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“Adopted”
Galatians 3:26-4:7
Did you know that a baby’s cry matches the mother’s language? At just 2-3 days old, the baby cries
in a distinctive way, mimicking the sound of the child’s mother. Researchers recently conducted a
study of sixty newborn children. In this study, they found that each newborn had its own “cry
melody,” a specific & unique pattern of sounds. But more than that, they found that babies match
their cry to the sounds & intonations of their mother’s voice (Todd Wilson). This finding probably comes
as no surprise to you who are mothers. From day one moms know this, right? In a room full of babies a
mom knows the cry of her child.
Do you realize this is true of God & His children as well? There is a unique & distinctive cry of the
children of God. God hears & knows the sound of His children crying out to Him. This is one of the
great privileges of being children of God. When God adopts us, He sends his Spirit into our heart,
causing us to cry, “Abba! Father!” This cry identifies who we belong to; who our Father is.
This morning we see one of the most wonderful truths about our relationship to God in Christ. A truth
that we need to remember, especially when hardships & trials come. If you are a Christian, you are a
child of God. He knows you. He hears you. And He is with you always.
1. Through faith we each are united with Christ (3:27).
In Christ, we have a new identity – Christian.
The phrase “put on” means to “be clothed.” It suggests the shedding of an old garment and the
donning of a new garment. It is the removal of the filthy & condemning rags of our sin and the
putting on of the perfect & righteous rob of Christ.
“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was
raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans
6:4).
Believer’s baptism is an outward & physical symbol of the inward & spiritual change wrought in
Christians. Baptism is the picture of a person being buried with Christ (immersion in water) and
being raised to new life with Christ (emergence from water). Baptism is a symbol – like a wedding
ring is a symbol of marriage – baptism symbolizes the person’s union with Christ & His Church. It is
the public profession: “I am a Christian!” The old self (clothed in Adam – sin) is dead & buried with
Christ; and the new self (clothed in Christ – eternal glory) is raised with Christ to live in the newness
of eternal life (ESVSB).
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Some of you have made a verbal profession in Jesus Christ, but have not followed the Lord in
believer’s baptism. You should do this. What is stopping you? Why do you neglect this public
profession? Make your faith public & join the fellowship of this church. Your obedience to submit
to baptism is an outward expression of inward faith in Christ.
2. Through faith we together are united in Christ (3:28).
In Christ, we are members of a new family – the Church
A person who is united with Christ is also united with every other Christian without distinction. This
does not mean that there are not differences among Christians, there clearly are racial, social,
gender differences. Unity in the Church does not mean uniformity. We are diverse in many ways.
In Christ, we are one, united people. We all have the same spiritual privileges and worth, and that
is not based on racial, social, or gender.
John MacArthur: “Prejudice based on race, social status, sex, or any other superficial and
temporary differences has no place in the fellowship of Christ’s church. All believers, without
exception, are all one in Christ Jesus. All spiritual blessings, resources, and promises are equally
given to all who believe unto salvation.”
In Christ, the church is united within our diversity, not our sameness. The church should be a
beautiful mosaic. The Church is to be made up of all people because the gospel is for all people.
The gospel of Jesus Christ knows no cultural boundaries and neither should Christ’s church. The
church today should be a small glimpse of the great & glorious day that is coming when all
believers from every tribe, nation & tongue are gathered around the throne of God worshipping
together. We untied together though faith. We are family of God. We are the body of Christ. We
are the church.
“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to
your call—5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and
through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-5).
3. Through faith we are sons of God in Christ (3:26).
Here we see the most wonderful truth & joy of our faith: Our adoption as sons.
Two Privileges of Sonship:
a. Inheritance (3:29-4:5). If you have faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, you too are a son of
God. Now, some may wonder, “Why not sons and daughters?” To answer that, we need to
understand something about the ancient culture, the time that Paul was initially writing to,
because the reason is very important. In the ancient culture, daughters could not inherit
property. Therefore, the son was the legal heir to the inheritance. But notice that Paul tells the
Church, “you are all sons of God.” We are all heirs. This is not just a promise to male Christians.
It is to all Christians. Remember also that the church (male & female) are referred to as the
“bride of Christ.” All who are in Christ are heirs according to the promise and redeemed
through faith in Christ and adopted as sons.
But friends, there is something even more wonderful than the inheritance. Look at verses 4:6-7.
b. Intimacy (4:6-7).
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Theologian J.I. Packer writes: “Adoption is the highest privilege that the gospel offers, higher
even than justification.” I could not agree more. Some of you may be thinking, “Wait a minute.
What could be greater than justification – that is, being declared just before God in Christ?”
Think of it like this, “in justification, the picture is legal; we stand before a judge who makes a
pronouncement. But in adoption, the judge not only declares you ‘Not guilty,’ but He also gets
up off the bench, comes down to where you are, takes your chains off of you, and He says,
‘Come home with Me as My son.’” (Platt/Merida).
God went to great lengths to secure our adoption. He spared no expense. In fact, He paid the
highest price of all by giving His Son so that we could be made right with Him and become His
children through in Jesus Christ. Salvation in Christ is not only a legal change in our standing
before God, it is a relational change with God. We are adopted into God’s family.
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of
God; and so we are” (1 John 3:1).
Christian, our adoption as sons is a wonderful truth that should thrill our hearts. We are no
longer outsiders left alone in our sin, but we have been bought with the blood of Christ and
made heirs & sons of God. Through faith in Christ we go from condemned slaves of sin to
redeemed children of God who cry out, “Abba, Father!”
Todd Wilson writes, “God’s adopted children have, then, a very distinctive cry; they have a
distinctive way of responding to life’s challenges. The distinctive thing is not that God’s children
have fewer challenges. Nor is it that God’s children don’t grieve or experience disappointment.
Instead the distinctive thing about God’s children is this: when they cry they make a different
sound than those who aren’t God’s children. When faced with suffering, whether great or small,
God’s children turn to their heavenly Father and cry out to him, “Abba! Father!” And by faith they
expect their heavenly Father to hear and respond to their cry.”
For many, the thought of God as a Father does not bring thoughts of love, care & joy. It is hard for
many to understand the love of God as Father because of their experiences with earthly fathers.
Many people come from broken homes with abusive or absentee fathers. This may include some of
you. Perhaps you grew up in a family, or you are now in a family, where you are unloved or even
abused mentally, physically, sexually. For you, the word “father” does not bring peace, love, &
acceptance, but fear, hate, & rejection. This is not the case with God. He is a Good Father.
God is a good Father who loves & cares for you. Do you know His love? Have you received it? Are
you experiencing it? Have you accepted the gift of salvation that comes through faith in His Son? Do
you know the joy & hope of being a member of God’s family?
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