Remember that it is written that Jesus as a young lade grew in grace and wisdom. We in like fashion are to grow in grace and wisdom and not remain as children as some of the religious systems of man's vain imagination (more on this as we move through this chapter) would have us to believe and understand. For this to happen we must also have the same seed of faith that Jesus possessed. Another area of our common ground besides that of our flesh (humanity). Mans contrived systems of religion no matter how innocence it may seem is the road block of hindrance to GOD's plan and purposes.
Galatians 3:23-4:7 "But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." (KJV)
Galatians 3:23-4:7 "Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 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. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. 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. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God." (ESV)
Galatians 3:23-4:7 "We were confined to the Law, kept in custody to its constraining influence until the revelation of faith would come to our rescue! The Law was acting just like a slave appointed to be the guardian of his master's children, until they would be come of age to go to the proper school of Christ to find in faith their righteousness revealed and endorsed. Now that we have arrived at our destination, the prophetic road signs and pointers are of no further use. Faith replaced the Custodian. Now that faith has become the law, the Law is no longer relevant. What Jesus Christ believes to be true about us is the final confirmation of humanity's redeemed sonship. His faith is the only valid reference to our belief! Whoever is immersed in Christ is fully clothed (in humanity's flesh) with him! He is our brand new wardrobe confirming our sonship! (From now on the diaper days are over! "Our own righteousness by doing the law compares to filthy rags!" {Isiah 64:6]) Nothing resembles our previous identity as a Jew or Gentile, bond or free, male or female, Billabong or Gucci, now we are all defined in oneness with Christ! He is our significance and makes us beautiful! Since Christ is the seed of promise, it is only in our realizing our union with him (in the incarnation) that we are equally related to Abraham and heirs of the promise. Faith and not our flesh relates us to Abraham. (WE inherit his righteousness by the same faith.) Infant heirs have no more say than a slave, even though they own everything! (The best deal the Law could possibly broker confirmed humanity's slavery to sin.) He would remain under domestic supervision and house rules until the date fixed by his father for his official graduation to the status of sonship. This is exactly how it was with us; we were kidnapped as it were into infancy and confined to that state through the Mosaic Law. (An inferior mind-set as a result of Adam's fall. In which humanity lost the glory of his innocence and became the guilty of a lie, impossed on all the flesh of man.) But then the day dawned; the most complete culmination of time! (Everything predicted or promised was concluded in Christ!) The Son arrived, commissioned by the Father; his legal passport to the planet was his mother's womb. In a human body exactly ours he lived his life subject to the same scrutiny of the Law. His mandate was to rescue the human race (represented by Israel and not Ishmael) from the regime of the Law of performance and announce the revelation of our true sonship in GOD. (Now our true state of sonship is again realized! [John 1:12 of 1:11-14] "It was not as though he arrived on a foreign planet, he came to his own, yet his own did not recognize [acknowledge] him. [Psalm 24:1] But to everyone who realizes their association in him, convinced that he is their original life, in them he confirms that we are his offspring. These are they who discover their genesis in GOD beyond their natural conception! Man began in GOD. We are not the invention of our parents! Suddenly the invisible eternal Word takes on visible form! The Incarnation! In him, in us! The most accurate tangible display of GOD's eternal thought finds expression in human life! The Word became a human being; we are his address; he resides in us! He captivates our gaze! The glory we see there is not a religious replica; he is the authentic monogenes begotten only of GOD. In him we recognize our true beginning. The Glory that Adam lost, returns! In fullness! Only Grace can communicate truth in such complete context!) To seal our sonship GOD has commissioned the Spirit of sonship to resonate the Abba echo in our hearts; and now, in our innermost being we recognize his as our true and very dear Father. (The original life of the Father revealed in his Son is the life the Spirit now conducts within us. [Romans 8:14] Slavery is such a poor substitute for sonship! They are opposites; the one leads forcefully through fear; sonship responds fondly to Abba Father. [Romans 8:15] His Spirit resonates within our spirit to confirm this fact that we originate in GOD. [Romans 8:16] Because we are his offspring, we qualify to be his heirs, GOD himself is our portion, we co-inherit with Christ. [Romans 8:17]) Can you see how foolish it would be for a son to continue to live his life with a slave mentality? Your sonship qualifies you to immediately participate in all the wealth of GOD's inheritance which is your because of Christ. (Legalism and religion in its every disguise contradicts sonship! Sonship is not for sale!) (The Mirror)
Now for most this is quite a mouth full to take in. But that not withstanding may the LORD GOD Abba Father increase your understanding of this truth. Until next time may He richly bless you and yours in his peace or prosperity.
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