The Amish Voice 3
ourselves over to bondage. Instead of depending on God’s divine
creativity (the power of the cross), there is the tendency to get stuck
on what is familiar, on what we can create. Listen to this scenario:
The school’s talent show was filled with young children who
were more than willing to dazzle the proud parents in the audience.
Of all the talent on display that night, one 1st grader had the most
unique talent. Standing on the stage, he held his accordion and
played one note. After a few seconds, he played the same note
again. For his big finish, he played that same note a third time.
With his shoulders held erect and his head held high, he stated to
the amused audience that he had written that song—”all by
myself!”
Like this little boy, there are many Christians who get stuck on
one note— and then brag about how wonderful they are doing. But
it takes more than one note to make up a song. And it takes more
than your best efforts to become free from the bondage of your
fallen nature. It took Jesus Christ, the New Song, and His completed
work on the cross to release believers from the power and bondage
of the law.
Are you stuck on one note or has Christ freed you and added
spiritual harmony to your life?
QUESTIONS:
1.
In what ways does man attempt to approach God?
2.
Why do these ways always fail?
3.
How are you tempted to approach God when your
faith seems to be weak? What can you do to guard
yourself from wrongly approaching God?
2.
THERE WAS AN APPOINTED TIME WHEN GOD
DELIVERED THE WORLD (vv.4-7).
This is one of the great passages of Scripture dealing with the
mission or work of God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Note several
significant points.
1.
Note that God had prepared the world for the coming of
Christ (see A CLOSER LOOK: Fullness of Time—Galatians 4:4 for
discussion).
2.
Note that God sent His own Son into the world to deliver
men. It was not an angel nor some other creature that God sent—nor
was it some great leader from among men. It was God’s very Son
that He sent. God cared for and loved men so much that He would
send no less than His own Son to deliver men from the terrible
condemnation of the law: the bondage of sin and death.
“
For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will,
but the will of him that sent me”
(
John 6:38).
“
But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent
me”
(
John7:29).
3.
Note that God sent His Son “made of a woman,” that is “born
out of a woman.” He came into the world just as all men do,
through a woman. But note the most glorious truth: He was “sent
forth” by God. Jesus Christ was “His Son,” the Son of God. God
spoke the Word and the woman conceived miraculously. The Virgin
Birth did take place: God’s very own Son has been sent into the
world as a man to save men.
“
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring
forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS”
(
Luke 1:31).
4.
Note that God sent His Son born under the law. Jesus Christ
had to live under the law in order to secure the perfect righteousness
of the law for man. He had to obey the law in every single precept
and stand before God as the Perfect and Ideal Man—the Ideal
Embodiment of Righteousness. As stated, He had to do what no
other person had ever done: secure the Ideal Righteousness and
Perfection so that He could stand for all men.
“
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the
flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and
for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law
might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the
Spirit” (Romans 8:3-4).
5.
Note why God sent His Son: to redeem men from the curse of
the law. The law convicts us of sin.
6.
Note the result of God’s sending His Son to redeem men.
a. Believers are adopted as sons of God. When a person
believes in Jesus Christ, God takes his faith and counts
the person as being in Jesus Christ. Since Christ is God’s
Son, the believer is counted as a son of God—all because
he is seen as being in Jesus Christ. His faith in Jesus
Christ causes God to adopt him as a son of God.
“
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to
become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his
name”
(
Jn.1:12).
b. Believers receive assurance of being accepted by God
through the Spirit of His Son. The Spirit of Christ is sent by
God to dwell in our hearts and to give us a personal
relationship with God. The Spirit of Christ, that is, the Holy
Spirit, gives us a fellowship of communication and
communion with God: He stirs our hearts to cry out to God
as our Father: “Father, Father.”
“
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we
are the children of God”
(
Romans 8:16).
c. Believers are made heirs of God. But note: they are heirs
because they are sons of God. Both sonship and heirship are
“
through Christ”—through faith in Him.
“
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we
are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs
