living by faith alone, trusting in God alone and the finished work of his Son is no easy task!

Identity in Faith

A few minutes ago I said that God has creations. God has children. God has heirs, sons and daughters, through Christ. Through our personal choice, we decide what we will be. Every minute of every day.

I do not think His creations care about their choices relative to Him – and are rewarded according to their lives lived. I think babes in Christ or children of God, if they choose to remain milk drinkers will also be rewarded accordingly. But I steadfastly maintain, and will continue to promote, the import of the choice a child of God will make to allow God to work in them to the point where He will one day appoint them as a Son or Daughter. And while it is all by faith, I see it as very important to point this out to all seekers willing to hear.

The Allegory of Hagar and Isaac

Paul has repeatedly represented Christianity as “a state of freedom” guided by the Spirit of Liberty and has said that Christians (as the sons and daughters of God) are not servants, but freemen. To show the difference of the two conditions, Paul appeals to two cases which would provide a striking illustration.

The first was the case of Hagar and her son. They were first a product of the flesh and the effect of bondage in their lives was well illustrated as both she and her son were treated with severity and were cast out and persecuted. We note that the severe treatment of Ishmael made his a warlike nation and from this we see how trials serve to make people strong in the flesh.

The other case was that of Isaac. He was the son of a free-woman Sarah, the son of Promise, and he was treated accordingly in every way. Isaac was regarded as a son–not as a servant and therefore he was a fair illustration for those who became sons and daughters in and through the Gospel of Jesus Christ WHEN God appoints them. Ishmael was circumcised when he was thirteen (Genesis 17:25) and he grew up a true child of the desert, wild and wayward. Once Isaac, the son of promise (which means he was the son promised to Abraham and his wife, Sarah) was born and then was of the age to be weened, Ishmael began to insult his brother of promise and the result was Mama bear Sarah stepping in and telling Abraham to “Expel this slave (Hagar) and her son Ishmael."

Abraham was hesitant but was influenced by a divine admonition, and so he sent Hagar and her son Ishmael off with no more than a skin of water and some bread. Jumping ahead in our study this is the Old Testament description of this event:

Genesis 21:14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.

15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.

16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God. of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.

17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of

The Story of Ishmael

18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. 19 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. 20 And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. 21 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.

Ishmael became a great desert chief, but we have very little history recorded. He was about ninety years of age when his father Abraham died and it was in connection with his burial that Ishmael reappears from wandering. On this occasion the two brothers met after being separated by years. Little is known of him thereafter except that he died at the age of 137 years of age and (as we said) left twelve sons, who became the founders of the many Arab tribes or colonies, collectively called the Ishmaelites, a people who spread over the wide desert spaces of Northern Arabia from the Red Sea to the Euphrates.

The Ishmaelites and Their Legacy

Scripture says of the Ishmaelites that "their hand against every man, and every man's hand against them." In the case of Ishmael, and the life he was forced to face, Paul seems to find a perfect illustration of things created by decision of the flesh and the product of life under the Law.

In the son of Promise, however, Paul sees a reasonable illustration of those who were free, and not under bondage – an illustration of life in the New JerusalemThe spiritual reality of God's fulfilled presence with humanity—replacing Sheol after 70 A.D.; the heavenly city; the true kingdom of GodGod’s spiritual reign—fulfilled and present, not political or future.. It is in and through the DIFFERENCES that existed between these two sons that Paul sees a striking ILLUSTRATION of the nature of the bondage to the Jewish law, and of the freedom of the gospel.

Abraham's Sons

So, Abraham for sure had two sons. They were both his, just as the Nation of Israel is both by blood and then of those who became the Sons of Abraham by faith in Christ. Abraham subsequently had several other sons (I think six more) by Keturah, after the death of Sarah, but the two sons by Hagar and Sarah were the most prominent, and therefore served Paul in his illustration where he says that “one son (Ishmael) was by a bond-maid (his mother Hagar) and he adds (at verse 23)

23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

We could suggest that when Paul says that Ishmael was born after the flesh that all he means is that he was born in the natural manner all children are born but I cannot help but believe that the parallels are deeper. We recall that it was Sarah (who came up with the idea outside of the Promise) that Abraham ought to take her slave-servant as a means to conceive. This was an act of the flesh not one of the Spirit of promise.

There are numerous examples of people doing things by the flesh and not of the Spirit in scripture with the results not amounting to the will of God necessarily but He tends to deal with them anyway. They all amount to humans deciding to try and effectuate what is supposed to be by their own devices instead of waiting on the Lord to do what He promised.

Impetuous Actions in Scripture

One interesting example of this is found in Jesus day before He ascended into heaven. He told his apostles in Acts 1:4 when they were “assembled together”

“That they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father,”

This was the instruction, right? Now listen to what happens while they are in Jerusalem waiting – it is classic:

Acts 1:15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, (remember, Peter was impetuous and this occurred BEFORE the promise of the Holy Spirit fell on them) and PETER said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)

16 “Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, (so Peter cites scripture to support this act) which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. 17 For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. 18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of

The Replacement of Judas and the Selection of Matthias

19 And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. 20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, (Here Peter cites scripture again, saying) Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.

And then using all of this wisdom of his flesh Peter says

21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. 23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, 25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. 26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

The Twelve Apostles: Who Truly Belongs?

Let me ask you all something? Revelation says that the pillars that support heaven are twelve, and on them are the names of the twelve apostles.

What names do you think are on those pillars? You have some choices:

The original twelve, including Judas?

The second twelve, which includes Judas replacement determined by Peter’s logic and whose name was Mathias?

Or some of the Mormon Apostles?

Or the original eleven plus Paul?

Following God's Timing

I suggest that Peter’s church playing is what caused them to cast lots which fell on Mathias and that it was a decision of the flesh. And what do we hear from Mathias?

Nothing ever again.

But who was called by Jesus himself and not through the wisdom of Peter’s flesh? Paul – who wound up composing most of the apostolic record, right?

See the difference?

Waiting on the Lord is a principle that can be really hard to accept in our lives but when we submit to His will and timing, and walk not by our flesh, making decisions that appear wise and profoundly from God, we discover that God accomplishes what He wants, and it will likely be something very different from our fleshly desires or approaches.

Men can construct empires, we can accomplish all manner of things but the biblical essential repeatedly taught is that we do things by the Spirit, waiting on God, and do not look to the flesh because acts of the flesh will never accomplish the things of the Spirit, and never fulfill the ways and will of God.

Let’s stop there and we will wrap up Paul’s insights of Hagar and Sarah and their sons next week.

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