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Listen with me in your Bibles 
to Galatians chapter 3. Galatians 3, we're going to focus 
on 26 to 29, but I'll begin reading in verse 1. O foolish Galatians, 
who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before 
whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 
This only I want to learn from you. Did you receive the Spirit 
by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? Are you 
so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are 
you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered 
so many things in vain, if indeed it was in vain? Therefore, he 
who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, 
does he do it by the works of the law or by the hearing of 
faith? Just as Abraham believed God, 
and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Therefore, know 
that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the 
Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by 
faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, In 
you all the nations shall be blessed. So then, those who are 
of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. For as many as are of 
the works of the law are under the curse, for it is written, 
curse it is everyone who does not continue in all things which 
are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no one 
is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for 
the just shall live by faith. Yet the law is not of faith, 
but the man who does them shall live by them. Christ has redeemed 
us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. 
For it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree, 
that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles 
in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit 
through faith. Brethren, I speak in the manner 
of men, though it is only a man's covenant, yet if it is confirmed, 
no one annuls or adds to it. Now to Abraham and his seed were 
the promises made. He does not say, and to seeds, 
as of many, but as of one, and to your seed, who is Christ. 
And this I say, that the law, which was 430 years later, cannot 
annul the covenant that was confirmed by God in Christ, that it should 
make the promise of no effect. For if the inheritance is of 
the law, it is no longer a promise, but God gave it to Abraham by 
promise." Excuse me. What purpose then does the law 
serve? It was added because of transgressions, 
till the seed should come, to whom the promise was made. And 
it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. Now 
a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one. Is 
the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not. For if 
there had been a law which could have given life, truly righteousness 
would have been by the law. But the Scripture has confirmed 
all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might 
be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were 
kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would 
afterward be revealed. Therefore, the law was our tutor 
to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 
But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as 
many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek. 
There is neither slave nor free. There is neither male nor female. 
For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, 
then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. 
Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, we 
thank you for the Word of God, and we thank you for the Gospel 
of our salvation. We thank you that it's by grace 
alone, through faith alone, and Christ alone, as is so evident 
and so clearly set forth in this book of Galatians. God, help 
us now to be encouraged at the thought of what Christ has accomplished 
on our behalf. We thank you for His life, His 
death, His resurrection, and we thank you that He has secured 
for us every benefit, every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places 
in Christ. how we praise you that we are 
enabled to call you Father, that we are able to come before you 
through the mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ and through 
the power of the Holy Spirit. And we would pray that tonight 
God would be all in all in this place, that you would be exalted 
and glorified, that you would be praised and worshiped, and 
that as we take the bread and drink the cup, we would remember 
particularly our blessed Lord's work on our behalf. How we praise 
You that You made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us that 
we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Do forgive us 
now for our sins and our transgressions. Please fill us with Your Holy 
Spirit and guide our thoughts as we consider this passage of 
Holy Scripture. And we pray through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. Amen. Now, it would certainly 
be difficult to sort of just parachute into Galatians chapter 
3 and give a sort of a good sense of the whole, but suffice it 
to say that up to verses 26 to 29, Paul has basically been tracing 
God's activity in history, how God worked through the old covenant. In fact, I submit that in verses 
24 and 25, law there takes or has the connotation Not of the 
Ten Commandments or the moral law of God, but primarily the 
Mosaic or the Old Covenant. The law was our tutor to bring 
us to Christ. That was one of the functions 
of Old Covenant religion. It was to show them their sin, 
their depravity, and their need for Messiah, their need for the 
one alone in whom there is forgiveness. So that law was our tutor to 
bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith, but after 
faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. Again, that does 
not mean we can go murder, we can commit adultery, we can break 
the Sabbath. The moral law is abiding. It 
is for not only the old covenant, but the new covenant, the idea 
being is that we're not under the tutelage of old covenant 
religion. So Paul has been drawing sort 
of in broad strokes up to verse 26 in terms of what we might 
call the history of salvation, how God has worked out His plan 
to save His people from their sins. With 26 to 29, he focuses 
in on what we might call the order of salvation, those benefits 
that we have been given freely by God's grace, the ordo salutis, 
those redemptive benefits secured for us by Christ. Now, we know 
ultimately it's because of what Christ has done. Notice in Galatians 
3.13, Paul says, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, 
having become a curse for us, for it is written, cursed is 
everyone who hangs on a tree. So that is the hinge upon which 
our salvation comes. It's through the life and the 
death and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. He has become 
a curse for us. For it is written, curse it is 
everyone who hangs on a tree. It's a blessed reality. We're 
not here tonight, we're not confessing faith in Jesus Christ, we're 
not saved by our works. That is abundantly clear in this 
epistle to the Galatians. We are here because of God's 
free grace. We are here because of the blood 
of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are here because God has redeemed 
us, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law having become 
a curse for us. Now, one of the particular objects 
that Paul has in mind as he writes Galatians is to argue against 
what's called Judaizing. Basically, in the early church, 
Paul's first missionary journey, he founded these churches in 
Galatia. And after he left to depart back 
to Jerusalem, before going on a second missionary journey, 
there were these men that came along to the churches and said, 
yes, it's good for you to believe that Jesus is the Messiah. It's 
good for you to trust in Christ, but you must also be circumcised. You must also obey the ceremonial 
law. you must also oblige yourself 
to what was commanded in the Old Testament. In other words, 
the Judaizers were saying, it's not enough to believe the gospel, 
you also have to become Jews. They were Judaizing, and Paul 
preaches, and Paul condemns that reality because it smacks of 
faith plus works, and that's what he condemns in this particular 
epistle. So having sort of set our text 
in its context, let's look at three things in verses 26 to 
29. In the first place, we see the believer's filial identity 
in verses 26 and 27. Now, filial simply means of relating 
to or befitting a son or daughter. In other words, we'll develop 
briefly the doctrine of adoption from verses 26 to 27. Secondly, 
we note the believer's redemptive unity. In other words, in verse 
28, there is neither Jew nor Greek, there's neither slave 
nor free, neither male nor female, but we are one in Christ Jesus. 
And then thirdly, and finally, we'll look at the believer's 
covenantal solidarity in verse 29. Solidarity simply means union 
or fellowship arising from common responsibilities and interests. In other words, we are where 
we're at because of God's promise made to Abraham fulfilled in 
and through our Lord Jesus. But note first, the believer's 
filial identity, the blessing of adoption. Verse 26, for you 
are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. That ought to 
put a smile on your face, right? You may have missed the contextual 
explanation concerning Paul's larger purpose. You may have 
missed the idea concerning the Historia Salutis, but let this 
sink in. You are all sons of God through 
faith in Christ Jesus. The for you all refers to both 
Jew and Gentile, the all who believe the gospel. It's not 
all men everywhere without exception, but rather without distinction. 
There's no longer these sort of boundary markers. There's 
no longer this Jew-Gentile distinction. But in Christ Jesus, those who 
believe are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. What is 
adoption? The Westminster Shorter Catechism 
says it is an act of God's free grace whereby we are received 
into the number and have a right to all the privileges of the 
sons of God. So all of the privileges that 
are available to those in God's household are ours in and through 
Christ Jesus the Lord. The doctrine of justification 
by faith concerns the sinner before God, the judge. The doctrine 
of adoption concerns the sinner before God, the father. Adoption 
is a necessary consequence of justification. In other words, 
when you believe the gospel, when you are justified freely 
by His grace, you are brought in to the very family of God. The doctrine of adoption highlights 
the sinner's restoration to God's favor and family. Turn back to 
John chapter 1. John chapter 1, just to see a 
few other texts that specify this blessed truth that we are 
adopted. We have now been brought nigh 
through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 10 of John 
1, he was in the world and the world was made through him and 
the world did not know him. He came to his own and his own 
did not receive him. But as many as received him, 
to them he gave the right to become children of God. to those 
who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of 
the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 
We have become children of God." Again, it's not by words, it's 
not by effort, it's not by law, it's not by merit. It is specified 
clearly to those who believe in His name. That's one of the 
most glorious truths that was at least recovered or highlighted 
or the light was shone upon in the Reformation. Protestantism 
didn't develop sola fide. Protestantism didn't develop 
this idea that we're justified by faith alone. Protestantism 
only cleared away the fog and the smoke and the dust that had 
settled over this truth for so many centuries under Popery. 
This truth is set forth clearly throughout Scripture. We're not 
justified by our works. We're not justified by a conglomerate 
of faith plus works. We're justified freely by His 
grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice in Ephesians 
chapter 1, This is the grand purpose for election, for predestination, 
for the exercise of sovereign grace. Notice in Ephesians 1, 
4, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the 
world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him. 
In love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus 
Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will. 
to the praise of the glory of His grace by which He made us 
accepted in the Beloved. And then in Ephesians 1.11, in 
Him also we have obtained an inheritance being predestined 
according to the purpose of Him who works all things according 
to the counsel of His will. So this means inclusion into 
the family of God according to God's sovereign grace. It is 
appropriated by or it is received as a result of faith exercised 
toward our Lord Jesus. This means, Ephesians chapter 
2, notice there, that we are members of the household and 
family of God. Notice in Ephesians 2.19, now 
therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners. Again, a primarily 
Gentile audience, persons that had not grown up in the covenant 
community of Israel. Paul's demonstrating clearly 
that in Christ Jesus there is no longer this dividing line. 
You are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens 
with the saints and members of the household of God. Notice 
in 3.14, for this reason, I bow my knees to the Father of our 
Lord Jesus, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is 
named. Go back to Ephesians 1.13, as 
adopted members of this household, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit 
of promise. Notice in 13, in him you also 
trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your 
salvation, in whom also having believed, you were sealed with 
the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance 
until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his 
glory. Paul tells us in Romans chapter 
8 that we're not somehow second-class citizens. In other words, adoption 
in this particular context. When a father adopted a son in 
this civil society, that son had a right and entitlement to 
all the privileges of sonship. In other words, he wasn't treated 
as sort of a lower Echelon, son. That the sons who were born in 
that particular family had extra benefit. No, they were brought 
in and conferred upon all the benefits consistent with sonship. Paul tells us in Romans 8, 17 
that we are joint heirs. with Christ Jesus. We're not, 
you know, second class citizens in this family of God. We are 
joint heirs with Christ. In other words, all that is blessed, 
all that Christ receives in terms of his blessed position before 
the Father is true of us as well. Notice in Hebrews 2, just sketching 
some texts to sort of flesh out this blessed privilege of adoption. 
Notice in Hebrews chapter 2, very specifically at verse 10, 
For it was fitting for him, for whom are all things, and by whom 
are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain 
of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he who sanctifies 
and those who are being sanctified are all of one. For which reason 
he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare 
your name to my brethren. In the midst of the assembly, 
I will sing praise to you. You see that the Lord Christ 
Most High calls us brethren. That is one of the blessed privileges 
of the doctrine of adoption. We are called brethren. On a 
very unrelated side note, look at the glory of Christian worship. 
You know, we believe in the real presence of Jesus Christ by the 
power of the Holy Spirit. When we read the book of Revelation, 
we see Christ in the midst of the lampstand. We ought to realize 
that when we wake up on Sunday morning, that we're going to 
this particular building, not simply to see one another, but 
to be in the presence of our Christ. And note that Christ 
is the worship leader, as the people of God attend the public 
worship of God. Verse 12, I will declare your 
name to my brethren in the midst of the assembly, I will sing 
praise to you. We don't have a worship leader 
taken from our own ranks, but rather we have a worship leader 
provided to us by the Father, even our Lord Jesus Christ. So going back to Galatians chapter 
3, just a brief sketch concerning the blessedness of the doctrine 
of adoption. Note the means by which we come 
into saving contact with Christ. Verse 26, for you are all sons 
of God through faith in Christ Jesus. It would be difficult 
to sketch for you each and every time in the book of Galatians, 
Paul highlights this reality that it's by faith. Again, not 
by faith plus works, certainly not by works. Remember that the 
Galatian heresy was not strictly works-oriented. It was not the 
case that they thought, we've got to obey the law in order 
to be saved. No, we have faith plus. That's Paul's condemnation. It's more of a sort of a Romanistic 
kind of a thing. It's not that Roman Catholicism 
denies grace or denies faith or denies the necessity of the 
Lord Jesus. It's just that they want to supplement 
it with their own particular works. Well, Paul's argument 
throughout Galatians is that if righteousness comes through 
the law, then Christ died in vain. So that's why he continually 
emphasizes this by faith reality. Notice, just for a few specimen 
passages, Galatians 2, 16, knowing that a man is not justified by 
the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. Even we 
have believed in Christ Jesus that we might be justified by 
faith in Christ and not by the works of the law. For by the 
works of the law, no flesh shall be justified. Notice in verse 
20. Paul's own experience, I have been crucified with Christ. It 
is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. In the life 
which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of 
God who loved me and gave Himself for me. We ought never to tire 
of presenting this truth. We live in a world with sinners 
that are burdened down by their sin. And you may be here tonight 
as a sinner burdened down by your sin. This morning I had 
the privilege of attending the Children's Sunday School and 
talking. One of the kids brought up Pilgrim's 
Progress. One of these little children 
encouraged me. That meant that somebody at home 
was reading Pilgrim's Progress to their little ones. Boy, what 
a blessing it was to be with them. And this little girl brought 
up Pilgrim's Progress and how Christian had this heavy burden. 
Well, certainly. If you're not here tonight and 
you're not in Christ Jesus, you have that heavy burden. If you've 
ever read Pilgrim's Progress, if you see the pictorial edition, 
specifically the Banner of Truth edition, some of those sketches 
are just superb and beautiful. You've got this man Christian, 
he's got this heavy burden upon his back. It's the weight of 
sin. It's the heaviness of his own 
wickedness before God. Where does that burden fly off 
at? It's at the foot of the cross 
when he believes the gospel. You see, brethren, as Christians, 
we're not out in society first and foremost preaching our morality. We're not out first and foremost 
preaching our example. We ought to be out preaching 
Christ and Him crucified because the only means by which those 
burdens are ever taken care of is through the cross. Notice 
verse 13 in chapter 2, Christ has redeemed us from the curse 
of the law because you tried hard. No, because he's become 
a curse for us. As it is written, cursed is everyone 
who hangs on a tree. We need to emphasize, perhaps 
more than ever than today, a recent book has been released, Salvation 
by Allegiance Alone. That's Roman Catholic. Is Bates 
actually a papist? Maybe he's not, okay. But that's 
not sola fide, not justification by faith alone. That implies 
our obedience as a means by which we are saved. Nothing in my hand 
I break. This is what Toplady said, and 
I think he's far more correct. Simply to thy cross I cling. Foul I to the fountain fly. Wash me, Savior, or I die. There is no contribution that 
we can make. In fact, that's the emphasis 
in the book of Galatians. You can't contribute. You can't 
participate. You're not a co-redeemer alongside 
of Jesus Christ. Either Jesus Christ saves to 
the uttermost, or he doesn't save at all. And if you mingle 
faith plus works, you have put yourself outside of His saving 
power because either He gets the glory or we do. Notice Galatians chapter 3 verse 
2. This only I want to learn from you. Did you receive the 
Holy Spirit or the Spirit by the works of the law or by the 
hearing of faith? Notice in verse five. Therefore, 
he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among 
you, does he do it by the works of the law or by the hearing 
of faith? Notice in verse six. Just as 
Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Notice in 7, 8, and 9. Therefore, 
know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 
and the scripture foresaying that God would justify the Gentiles 
by faith. Preach the gospel to Abraham 
beforehand saying in you all the nation shall be blessed. 
So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. 
You see it couldn't be more conspicuous. couldn't be more insistent, Paul 
couldn't be more consistent, emphasizing justification by 
faith alone. The believer is not a son of 
God through the works of the law, the believer is the son 
of God through faith in Christ Jesus. John Eady says, but now 
we are sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus. by that faith forgiven, 
accepted, regenerated, adopted, born of God, and reflecting the 
paternal likeness, loved, blessed, and disciplined by Him, trained 
to do His will and to submit to it, enjoying the free spirit 
which cries, Abba, Father, and prepared in all ways for His 
house of many mansions. Notice in verse 27, Paul appeals 
to baptism. Verse 27, for as many of you 
as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Now this 
probably functions the way it does in Romans 6. In other words, 
recall your baptism, what's happening at your baptism. You're publicly 
identifying your commitment to the triune God, again, by grace 
through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul tells them to remember 
that. Paul tells them to have a conscious 
realization of that. Or it may just reference the 
reality that when we, by grace through faith, come to the Lord 
Jesus, we are immersed in Christ Jesus. We have union with Christ 
Jesus. We have newness of life. The 
old man is dead. One man uses this or defines 
this language at the end of verse 27, as many of you as were baptized 
into Christ have put on Christ. Isn't that a beautiful phrase? 
Have put on Christ. You probably remember it from 
Romans 13, 14. but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no 
provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. This idea of put on 
our clothes with a personal object means to take on the characteristics, 
virtues, and or intentions of the one referred to and so to 
become like that person. But Paul is not commanding here, 
Paul is describing what has happened. In Romans 13, 14, it's an argument 
for sanctification. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, 
be clothed with Him, be characterized by what characterizes Him, and 
make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. Here Paul 
is simply describing what happened when we by grace came to the 
Lord Jesus Christ. For as many of you as were baptized 
into Christ had Put him on. You are members of the family 
of God. You are joint heirs with the 
Lord Jesus Christ. You are in union with Him. You 
are blessed immeasurably. Now notice, secondly, the believer's 
redemptive unity. This is beautiful. He says, there 
is neither Jew nor Greek. Now, why do you think he's doing 
this? because these Gentiles in the churches of Galatia are 
being told they need to become Jews. Vis-a-vis circumcision, 
right? That's the point. That's Paul's 
whole argument. Those of you who choose circumcision 
as a path of obedience to commend yourself to God, you are obligated 
to keep the whole law. It's what he says in Galatians 
chapter five. And so wouldn't this be a breath of fresh air 
to the original readers? You've got these Judaizers who 
have visited your church and somehow, someway, they got access 
to the pulpit or they had a home Bible study and they invited 
you over and they said to you, it's a good thing that you believe 
in Jesus as the Messiah. But let me turn you back to Leviticus 
and Numbers and Deuteronomy. You need to also be circumcised 
in order to be truly the people of God. So Paul comes along and 
says, uh-uh. Now, this grace through faith 
salvation is the great leveler of man. In other words, there 
is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there 
is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. F.F. Bruce makes this observation. by similarly excluding the religious 
distinction between slaves and the freeborn and between male 
and female. He's already noted this exclusion 
of the religious distinction between Jew and Gentile. He says, 
"...by similarly excluding the religious distinction between 
slaves and the freeborn, and between male and female, Paul 
makes a threefold affirmation which corresponds to a number 
of Jewish formulas in which the threefold distinction is maintained." 
In other words, a Jewish man would wake up in the morning. 
And he'd probably recite the Shema in Hebrew. Hear, O Israel, 
the Lord our God, the Lord is one. I'm smiling because James 
White often recites the Shema in Hebrew. It's a good thing, 
right? I'm just making sure we all knew 
that the Jewish man did that. And then he would go on to thank 
God that he wasn't born a woman, he wasn't born a Gentile, and 
he wasn't born a slave. How do you like that as a prayer, 
right? Ladies don't go home and cry and say, those feministic 
wretches. Yeah, well, this is what Paul 
is combating. That's why I just don't get this 
whole mindset that Paul was this great enemy of women. Paul was 
not an enemy of women. Paul was a champion of free grace, 
and he realized that that free grace brought unity, redemptive 
unity among the people of God. So Bruce goes on, a number of Jewish formulas in 
which the threefold distinction is maintained, as in the morning 
prayer in which the male Jew thanks God that he was not made 
a Gentile, a slave, or a woman. Now, Gentiles, slaves, and women 
were oftentimes disqualified from certain privileges in religion. Paul's point specifically is 
that race, social status, nor gender renders someone a second-class 
citizen in the household of God. In other words, there's no Jew, 
no Gentile, no slave, no free, and no male or female. We have 
redemptive unity because of God's grace and that faith that He 
has given to us in Christ Jesus the Lord. Now, this unity of 
Jew and Gentile is seen in several places in the New Testament. 
I just want to look at one for time's sake. Notice in Ephesians 
2. Ephesians chapter 2, this whole idea of slave and free 
is also noted in various places, or at least in one other place 
in the New Testament. But note specifically the solidarity 
that believers have, whether Jew or Gentile, in Christ Jesus. One specimen passage is in Ephesians 
2, verses 14 to 18. Notice, for he himself is our 
peace. Christ is our peace. That's the 
reason why this distinction no longer exists. It's the reason 
why this barrier is no longer present. For He Himself is our 
peace, who has made both one and has broken down the middle 
wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that 
is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create 
in Himself one new man from the two, thus, notice this, making 
peace. Look at the apostle's argument. 
Christ is our peace. Christ makes peace through His 
blood-shedding at Calvary. And notice, Christ preaches peace, 
verses 16 and 17, and that He might reconcile them both to 
God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the 
enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were far off 
and to those who were near. And then notice, through Christ, 
this one new man, has access to the Father, for through Him 
we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. So you see the 
way that Christ does this at the cross is not to minimize 
the Jews or to elevate the Gentiles, but it is through His own precious 
blood to bring that redemptive unity to all the people of God. As Gil says, being alike chosen 
in Him, united to Him, redeemed by His blood, justified by His 
righteousness, regenerated by His Spirit, the children of God 
by faith in Him, and heirs of the same grace and glory, they 
make both Jews and Gentiles, bond and free, male and female, 
as it were, but one new man in Him, one body of which He is 
the head, one spiritual seed of Abraham and of Christ. It's a beautiful thing, isn't 
it? Those distinctions are not there. Redemptively. And we need 
to make sure that we qualify this because this has become 
a battleground for women pastors. Because the obliteration of these 
distinctions means that women can now enter into the gospel 
ministry. It is intriguing, commentaries 
of a few centuries ago never deal with this. It was just unheard 
of, right? I mean, you just didn't have 
to spend time like I'm gonna do right now qualifying what 
Galatians 3.28 does not mean. He said, we have to do that because 
of what's called egalitarianism and this idea that redemptive 
unity means no more gender distinction. Yes, it does. It absolutely does. When Paul wrote Galatians, those 
who were slaves in the churches did not immediately become emancipated. They didn't say to their masters, 
I'm in Christ now. I have to go free. No. Jews didn't stop being Jews ethnically. And as long as Jews didn't participate 
in their particular customs in a religious sense, in terms of 
trying to commend themselves to God, Paul had no problems 
with them obeying those customs or engaging in those customs. 
So you see, role distinctions are maintained. This redemptive 
unity does not obliterate the reality that God in creation 
and upheld at redemption has particular roles for men and 
women. Paul himself maintains role distinction 
with reference to the church, 1 Corinthians 11, 1 Timothy 2. Paul says, I do not permit a 
woman to teach or to exercise authority. No one in Ephesus 
who had read Paul or heard Paul in 1 Timothy said, but what about 
Galatians 3, verse 28? That's the text that says that 
women can teach or exercise. Don't we follow this simple argument? Has it become so difficult to 
maintain a basic rational thought that my position in Christ renders 
me on the same footing as everybody else who has that position in 
Christ. But that doesn't make me a white 
man a black man, it doesn't make a black man a white man, it certainly 
doesn't make a man a woman, and it certainly doesn't make a woman 
a man. Paul maintains role distinctions in the church in 1 Corinthians 
11 and in 1 Timothy chapter 2. Paul says, I do not allow a woman 
to teach or exercise authority over a man. No one said, but 
what about Galatians 3? No, they understood that redemptive 
unity does not obliterate gender distinction. Paul maintains gender 
distinction in the home, doesn't he? In Ephesians chapter 5, wives 
submit to your own husbands. I doubt the women in Ephesus 
said, but what about Galatians 3.28? You said there's no distinction. You see, it's just a no-brainer. 
Persons prior to the 21st century were able to grapple with such 
things and have no problems with it whatsoever. Our redemptive 
unity does not obliterate role distinction. I think Peter summarizes 
this point very clearly in 1 Peter 3, 7. Husbands, likewise, dwell 
with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife as to 
the weaker vessel. Wow, he would just be pummeled 
today, wouldn't he? I mean, Mike Pence doesn't want 
to go out on dates with other women and he's, you know, part 
of the rape culture. I still don't know how we got 
there. I don't know what twist or turn got to the point where 
Mike Pence is contributing to rape culture because he doesn't 
want to go out to dinner with another woman. How do liberals 
turn these things and how does it continue to perpetuate? But 
notice what Peter says as to the weaker vessel. Again, I don't 
think anybody in Peter's audience, the ladies didn't say, but I'm 
as strong as my husband. Galatians 3.28 says so. No, that's 
not what they would have responded with. Because since creation, 
everybody embrace that men and women are different. I know that's 
revolutionary today, but they're different, and God made them 
different for a very specific purpose, and it's beautiful. 
I'm glad we're not the same. I'm glad my wife's not just my 
buddy. I am glad that the Lord, in his 
infinite goodness, kindness, and wisdom, made us different 
to complement one another, to complete one another, to be a 
blessing for one another. But Peter goes on, giving honor 
to the wife as to the weaker vessel. I would suggest this 
means he has a role distinction maintained. The husband is to 
dwell with his wife with understanding. I love that text. It's translated 
elsewhere, I think NASB. Dwell with them according to 
knowledge. Men, we'd all agree that we need 
knowledge to dwell with our wives, don't we? And they need knowledge 
to dwell with us. You see, Peter, Pastor Peter, 
is saying that if you want to navigate through your home life 
successfully, you better get busy and start learning a few 
things. And I think specifically, I don't 
think Peter's saying, I want you to understand, you know, 
the general concept of marriage and the general idea behind, 
no, know your wife. Go with her according to understanding. Know her. Understand that if 
she's got, you know, these particular pet peeves, don't do them. Pastor 
Peter wants you to abide by this role distinction. But then he 
goes on to say, as to the weaker vessel and as being heirs together 
of the grace of life. You see, while there's role distinction, 
you mean we can actually be heirs together of the grace of life? 
Yes, up until the 21st century, no one had a problem with that. 
You could have redemptive unity in the Lord Jesus Christ and 
still remain a slave by calling, still remain a Jew by ethnicity, 
still remain a Gentile by ethnicity. If you were a Gentile, you didn't 
need to identify as a Jew. If you were a Jew, you didn't 
need to identify as a Gentile. You just embrace what God made 
you to be. The unity that we see is through 
redemption, by grace, through faith in Christ. There is neither 
Jew nor Greek. There is neither male nor female, 
slave nor free, male or female, for you're all one in Christ 
Jesus. And then finally, notice in verse 
29, this idea of covenantal solidarity. And if you are Christ's, then 
you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. Repeated 
emphasis, notice in 3.7, therefore know that only those who are 
of faith are sons of Abraham. Verse 9, so then those who are 
of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. Again, the revolutionary 
nature of this letter. He's telling Gentiles that they're 
sons of Abraham. Remember Jesus' discourse, or 
rather dispute with the religious leaders in John 8? Didn't they 
hang their hat on their pedigree? We are sons of Abraham. Christ says, if you're sons of 
Abraham, why are you trying to kill me? Why would you try to 
murder me if you are the sons of Abraham? It's in that context 
he said, you are of your father, the devil, and the desires of 
your father you want to do. So imagine these Judaizers getting 
a good whiff of the book of Galatians, where Paul is telling these Gentiles, 
no doubt they woke up, these Judaizers, would have at one 
time at least praised God they weren't men, they weren't women, 
they weren't Gentiles, and they weren't slaves. So Paul tells 
them, Gentile believers, that by faith they are sons of Abraham. And then notice in verse 16, 
this is the hinge upon which it all flows. Now to Abraham 
and his seed were the promises made. He does not say, and to 
seeds, as of many, but as of one, and to your seed, who is 
Christ. It's because of what Christ has 
wrought that we are sons of Abraham. It's a beautiful thing. Christ 
is the seed of Abraham. That's what verse 16 says. Because 
of what Christ accomplishes on the cross, those who by God's 
grace look to Christ in faith participate alongside of the 
seed and hence are considered seed. It's a beautiful thing. 
Westminster Larger Catechism, number 31, says, Isn't that a 
beautiful thing? That same document teaches paedo-baptism, 
which is absolutely mystifying, based on what we find here in 
Galatians 3.29. If you are Christ, then you are 
Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. This is not a 
proof text for paedo-inclusion. In other words, it's the opposite. 
Who is the seed of Abraham? Those who by grace look in faith 
to the Lord Jesus Christ. The promise is applied to the 
elect by God's grace through faith in Christ Jesus. Well, 
that's a bit of exposition. A lot more could be said. I just 
want to conclude with a few thoughts. In the first place, the theological 
implications of adoption. The theological implications 
of adoption, the right of circumcision or any work of the law does not 
bring completion to the believer. It's grace through faith. I love 
verse 26, and you should too. For you're all sons of God through 
faith in Christ Jesus. This is the means. This is access. This is entrance. This is how 
we have become the inheritors of every spiritual blessing in 
the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. It's not by the works 
of righteousness that we did. It's by the finished work of 
the Lord Jesus Christ. The blessing of adoption is a 
consequence of justification by faith in Christ Jesus alone. The unity of Jew and Gentile 
is seen, again, through faith in Christ Jesus. The unity of 
husbands and wives. And I think this is Peter's point 
in 1 Peter chapter 3. Don't mistreat your wife. She 
is a co-heir with you of the grace of life. I mean, what an 
impetus to be a good husband, right? to appreciate that God's 
grace is operative in your wife's heart, that she is a child of 
God, she is a son of God, she is a blood-bought one of God. Treat her with dignity, treat 
her with respect. This is what Peter says, honor 
her. She is a co-heir of the grace 
of life, and then he appends a threat to that. It's an amazing 
thing. He says, so that your prayers 
may not be hindered. I've always been intrigued by 
that, a man who says, God just doesn't seem to be answering 
my prayer. I'd like to ask him, how are you treating your wife? 
What does that have to do with it? Everything, according to 
1 Peter 3, 7. If you treat your wife like she's 
a second class citizen, or you treat your wife like she's a 
dog, or you treat your wife, the Lord God most high forbid, 
with any degree of abuse, whether it be emotional or physical, 
and you actually go to your knees to pray, Do not think for a moment 
that your prayers are going to be answered. Your prayer life 
will be greatly hindered if you are not honoring your wife, if 
you are not loving your wife, if you are not treating her as 
a co-heir of the grace of life that Peter and Paul everywhere 
tell us that she is. We need to appreciate the theology 
of the book of Galatians as a whole that's encapsulated here. Secondly, 
there are ethical implications with reference to adoption. Ethical 
implications, in other words, we have been considered or brought 
into the family of God. What does that mean for us? It 
means there's some sort of demand upon us, isn't there? Robert 
Raymond sort of defines adoption this way, or gives us this fourfold 
sort of explanation. The biblical theology of adoption 
then encompasses, one, the Father's love from all eternity, just 
as He chose us in Him, in love, having predestinated us unto 
adoption as sons. Two, redemption from past enslavement. This whole idea of redemption 
in Galatians 3.13. Three, a status and way of life in the present, 
and four, a future expectation of glory. What is this status 
and way of life in the present? The status is that we are members 
of the household of God. What's the way of life? How are 
we supposed to conduct ourselves as members of the house of God? 
Turn to Ephesians. This won't take long. We're coming 
to a conclusion. Three quick things with reference 
to our present status, or life in the present rather, as God's 
people. Very simply, verses 1 and 2 in 
Ephesians 5, we are to walk in love. What do the adopted sons 
and daughters of God do? They walk in love. 5.1, therefore, be imitators 
of God as dear children and walk in love, as Christ also has loved 
us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to 
God for a sweet-smelling aroma. Be imitators of God as dear children 
and walk in love. That's an ethical implication 
of our adoption. We are to imitate the Father. 
God, according to John, is love, and therefore we are to walk 
in love. Notice in Ephesians 5, 8 to 11, 
we're to walk in light. Verse 8, for you were once darkness, 
but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, 
for the fruit of the Spirit or the fruit of the light is in 
all goodness, righteousness, and truth. Finding out what is 
acceptable to the Lord and have no fellowship with the unfruitful 
works of darkness, but rather expose them. And then notice 
in Ephesians 5, 15 to 21, where to walk in wisdom. So walk in love, walk in light, 
walk in wisdom. These are the ethical implications 
of the doctrine of adoption. This is how we ought to be walking. 
Notice verse 15, see then that you walk circumspectly, not as 
fools but as wise. It's good advice because there's 
enough fools out there already. So walk as wise, redeeming the 
time because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be unwise, 
but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be 
drunk with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with 
the Spirit." You've heard about this before. You know, the charismatics 
of the Pentecostals say, well, a mark of being filled with the 
Spirit is speaking in tongues. Paul doesn't say so. Now, I know 
it happens in redemptive history. In the book of Acts, persons 
receive the Holy Spirit and they speak in tongues, but to take 
that sort of extra or not ordinary event in the book of Acts and 
make it the normative expectation for the people of God really 
is a hermeneutical leap. To say that the mark of being 
filled with the Holy Spirit is to speak in tongues has no taproot 
in the specific ethical places that the Scriptures deal with 
being filled with the Spirit. Notice, the end of verse 18, 
be filled with the Spirit. We ask the question, what does 
that mean? Paul fleshes it out. In the first place, speak to 
one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and 
make melody in your heart to the Lord. Give thanks always 
for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God. That's what 
it looks like to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Those four participles, 
speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, 
singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving 
thanks always for all things to God the Father, submitting 
to one another in the fear of God. the evidences of the manifestation 
that one has been filled with the Holy Spirit, not that he 
speaks in tongues. A man may speak in tongues, that 
doesn't necessarily mean it's wrought by the Holy Spirit. Thirdly, 
we ought to appreciate the doxological implications of adoption. Doxological 
means the doctrine of praise, the doctrine of worship, the 
doctrine of adoration, the doctrine of giving glory to God. I submit, 
we ought to walk in gratitude, adoration, devotion, and worship 
toward the one who has saved us and forgiven us and included 
us in his blessed family. Doesn't that reality of verse 
26 demand praise to God? For you are all sons of God through 
faith in Christ Jesus. Do you kids ever just say, you 
know, Dad, I'm just thankful you're my dad? Or Mom, I'm just 
thankful you're my mom? I hope you do. I've never thought 
through that. Yes, do that. Your parents are 
decent human beings. Express your love for them. Tell 
them you're thankful that you were born into this family. Shouldn't 
we do that with our Father? Thank you, Father, that I'm in 
this family. Thank you, Father, that you have 
saved me. Thank you that you've included 
me. Thank you for the doing and the dying and the rising of the 
Lord Jesus, the elder brother. Thank you for all the blessings 
that this life entails for me as a child, a blood-bought child 
of the living God. And it's not by my works, because 
I have not. It's not by my merit, because 
I have not. It's not by my goodness, because 
I certainly have not. But it's by your grace through 
faith in Christ. Shouldn't the doctrine of adoption 
and inclusion in the family of God elicit from us a doxological 
response when we come and sing these hymns of praise as we sing 
the rest of the songs tonight? Think about the reality that 
you're a son of God. through faith in Christ Jesus, 
and let that motivate you to sing praise to God. And then 
finally, we ought to consider the eschatological implications 
of adoption. Eschatological, in other words, 
there is an inheritance laid up for us. We are heading to 
heaven. We are adopted sons and daughters 
of God Most High. We are going to a place where 
there's no more sorrow, and no more pain, and no more suffering, 
and no more death. We are going to be with God Most 
High and the Lamb who sits upon the throne. That's our future. This world can be a bit depressing, 
can't it? Especially when you look at the 
news or especially when you step outside, right? Everything was 
great and then I got out of bed. It can be quite depressing. The 
people of God need that eschatological orientation. I'm not talking 
about prophecy conferences. I'm not talking about charts. 
I'm not talking about combing through scripture and trying 
to find dates or who the Antichrist is, but the eschatological hope 
associated with our adoption in Christ Jesus. We are headed 
for glory. May that promote a bounce in 
our step and a smile on our face and joy in our hearts because 
God Most High has included us in these blessings. Now let us 
pray. Our Father, we thank You for 
Your Word and we thank You for this doctrine of adoption. Thank 
You that we are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. We just 
praise You, we bless You, we want to glorify Your holy name. 
and how we thank you for this plan of salvation that you have 
wrought, that you chose us in him before the foundation of 
the world, that in the fullness of the time you sent him forth, 
born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the 
law. And thank you for the power and the presence of the Holy 
Spirit, that one who is the seal and the guarantee, that one who 
applies that that work of redemption to the elect. God certainly, 
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit deserve all praise and glory 
and honor for so great a salvation. And we praise you through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen.