Amazing Grace
Pastor Dave Monreal, Lead Pastor
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.
Galatians 4:4-7
When a person places his faith in Christ several things happen or are true simultaneously. The Bible says first that a person is made alive or regenerated by the Spirit of God. When we are converted, we are first of all “born again.” This is the godward side of salvation. We hear the gospel, and the Holy Spirit stirs our heart and mind to counter the effects of sin clouding our mind, so we see the offer of the gospel for what it is and our desperate need for what that is. We respond in repentant faith. We turn away from sin and turn to the living God.
At the moment we place our faith in Christ we are also justified. Justification carries both the reality that we are forgiven for our sins because of the death of Christ and that we are declared righteous because we are clothed with the righteousness of Christ. We stand before God forgiven and accepted not because of us but because of what Jesus did in his death and resurrection as well as his active obedience throughout his life!
Concurrent with that is the truth that we are adopted into the family of God. We all become “sons of God” through faith in Christ. People may think, wait a minute, I am a woman, why should I consider myself a “son” of God and not a “daughter” of God. It isn’t discriminating against women but understanding the reality of being a son was in biblical culture. It was the firstborn son who was the inheritor of all the Father’s blessings! So, this teaches us that as God’s adopted child in Christ we inherit all of the blessings of the Father in Christ as his son! Also, keep in mind that all the men in the church are also the Bride of Christ!
Why is adoption so important? This reminds us that we are God’s child and that he has not only rescued us, but he calls us his child and he has committed himself in covenant to us. He promises us that he will be for us and not against us and that he will love us with everlasting love. He has made us the object of his affection and lavishes his love on us in Christ. His righteous anger over sin has been completely turned aside and poured out on Jesus so that he will always, only ever deal with us in love! The term “Abba” is hard to translate into English because it is much more intimate than even the word “Father” but much more elevated than the word “daddy.” It is a word of both respect and intimate tenderness. You can cry out to your loving heavenly Father because he delights in you.
One last thing happens the moment you trust in Christ, you are called out of the world and placed into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. You are “in Christ” and set apart for God. There is an initial sanctification where you have died to sin and been raised to newness of life. This process of sanctification has a definite beginning at conversion. We were slaves to sin apart from Christ, but sin is dethroned in everyone who has genuinely been made alive by the Holy Spirit.
Our salvation truly is amazing! Take a moment to worship our risen Lord for the multi-faceted reality of our great salvation.
