The Spirit of Adoption

Well, this week was a week of disturbing news.

! And I paused to even share this story, but I would guess that many of you have already heard,

vivid illustration today of our subject, of what we are going to be speaking with and dealing with

in our passage. Those of you who are aware of Joshua Harris and know of the books that he has

written in his past, the one that stands out that maybe many of you are familiar with is

I Kissed Dating Goodbye. You're probably aware of that book. A man who in his early years was

discipled by a prominent pastor, a man who for many years was a part of a multi-site, multi-campus

ministry, a very prominent ministry. And yet, in this last week, made an announcement that he and

his wife of about 20, 21 years were going to separate. They were going to get divorced.

Now, if that wasn't shattering enough, I kissed my marriage goodbye,

is what he posted in his Instagram account on Friday. And I'll just read an excerpt of it.

He says this,

The information that was left out of our announcement, that is namely divorcing his wife,

is that I have undergone a massive shift in regard to my faith.

The popular phrase for this is deconstruction. The biblical phrase is falling away.

By all the measurements that I have defined a Christian, I am not a Christian.

Many people tell me that there is a different way to practice faith.

And I want to remain open to this, but I'm not there now.

Martin Luther said that the entire life of a believer should be repentance.

There is beauty in that sentiment, regardless of your view of God.

I have lived in repentance for the past several years,

repenting of my self-righteousness,

my fear-based approach to life,

the teaching of my books,

my views of women in the church,

and my approach to parenting,

to name a few.

To my Christian friends,

I'm grateful for your prayers.

Don't take it personally

if I don't immediately return your call.

I can't join in your mourning.

I don't view this moment negatively.

I feel very much alive

and awake

and surprisingly

hopeful.

Now, I don't raise this

illustration

this morning

to disparage

Joshua Harris

to say anything

about him as an individual

that he has not said

about himself.

And namely,

the fact that

every part of his life

leading up to this point

was just

a facade.

It was just

a show.

It was just

a game.

It wasn't real.

It was superficial.

And in saying that,

he did not have

up to this point

the Holy Spirit

living

and working

and illuminating

his life.

That's by his own confession.

Not

personal judgment

on him.

But it does stand

this morning

as a

wake-up call.

a wake-up call

to all of us

in this room.

How easy it is

to go through

the motions,

to rise to the highest

levels of

religious leadership,

to study the Bible

week in and week out,

to even teach it

in public venues,

and then to shipwreck

everything

and to abandon

the very core

of what you said

you believed,

and even wrote

that you believed

and taught

that you believe

and people were

encouraged

and even inspired

by the statements

you made

about the Bible.

And yet,

it wasn't

real

in his life.

What do you say

to that?

how do you respond

to such

devastating news?

How do you make

sense of it all?

Where do we go

in the Scriptures

to be able

to begin

to decipher

what could

possibly

have gone wrong

in Joshua

Harris'

life,

in the new

trajectory

of the path

that he's on

right now?

Now,

by God's grace,

the story

isn't over yet.

The last chapter

has not been written.

God's intervening

grace can continue,

can come,

and overcome

this time

of blindness

for him.

But make no mistake,

there has not been,

up to this point,

saving faith.

Otherwise,

the words of Jesus

would not be true

that we find

in Matthew

Matthew 10:21

chapter 10

verses 21

and 22.

It says this,

Jesus,

in speaking

to his disciples

about coming

persecution,

says,

brother will deliver

brother over

to death,

the father his child,

the children will rise

up against their parents

and have them

put to death,

and you

will be hated

by all

for my namesake,

but

the one

who endures

to the end

will be saved.

not because

of any

internal

strength

or fortitude,

but because

of outside

power of God

in dwelling

a life

and helping

them to overcome

by the strength

of God

in every moment.

So where are you

this morning?

As you do

a heart check,

where is your

faith?

We're going to

begin to talk

about this

this morning.

It is kind

of a continuation

of our series

in Romans 8,

but a detour,

I would say,

because as we

have been looking

through Romans

Romans 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8,

this morning

we would be

in verse 15

through 17.

Let me read

that for us,

Romans 8,

15 through 17,

from page 944

in your pew Bible.

And we're going

to use this

as a launch pad

to move our way

over to Galatians

Galatians 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4,

a companion passage

that talks about

the same thing.

We're going to be

talking about

the significance

of adoption today.

What does adoption

mean for you

this morning

as a believer

in Jesus Christ?

And the reason

why we want to

spend two weeks

is because it's

such a significant

truth for us

to understand.

So if you're

with me in

Romans chapter 8

Romans 8:15–17

verses 15 to 17,

it says this,

For you did not

receive the spirit

of slavery

to fall back

into fear,

but you have

received the spirit

of adoption

by which you

are called,

the spirit of adoption

as sons

by whom you cry,

Abba,

Father.

The spirit himself

bears 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.

Paul has been

following this

through in the

last chapter

for us

to help us

understand

that any

of us

who are

in Christ

share a couple

of privileges.

First,

if we're in Christ

there is no

condemnation for you.

But also

if you are

in Christ

then the

spirit

of,

the spirit

who is in you

helps you

to overcome

the spirit

of law.

It says that

in verse 2.

Trying to remember,

there is therefore

no condemnation

for those

who are in Christ Jesus

for the law

of the spirit

of life

has set you

free

from the law

of sin and death.

And over the last

couple of weeks

we've seen

what the

Holy Spirit

accomplishes

in a life.

In verse 10,

if Christ

is in you

although the body

is dead

because of sin

the spirit

is life

because

of righteousness.

In verse 13,

if you live

according to the flesh

you will die

but if by the spirit

you put to death

the deeds

of the body

you will live.

For all who are led

by the spirit

of God

are

sons

of God.

And Pastor Saul's

last point

last week

for us

was this.

Our response

to the spirit

is an evidence

of our

salvation.

How are you

responding

to the spirit?

How am I

responding

to the spirit?

When

the spirit

speaks

do you listen?

Is there

the continual

pattern

of death

to sin

or is there

a consistent

pattern

of life

to righteousness?

Because the

Holy Spirit

as God

in you

will lead you

to righteousness.

sin

and the spirit

cannot

coexist

in the same

place.

Who

is your

master

and Lord?

God

or yourself?

The spirit

or sin?

So we're

going to take

this

we're going to

talk about

adoption

this morning

the significance

of the spirit

of adoption

and we're

going to move

our way

to Galatians

Galatians 4:1–7

chapter 4

verses 1

to 7

and Pastor

David

next week

will pick

this up

in Romans

Romans 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8

and carry

it through

help to

re-articulate

and re-emphasize

many of the

same points

that we find

here in Romans

8

but I just

want to lay

the foundation

for our

understanding

about the

significance

of adoption

and what it

does for us

as God's

people.

Galatians

Galatians 4:1–3

chapter 4

verses 1

to 3

is where

we're going

to start

if you're

again

if you're

using the

pew Bible

it's on

page 974

let me read

this for us

it says

I mean

that the

heir

as long

as he

is a

child

is no

different

from a

slave

though he

is

the owner

of everything

but he

is under

guardians

and managers

until the

date

set

by his

father

in the

same way

we also

when we

were

children

were

enslaved

to the

elementary

principles

of the

world

now I

want to

begin

this

morning

in

helping

to

develop

this

for us

I

want us

all to

understand

some

of the

context

of what's

taking

place

here in

Galatia

it

begins

as the

apostle

Paul

defines

the

problem

of their

true

status

the

problem

of their

true

status

now just

to give

you some

background

this is a

church

comprised

of both

Jews

and Gentiles

and they

seem to

have this

difficulty

recognizing

and appreciating

the finished

work

of Christ

on the

cross

that declares

finally

and categorically

no condemnation

that's what we've

been studying

in Romans

Romans 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8

but those

in Galatia

especially those

who were

Jews

wanted to

continue

to add

new

requirements

to those

who were

Gentiles

because

in their

own

estimation

as Jews

and having

come from

Abraham

they had

a heritage

they had

a heritage

that was

special

and favorable

and they

wanted

those who

were Gentiles

to enjoy

the same

benefits

of their

heritage

by becoming

circumcised

so Paul

wants to

help lead

them in

their

true

understanding

of their

true

identity

and he

calls

them

sons

here

at the

very

beginning

of

Galatians

Galatians 4:1

chapter 4

verse 1

he says

your sons

okay I'll

grant you

that but I

want you

to understand

what that

really means

see as they

think they

are sons

and in

thinking

they're sons

they think

that they're

heirs

they would

say we

are sons

of Abraham

we're

God's

special

people

as Jews

we are

recipients

of the

law

we are

heirs

of God's

favor

we are

a distinguished

community

we're

God's

own

special

people

we're

not like

you

Gentiles

in that

we have

been set

apart

we have

a history

of devotion

and not

a history

of idolatry

we have

a history

of obedience

and not

a history

of bondage

as you

we have

a history

of divine

revelation

and not

a history

of darkness

as you

Gentiles

and in so

doing they

wanted to

set themselves

apart as

we are

sons

but now

Paul uses

that very

statement

and turns

the tables

on them

to help

them understand

the significance

of what's

really going

on in

their lives

you think

you're sons

but you

are really

slaves

you're really

slaves

and he goes

on here

in verse 1

I mean

that an

heir

as long

as he

is a

child

is no

different

from a

slave

though he

is owner

of everything

but is

under

guardians

and managers

until the

date set

by his

father

he uses

several words

here to

help them

understand

their true

condition

he begins

with the

word

sons

but in

the Greek

it's not

the word

for son

that would

be necessarily

somebody who

is considered

an heir

it is somebody

who is considered

an infant

somebody who

would have

no rights

no

responsibility

but an

infant

where there

is

very little

if any

benefits

a status

of legal

incompetence

is what

he

intends

to

communicate

he talks

about the

fact that

as a

son

they are

also

under

meaning

they are

under

authority

under

somebody else's

control

and then

he uses

guardians

and managers

to help

bring this

full picture

of this

cultural

setting

that they

would have

been very

familiar

with

to help

them understand

their true

condition

as somebody

who was

under

a guardian

it was

somebody

who

a guardian

was somebody

who cared

for those

who were

under age

a house

manager

is somebody

who tended

to the

responsibilities

the administrative

responsibilities

of the house

itself

that coupled

with the word

for guardian

that he uses

in chapter

three

helps bring

full picture

to the

confinement

of their

real status

they were

no better

than slaves

they had

no ability

to make

decisions

and in

the ancient

day

they were

assigned

to these

managers

and guardians

who would

look after

them

who would

teach

them

who would

manage

their own

finances

and they

could not

do anything

or go

anywhere

without

one of

these people

one of

these slaves

along

with them

essentially

Paul says

you think

you're

something

special

you think

you're a

son

but you

are actually

no better

than a

slave

and then

to bring

this reality

home

he amplifies

it

in verse

three

you demonstrate

your true

nature

by your

sin

you prove

in evidence

who you

really are

by your

continual

gravitation

and tendency

you're bent

towards

sin

he says

in the same

way we also

when we were

children were

enslaved

to the

elementary

principles

of the

world

that's

who you

were

but now

you continue

to revert

back

to that

same way

of life

and it

calls into

question

your true

identity

he repeats

this again

in a couple

of verses

drop down

to verse

eight

in nine

look what he

says there

formerly

when you

did not

know God

you were

enslaved

to those

that by

nature

are not

gods

but now

that you

have come

to know

God

or rather

to be

known

by God

how can

you turn

back

again

to the

weak

and

worthless

elementary

principles

of the

world

whose

slaves

you want

to be

once

more

your

previous

way

of life

demonstrated

an identity

that was

coupled

with sin

it was

bound

by slavery

to your

flesh

and now

that you

call yourself

a Christian

how is it

that you

continue

to revert

back

to those

same

elementary

principles

those same

things that

were true

of the

basic

parts

of who

you were

as an

individual

verse 3

you were

enslaved

verse 8

you were

enslaved

notice the

coupling

verse 3

talks about

slaves to

the elementary

principles of

the world

verse 9

slaves now

again

to the

elementary

principles of

the world

simply

you were

once bound

to sin

just like

the Gentiles

don't

go back

don't

go back

those

who are

in the

spirit

cannot

go back

Paul

reiterates

the same

message

in Romans

Romans 6:15

chapter 6

verses 15

and 16

where he

says

what then

are we

to sin

because we

are not

under the

law

but under

grace

by no

means

do you

not know

that if

you present

yourselves

to anyone

as obedient

slaves

you are

slaves

of the

one

whom

you

obey

either

of sin

which leads

to death

or of

obedience

which leads

to righteousness

who's your

master

you can only

have one

you cannot

have two

and you

are

the

slave

of the

one

to whom

you obey

you are

the slave

to whom

the one

you give

your

allegiance

whether that

be an

allegiance

to sin

or whether

that be

an allegiance

to the

spirit

which leads

to righteousness

you cannot

have it

both ways

who

is your

master

and that's

the point

here in

Galatians

and Paul

will pick

that theme

up again

and again

in Romans

Romans 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8

the first

several verses

we've been

looking at

you can only

have allegiance

to one

master

is it the

master

to the

flesh

or is it

a master

to the

spirit

who will

lead you

to righteousness

and then

in Galatians

Galatians 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5

Paul picks

it up again

and says

walk in the

spirit

and you

will

not

fulfill

the lust

of the

flesh

the one

you serve

is the

one

who owns

you

that is

your

master

but at

times

it might

not be

super

obvious

at least

externally

it is

possible

to accomplish

great

things

for God

and never

be a

Christian

don't

look at

supposed

fruit

the

outward

appearances

and think

that something

is true

internally

that is

not

Jesus

talks

about

this

in

Matthew

Matthew 7:21

chapter 7

verse 21

he says

many will

say to me

that day

Lord

Lord

did we

not

prophesy

in your

name

and cast

out

demons

in your

name

and do

many

mighty

works

in your

name

and then

I will

declare

to them

I never

knew

you

depart

from me

you

workers

of lawlessness

so what

is it

how do

we know

what does

it take

to have

assurance

of the

reality

of the

spirit

in our

life

it takes

a commitment

to faith

a commitment

of a heart

to believe

what God

has said

and to

act on

it

because the

just

will

live

by

what

church

just

will

live

by

faith

it's

as

simple

as

that

it

comes

down

really

to

freedom

that's

what we've

been

talking

about

this

year

it

comes

down

to

freedom

that

you

obey

not

out

of

a

sense

of

duty

you

obey

out

of

a

gratitude

in

your

heart

to

God

it

is

an

expression

of

delight

to

him

walking

in

faith

the

just

will

live

by

faith

that's

what

it

is

and

with

the

dilemma

in

full

view

in

verses

one

to

three

now

Paul

begins

to

turn

to

hope

he

talks

about

now

the

plan

of

our

adoption

the

plan

of

our

adoption

in

verses

four

and

five

it

says

this

but

when

the

fullness

of

time

had

come

God

sent

forth

his

son

born

of

a

woman

born

under

the

law

to

redeem

those

who

were

under

the

law

so

that

we

might

become

or

receive

adoption

as

sons

there

is

this

five

fold

strategy

that

we're

going

to

talk

about

briefly

in

just

a

moment

but

a

five

fold

strategy

that

results

in

one

thing

this

one

thing

that

comes

at

the

very

end

of

verse

five

it's

it's

marked

out

by

so

that

you

might

receive

adoption

adoption

adoption

was in

the mind

of God

before

the

universe

was even

spoken

into

existence

God

had

adoption

in mind

this

should

blow

us

away

not

only

salvation

not

only

deliverance

not

only

forgiveness

of

sin

but

sonship

and

daughtership

adoption

to

God

a

relationship

and

intimacy

with

him

not

just

rescue

but

fellowship

that

comes

because

of

adoption

I want

you

us

to

understand

the

significance

of

this

term

the

significance

of

the

term

adoption

because

Paul

could have

used

a lot

of

words

he

could

have

described

this

new

relationship

in terms

of

new

birth

Jesus

did

that

with

Nicodemus

Paul

has

done

that

in

his

writings

as

well

he

could

have

described

this

new

relationship

in terms

of

justification

we've

talked

about

no

condemnation

in

Romans

8

we

were

familiar

with

justification

that we

see there

in

Romans

8

some

have

actually

suggested

that

Paul

may

have

invented

this

word

because

he

is

the

only

writer

to

use

it

once

in

Romans

8

once

in

Galatians

4

and

nowhere

else

in

the

New

Testament

it's

never

used

in

the

Septuagint

it's

never

used

by

those

who

were

in

classical

Greek

those

who

were

writers

during

Paul's

day

it is

the

first

time

it's

ever

used

in

all

of

history

Paul

uses

it

here

in

Galatians

so

why

why

use

this

term

what

is

its

significance

what

is

Paul

trying

to

communicate

well

I

think

first

of

all

Paul

wants

to

obliterate

the

Gentile

Jew

distinction

he

wants

the

Jews

to

understand

the

significance

of

oneship

to

Christ

but

more

importantly

he

used

this

to

level

the

ground

before

the

cross

to

make

the

sweetness

of

the

gospel

glorious

in

their

eyes

in

reality

you

all

started

as

slaves

in

reality

you

all

experience

the

new

birth

in

reality

you

are

all

adopted

God

doesn't

see a

difference

between

Jew

or

Greek

now

we're

all

heirs

and

in

reality

God

the

father

sees

Abraham's

seed

not as

Israel

but as

Christ

and

if you

are in

Christ

then you

are an

heir

which

we're

going to

get to

in

just

a

moment

in

Galatians

Galatians 3:28

chapter 3

verse 28

he talks

about

removing

the

distinction

there

is

neither

Jew

nor

Greek

there

is

neither

slave

nor

free

there

is

no

male

or

female

for

you

are

all

one

in

Christ

Jesus

in

this

truth

statement

it is

not

used

to

bring

the

Jew

down

it is

not

given

to

make

the

Jew

feel

like

a

lesser

individual

it is

used

to

expound

the

greatness

of

the

wonder

of

their

new

relationship

it is

to

raise

the

Jew

up

to

the

highest

level

possible

you

are

a

first

generation

son

you

are

a

first

generation

daughter

you

don't

have

to

look

back

to

Abraham

you

don't

have

to