SPIRITUAL ADOPTION, THE OLD AND THE NEW COVENANTS

[Alex2165]

SPIRITUAL ADOPTION AND HEIRS OF GOD​

THE OLD AND THE NEW COVENANTS

Galatians 4. 1-10

In these verses Paul compares Israel to a "child" that does not yet inherit the Estate of his Father, but the "child" is under guardians and managers, means under the Rules and Regulations of the Law of Moses. During the time of the Law of Moses Israel is submitted to "elemental things" (or "elemental spirits" or rudiments. NRSV).

It may mean the basic and simple Laws and Regulations of the Ritual Law and Behavioral Law of GOD that are given to Moses as the start of educational process of Israel. The elementary Ritual Laws of Moses was the first step of educational process, because Israelites at that time were are not Spiritually ready to learn much more higher standards of the Spiritual Laws of Moses.

In verse 4 position and environment of Israel completely changed with the coming of Jesus Christ the Son of GOD, Who was born of physical woman, and born under the Law of Moses under which Israel obligated to obey and fulfill it as their Covenant with GOD. Despite the fact that Jesus brought the Spiritual Commandments of the Law of Moses to Israel as their New Covenant to replace the Covenant of Rituals, Jesus Himself continued followed the Ritualistic Law of Moses as it was prescribed in the Law, in order to show to Israel that the both Laws can be obeyed and fulfilled and nothing is impossible in it.

Also, Jesus proved to all who doubt Him about His genealogy that He is the real Jew, and not just an ordinary Jews but from the tribe of Judah, descendant of David, royal Descendant.

~ 4. Genealogy of Christ: Luke 3.23-28, Matthew 1.1-17.

Verse 5 specifies one very important aspect of Jesus coming, He came to "Redeem those who were under the Law" under the Ritualistic Law of Moses, because of numerous violations of it by the leaders and by the people. Redemption of Christ came in form of Spiritual Commandments of the Law of Moses-the Gospel, to adapt Israel and the world by the Spiritual adoption of the Spiritual Law. To have for GOD not physical sons and daughters, but the Spiritual sons and daughters ready to enter His Spiritual Kingdom.

This signifies a new era in Spiritual worship and service of GOD.

John 4.23-24
23. "But an hour is coming and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.
24. GOD is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

Romans 12.1
1. "I urge you therefore brethren, by the mercies of GOD to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to GOD, which is your spiritual service of worship."

To Philippians 3.3
3. "It is we who are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of GOD, and boast in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,"

Verse 6 goes even further declaring Spiritual worshipers of GOD as "sons," to whom "GOD has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts." This is very similar to a statements made in other places of the Bible.

~ Writing on the hearts: (2Chronicles 30.12) (Psalm 40.7-8) (Proverbs 7.3) (Isaiah 44.3) (Jeremiah 24.7, 30.22, 31.33, 32.38.40) (Ezekiel 36.26-27, 39.29) (Zephaniah 3.9) (Hebrews 10.16-17) (2Corinthians 3.3).

Verses 7-8 describes the change from submission "slavery" to the Ritualistic Law and the world in general, to a Spiritual "son" of GOD and Spiritual "heir" of GOD'S Kingdom "through GOD," precisely through Jesus Christ.

In verses 9-10 Paul wrote to Philippians with rebuke, because the course of their church turned back to "elementary things" as Paul describes it in verses 3 and 9.

The verse 10 perhaps describes some of these "elementary things" with a word "observe" and in some Bibles with the words "observe special." This may indicate some kind pagan worship of heavenly bodies, or some special occasions or events related to sorcery or some kind magic forbidden by GOD.

In general description the result of such transition from "elementary things" of the Ritualistic Law of Moses to mush higher level of Spiritual Laws of Moses reveal itself in magnificent transformation like metamorphosis, from ordinary to extraordinary, from mortal physical flesh (23.29) to a Spiritual everlasting being, inside of whom the Spirit the Christ is formed.

Following verses 21-31, they describe the difference between Sarai and Hagar and the difference between Ishmael and Isaac. Paul emphasize difference between slave and free. Paul related Hagar to the ordinary earthly woman who produces ordinary earthly child Ishmael, from whom will come earthly ordinary descendants.

On the other hand, Paul portrait Sarai as not ordinary earthly but extraordinary woman, to whom special Spiritual Promises of GOD concerning her son Isaac and his descendants was made to her. (Genesis 17.1-22).

While Hagar and Ishmael also received from GOD and their revelation concerning their future, but it is very different from Sarai and Isaac (Genesis 16.9-12, 17.20, 25.12-18).

Verse 29 also gives us some clue concerning One Special Descendant of Isaac. In the second part of the verse Paul stated that Ishmael persecuted Isaac, means the descendants of Ishmael will persecute descendants of Isaac, and even today are witnesses of this incredible prophecy of persecution.

Because from Isaac's descendants will come Jesus Christ who will be persecuted and eventually Crucified by Gentiles, Paul made here excellent comparison with Isaac, the genealogical forefather of Christ, that Isaac "was born according to the Spirit," the Spirit of Christ. This entire verse 26 reveal the everlasting straggle between descendants of Ishmael who represent the ungodly evil of the world that constantly persecute descendants of Isaac who represent in this world as Jews, the descendants of Jesus Christ. In other words, those who persecute Jews and Judeo-Christians, persecute also Jesus Christ.

In verse 26 Paul now relate Sarai as our spiritual mother, in the same way Paul often reminded us that all who have Faith of Abraham are his Spiritual sons. So, in this sense we have not only Spiritual father but also and Spiritual mother, we have Spiritual Family which is much more important and higher than our ordinary earthly family, because Spiritual Family is the Family of GOD that never feud, never argue, never betray, never disappoint, and never separates, not like the ordinary families on Earth.

Paul presented Old and New Covenants as they both related to the descendants of Abraham who in their Faith, Fear, and Obedience worship and serve the Lord GOD. They are all Spiritual sons of Abraham.

See also related verses concerning Covenants of GOD with Israel and Gentiles.

The Promises of the New Covenant in the Old Testament (Old Covenant): (Isaiah 40.9, 41.27, 42.6, 49.8, 52.7, 54.10, 60.6, 61.1) (Jeremiah 31.31-34, 32.37-41) (Ezekiel 16.59-60.62) (Nahum 1.15) (Malachi 3.1).

The New Covenant in the New Testament (New Covenant): (Matthew 20.28) (Mark 14.24) (Luke 22.20) (2Corinthians 3.6) (Hebrews 8.8.10.13).

 

[Alan Dale Gross]

Paul presented Old and New Covenants as they both related to the descendants of Abraham

I like most of what you're saying. I looked this up because sometimes material on the subject is hard to find.

ABSTRACT OF SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

ADOPTION.​

"ADOPTION is that privilege, bestowed upon those who are united with Christ, and justified by faith, by which they are admitted into the family of God, adopted as his children, and made joint heirs with his own Son.

"In the strict sense of the word "Son," this title can be given only to the Eternal Son of God, who is the only begotten of the Father (John 1:14), and is exclusively "the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance." (Heb. 1:3).

"But others are called participatively sons of God, as probably the angels (Job 1:6; 38:7), as Adam (Luke 3:38), and as Israel (Ex. 4:22; Hosea 11:1; cf. Rom. 9:4). The sonship of angels and of Adam, manifestly proceeds from their creation by God in his image, and likeness.

"That of Israel, however, is to be ascribed to the typical relation which that nation occupied to the true people of God. The application to Christ in Matt. 2:15, of the sonship declared of Israel in Ex. 4:22, and Hosea 11:1, together with the adoption to which Paul refers, Rom. 9:4, shows, that Israel's sonship, like Israel's election, was but a type, the fulfillment and reality of which were to be found only in the Antitype, Jesus Christ.

So far as Israel itself was concerned, the title could mean no more, than that that nation had been chosen by God to be outwardly his people, the depository of his holy oracles, and the means through which his salvation would come to man. John 4:22.

"The sonship ascribed to the believer in Christ, will be best understood by considering its gracious origin, its peculiar nature, and the wondrous blessing which it confers.
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"I. Its Gracious Origin.

"1. It is not due to any natural relation, either originally possessed, or restored through justification.

"2. Nor does it arise from any new image or likeness of God, which has come through regeneration.

"3. It is the simple gift of God's love to those who by faith are brought into union with his proper Son.

"4. It is an act originating entirely in the good pleasure of God. Eph. 1:5.

"5. It is due, meritoriously, only to the work of Christ. It could be founded thus upon nothing else.

"6. It is conferred like justification upon all who by faith receive Christ. John 1:12.

"7. It is bestowed at the beginning of the Christian career, when there could be no ground for supposing it due to the character or acts of the recipient..."
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"II. Its Peculiar Nature.

"If what has been said shows that the gift of sonship to the believer is a gracious act of God, that fact will appear more plain as we study the peculiar nature of that sonship.

"1. It is an act by which God chooses to take those who are not his children, and to make them such by adopting them into his family. Because of this they "are no more strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God." Eph. 2:19.....

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"III. Its Wondrous Blessings.

"The blessings connected with this sonship are scarcely less wonderful than is its nature.

"1. Intimate fellowship with Christ and God. "Wherefore," says the apostle, "thou art no longer a bond servant, but a son." Gal. 4:7. "No longer," said Jesus, "do I call you servants; . . . but I have called you friends." John 15:15.

"2. The guidance of the Holy Spirit; "as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God." Rom. 8:14.

"3. The witnessing presence of the Holy Spirit: "the Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God." Rom. 8:16.

"4. The conscious recognition in our hearts of God's relation to us as Father. "God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father." Gal. 4:6; also Rom. 8:15.

"5. "If children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ." Rom. 8:17.

"6. Unknown glory in future likeness to Christ: "it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him." 1 John 3:2.

"7. The inheritance includes all things: "he that overcometh shall inherit these things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son." Rev. 21:7; cf. 1 Cor. 3:21-23..."
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"IV. It Differs From Justification.

"It has been contended that "adoption cannot be said to be a different act or grace from justification." [Dabney's Theology, p. 627.] "It appears to me," says Dr. Dick, [Lect. 73, Theol., vol. 2, p. 224,] "to be virtually the same with justification, and to differ from it merely in the new view which it gives of the relations of believers to God, and in the peculiar form in which it exhibits the blessing to which they are entitled." Turretine says also, "that adoption is included in justification as a part which, with the remission of sins, constitutes this whole blessing; nor can justification be distinguished from adoption, unless so far as it is taken strictly for the remission of sins; whilst in its own formal conception it includes also acceptance unto life which flows from the imputation of the righteousness of Christ." Turretine's Theol., B. 16, c. 6, sec. 7.

"The position taken by these writers is a contrary extreme to that which some have held, viz.: that justification consists only of pardon. It is not to be doubted that justification is more than this, and includes restoration to the favor of God, and to eternal life. But these might have been bestowed without conferring upon the justified the peculiar blessings contained in Adoption. "Adoption," says Buchanan [on Justification, p.262], "is distinct in some respects from justification. For although both denote a change in relation, it may be affirmed that, according to Scriptures, pardon, acceptance, and adoption, are distinct privileges, the one rising above the other in the order in which they have been stated; -- that if it be conceivable that a sinner might have been pardoned, without being accepted to eternal life, it is equally conceivable that he might have been both pardoned and accepted, without being adopted as a son; -- and that, while the first two first properly belong to his justification, as being both founded in the same relation,--that of a Ruler and Subject,--the third is radically distinct from them, as being founded on a nearer, more tender, and more endearing relation,--that between a Father and his Son."

"Dabney argues that there is no difference between the two because the "instrument is the same--faith--and because the meritorious ground of adoption is the same with that of justification, viz.: the righteousness of Christ."

"But these facts, which are admitted, are due to another, which is that the faith by which we are justified is one which secures to us union with Christ. It would not necessarily follow that this union confers upon us only a single blessing or a number of blessings which may be combined together under one name."​