The Spirit of Sonship

5th Sermon in the Series: The Holy Spirit

01 August 2010 - Rev Scott Sauls

Galatians 3:26-4:7

²⁶You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, ²⁷for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

¹What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. ²He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. ³So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. ⁴But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, ⁵to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. ⁶Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." ⁷So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

• New awareness of a new identity when we accept our role as a son of God.
• Don't base your identity on ritual or moral laws.
• Associating ourselves with anything outside of God leads to a bunch of pathologies.
• We can't disassociate with other Christians if we follow Jesus.
• Christianity includes everyone, even those we disagree with.
• Future reality is our salvation; embrace the future person in front of us...look to their future.
• Jesus associated with everyone, not just the good people.
• Jesus doesn't quit on us.