Theme:
Heirs of God
Scriptures:
Galatians 4:1-31
Objectives:
(From the D6 Fusion Sunday School Lesson book)
Know:
We are heirs of God through faith in Christ, not by our own merits.
Think:
View my life as an opportunity to bring glory to my Father.
Do:
Live by faith in Christ, free to obey Him in the power He gives me.
B1
Galatians 4:1-7,
C1
Children
Some interpret this as
D1
Jews under the elementary principles of Jewish laws.
D2
Jews and Gentiles before they believed.
D3
Gentiles (the Galatians) who believed in many gods before believing
into Jesus Christ.
C2
Elementary
principles
Some interpret this as
D1
Mosaic law
D2
The many gods of idolatry
D3
Sin
C3
Whatever the meaning is the principle taught is every human is under
bondage.
C4
What are some things that people are in bondage to?
C5
What is the significance of God sending His son as Redeemer?
C6
Why did Jesus have to be born of a woman and under the Law?
C7
Adoption as sons
D1
Sons
here includes male and female gender.
D2
The word for adoption is υἱοθεσία huiothesia.
It
means adoption.
D3
It is used in Scripture 3 ways:
E1
Physical adoption as going through an agency to adopt a son or
daughter. It is this sense the Pharaoh’s daughter adopted Moses
(Exodus 2:10).
E2
National adoption as Israel was adopted by God (Romans 9:4).
E3
Spiritual adoption as being brought into the family of God, thus a
believer is a son of God or a daughter of God. He is our Father. He
has adopted us.
E4
It is a present reality for believers: Ephesians 1:5 NKJV Having
predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself,
according to the good pleasure of His will.
E5
It is also future:
F1
Romans 8:19 NKJV For
the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the
revealing of the sons of God.
F2
Romans 8:23 NKJV Not
only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even
we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the
adoption, the redemption of our body.
E6
A note from Vincent’s Word Studies on this passage:
Then
an heir (καὶ κληρονόμος): Καὶ marks the logical
sequence. Comp. Rom 8:17. The figure is based upon Roman, not upon
Jewish, law. According to Roman law, all the children, sons and
daughters, inherited alike. According to Jewish law, the inheritance
of the sons was unequal, and the daughters were excluded, except
where there were no male heirs. Thus the Roman law furnished a more
truthful illustration of the privileges of Christians. Comp. Gal
3:28.
E7
Give some of the benefits of being an adopted son or daughter of God.
E8
Remember that we were slaves of sin: Romans 6:20-21 NKJV For
when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to
righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of
which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
E9
Now we are slaves to righteousness and heirs of God: Romans 6:22-23
NKJV But
now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God,
you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in
Christ Jesus our Lord.
C8
What is good about being able to address God as "Abba, Father?”
C9
What do we inherit?
D1
The earth (Matthew 5:5)
D2
Eternal life (Matthew 19:29)
D3
A heavenly family (Matthew 19:29)
D4
God’s Kingdom (James 2:5)
D5
The Tree of Life (Revelation 2:7)
D6
Kings and Priests (Revelation 5:9-10)
D7
What we need to live a Christian life (2 Peter 1:3)
D8
The Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8)
D9
Forgiveness of sins (1 John 1:9)
D10
Freedom from guilt (Romans 8:1 and Hebrews 10:22)
D11
Free from slavery to sin (Romans 6:18)
D12
A heavenly home (John 14:1-2)
D13
Perfect knowledge and freedom from ignorance (1 Corinthians 13:12)
D14
Some other blessings: Revelation 21:4 NKJV And
God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more
death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the
former things have passed away.
B2
Galatians 4:8-20
C1
Name some things that the Galatians were enslaved to.
C2
In Galatians 4:10, days, months, seasons, and years are mentioned.
What would Paul be referring to?
C3
We don’t know for sure what Paul’s physical condition was
(Galatians 4:14). It was not mentioned, because today there are many
physical conditions that would appear to be offensive. Why didn’t
the Galatians reject Paul and his message?
C4
How do people become an enemy for telling the truth?
C5
Are we to ask forgiveness for telling the truth?
C6
Some truths:
D1
The truth that they were sinners. (Galatians 5:11 and 1 Peter 2:8).
Truth can be offensive.
D2
The truth that it is appointed to die, then to be judged. (See
Hebrews 9:27).
D3
Galatians 5:7 NKJV You
ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?
D4
Galatians 2:11 NKJV Now
when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because
he was to be blamed. (and
read then through verse 14).
C7
Galatians 4:17-18
D1
Two versions
E1
17
They
are enthusiastic about you, but not for any good. Instead, they want
to isolate you so you will be enthusiastic about them. 18 Now it is
always good to be enthusiastic about good—and not just when I am
with you.
(CSB)
E2
17 Those
false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions
are not good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you
will pay attention only to them. 18 If someone is eager to do good
things for you, that’s all right; but let them do it all the time,
not just when I’m with you.
(NLT)
D2
How do false teachers butter us up to manipulate us?
E2
How can we avoid being manipulated?
C8
What is the pain that Paul is feeling for the Galatians?
C9
When does Paul state that he will not feel this pain anymore?
C10
Christ
formed in you
D1
Bob Utley makes this comment of the passage:
"until
Christ is formed in you" "Formed" [Greek root morphç]
was used in a medical sense for fetal development. Morphç could
refer to the abiding character of something. This text refers to
their maturity in Christ (cf. Eph. 4:13), or in other words, their
Christlikeness (cf. Rom. 8:28-29; 2 Cor. 3:18; 7:1; Gal. 4:19;
Eph.1:4; 4:13; 1 Thess. 3:13; 4:3,7; 5:23; 1 Pet. 1:15). This does
not necessarily mean two different experiences of the Christian
life—salvation and maturity—and yet we all know that maturity is
a developmental experience.
Paul
showed that his motives in teaching and preaching to the Galatian
churches were totally different from those of the self-seeking false
teachers.
D2
Would this include right doctrine, a Christian worldview, a Christian
lifestyle in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds?
D3
How do we develop this?
B3
Galatians 4:21-31,
C1
Explain in your own words Paul’s allegory of the 2 sons (Galatians
4:21-26).
C2
Why is being under the law (obeying Mosaic Law) being in bondage?
D1
John Calvin writes in his commentary on Hebrews 12:22:
Then
he contrasts mount Sion with mount Sinai; and he further adds, the
heavenly Jerusalem, and he expressly calls it heavenly, that the Jews
might not cleave to that which was earthly, and which had flourished
under the Law; for when they sought perversely to continue under the
slavish yoke of the Law, mount Sion was turned into mount Sinai as
Paul teaches us in the Gal 4:21 of the Epistle to the Galatians. Then
by the heavenly Jerusalem he understood that which was to be built
throughout the whole world, even as the angel, mentioned by
Zechariah, extended his line from the east even to the west.
D2
What are we Christians to be firmly attached and steadfast
towards—the earthly or the heavenly?
C3
In Paul’s allegory, how are Christians the children of the free
woman?
C4
Are we to obey the Law of Moses? If so, how? (Basically, only when it
is repeated in the New Testament to be obeyed. Nine of the ten
commandments are repeated in the New Testament, for example. The
Sabbath Laws are not).
C5
Is our righteousness only from faith or do we have to do good works
and follow the Law of Moses to be saved, forgiven, reconciled with
God?
B4
Next week
C1
Family first
C2
Theme: Household of faith
C3
Scriptures: Galatians 6:1-10
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