No Other Gospel – week 7

5-Day Devotional on Galatians 3:26-4:7

Day 1: Sons and Daughters Through Faith in Christ

Summary:
Paul explains that faith in Christ makes us children of God. This adoption gives us full rights and privileges, just as sons in ancient cultures inherited their father’s estate.

Read:

• Galatians 3:26-27
• John 1:12-13
• Romans 8:15-17

Background:
In ancient cultures, only sons could inherit from their father. By calling all believers “sons,” Paul emphasizes that through faith, both men and women share in the inheritance promised to Christ. This adoption is made possible because of Christ’s redeeming work.

Key Words:

• Sons of God: Believers who are legally adopted into God’s family with full rights and privileges.
• Faith: Trust in Christ, which brings about this adoption.
• Clothed with Christ: The identification with Christ through faith, symbolized by baptism.

Theological Truths:
John Calvin writes, “Adoption is the gratuitous gift of God by which He makes us His sons and heirs through faith in Christ.”

Questions for Reflection:

1. How does being a “son of God” through faith shape your understanding of your relationship with God?(MULTILINE)
2. Why is it important to realize that both men and women are “sons” in the spiritual sense?(MULTILINE)
3. How does knowing that you are clothed with Christ impact the way you live?(MULTILINE)

Application:
Meditate today on your identity as a child of God. Consider how this truth affects your relationship with God and others.

Day 2: The Cost of Adoption

Summary:
Paul explains that our adoption into God’s family came at a great cost. Christ had to redeem us from the law’s curse by paying the price with His own life.

Read:

• Galatians 4:4-5
• Ephesians 1:4-7
• 1 Peter 1:18-19

Background:
In ancient times, adoption was a legal process that often came with a cost. Similarly, our adoption into God’s family required the ultimate payment—Christ’s death. Through His sacrifice, we were redeemed from the law’s curse and made God’s children.

Key Words:

• Redeem: To buy back or ransom, as Christ did for us through His death.
• Adoption: The act of God making believers His children with all the rights of heirs.
• Law: The Mosaic Law that could not save but revealed humanity’s need for redemption.

Theological Truths:
Theologian J.I. Packer notes, “Adoption is the highest privilege the gospel offers: higher even than justification. To be right with God the Judge is a great thing, but to be loved and cared for by God the Father is greater.”

Questions for Reflection:

1. What does it mean for you personally that Jesus paid the price for your adoption?(MULTILINE)
2. How does the concept of adoption affect the way you view your relationship with God?(MULTILINE)
3. How does knowing you were redeemed from the law’s curse give you confidence in your salvation?(MULTILINE)

Application:
Thank God today for the costly redemption that brought you into His family. Reflect on what it means to live as an heir to His promises.

Day 3: Our New Identity in Christ

Summary:
In Christ, there are no longer distinctions between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female. All believers are one in Christ and share equally in the inheritance.

Read:

• Galatians 3:28
• 1 Corinthians 12:13
• Ephesians 2:14-16

Background:
The Judaizers tried to divide believers by making some think they needed to follow Jewish customs to be saved. Paul counters this by teaching that faith in Christ erases all barriers—racial, social, and gender distinctions no longer define our identity. We are all one in Christ.

Key Words:

• One in Christ: Unity among all believers, regardless of race, social status, or gender.
• Inheritance: The spiritual blessings promised to all believers, regardless of their background.
• Unity: The oneness of believers through faith in Christ, which transcends worldly divisions.

Theological Truths:
John Stott states, “At the cross, Christ dismantled the barriers that divide people from each other, creating a new humanity characterized by unity.”

Questions for Reflection:

1. How does the truth that we are “one in Christ” challenge the way you view others in the church?(MULTILINE)
2. In what areas of life are you tempted to allow worldly distinctions to define your identity instead of Christ?(MULTILINE)
3. How does understanding your unity with other believers affect the way you treat others?(MULTILINE)

Application:
Seek out someone from a different background in your church or community and spend time getting to know them. Embrace the unity you share in Christ.

Day 4: From Slaves to Sons

Summary:
Paul explains that before Christ, we were slaves to the law, but now we are no longer slaves—we are sons. As sons, we have a personal relationship with God and are heirs of His promises.

Read:

• Galatians 4:6-7
• Romans 8:14-16
• John 15:15

Background:
In the ancient world, slaves had no rights or privileges, but sons enjoyed full inheritance from their fathers. Paul contrasts the believer’s previous life of slavery under the law with their new status as sons of God. This new status allows believers to call God “Abba, Father,” just as Jesus did.

Key Words:

• Slave: Before Christ, we were enslaved to sin and the law.
• Abba: An Aramaic term for “Father,” showing an intimate relationship with God.
• Heir: Someone who receives the inheritance promised by God through faith in Christ.

Theological Truths:
John Owen wrote, “To have God as our Father is the highest honor and privilege that can be bestowed upon any creature.”

Questions for Reflection:

1. What does it mean to you that you can call God “Abba, Father”?(MULTILINE)
2. How does understanding your position as a son and heir change the way you relate to God?(MULTILINE)
3. How does this truth affect the way you view your identity and purpose?(MULTILINE)

Application:
Take time today to pray, calling God “Abba.” Reflect on the intimate relationship you have with Him as His child.

Day 5: Living as Heirs of God

Summary:
As heirs of God, we are not only adopted into His family, but we also share in His eternal inheritance. This inheritance includes spiritual blessings now and the promise of eternal life.

Read:

• Galatians 4:7
• Ephesians 1:11-14
• 1 Peter 1:3-5

Background:
Paul concludes by affirming that believers are not just sons, but heirs of God. This inheritance includes all the spiritual blessings found in Christ and the promise of eternal life. As heirs, we are called to live in light of this inheritance, reflecting our identity as God’s children.

Key Words:

• Heirs of God: Those who share in the inheritance promised by God through Christ.
• Inheritance: The spiritual and eternal blessings promised to believers.
• Eternal life: The ultimate inheritance, promised to all who are in Christ.

Theological Truths:
R.C. Sproul says, “As heirs of God, we are guaranteed an eternal inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for us.”

Questions for Reflection:

1. How does knowing you are an heir of God influence your perspective on life’s challenges?(MULTILINE)
2. What does it mean for you to live as an heir of God’s promises today?(MULTILINE)
3. How can you remind yourself daily of the inheritance that awaits you in Christ?(MULTILINE)

Application:
Reflect on how your inheritance as a child of God changes the way you face difficulties. Share this truth with someone who needs encouragement.