Meditations in Galatians #18,
Galatians 3:26 “Sons of God”
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“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
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Father, I know there is much more here than Paul’s actual point, so please help me to stay with what You wanted the Galatians to know, then help me to see more. Paul has all along been reminding the Galatians why they should not be playing around with Moses. And why this really is serious. So now he uses a new metaphor from their daily experience to reveal something even more amazing.
I was taught that when a person of great means had children he put them in the care of a tutor. For example, Alexander the Great was tutored by Socrates. A child could not receive his inheritance until his training was complete. It didn’t matter that everything would eventually belong to the child, he lived as if he had nothing until the day he received everything. And then a new kind of life began, the life of a “Freeman.” Paul is saying to the Galatians that Moses Law was a tutor. No one is without a tutor. The Gentiles were also tutored, by nature and conscience, and perhaps by other means if God saw fit.
The great moment comes when we receive our inheritance. All tutors are abandoned. We are grateful for their contribution to our character, but they have served their purpose. It is the glory of the tutor to step back and see his pupils become all he intended. It is the glory of Moses to no longer be needed. It is the glory of the Law to have accomplished its mission. But now the reality has come. Only full Sonship, full inheritance, all the authority and privileges and responsibilities, and the full confidence of the Father, can sever one from the Tutor. And there must never be a backward glance. No way can we ever return to the Tutor. We must never desire a return to the lack of accountability and responsibility which was allowed by our status as “mere” children. We are not to be students forever. We must grow up. We must accept the inheritance. We must become MEN. Then we are Sons of God. And all of this is through our Brother, Jesus. He has led us. He has won for us the inheritance. He has won for us the Father’s favor. He has severed us from our tutors.
Father, I know that You desire obedience more than sacrifice, but now, I think I see another reason why this is so. Your greatest pleasure is in giving to Your Son all that He has inherited from You, everything! But, its not just the giving, but that Your Son is worthy of all You have to give. It His worthiness that brings You the greatest pleasure. And now You can give it all to Him, without reservations. His worthiness makes YOU free to do what You want to do! And You also want this for us. You desire that by faith in Your Son, we become worthy of Sonship, so that we can leave our tutors behind, and take full possession of the inheritance You have prepared for us, starting with Eternal Life.
So… Now I am no longer just a son, but now I am a Son.
What a terrifying privilege! What a frightening honor!
Brother, lead me. I will stay close to You.
Abba!
Abba!
… MY FATHER …