now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. [galatians 4:28]
you are a child of God’s promise.
by the Father’s adopting plan, through the Son’s sacrificing work, and with the Spirit’s sealing presence – you were made a child of God’s promise.
today – may you and i see and more deeply believe that our sonship / daughtership is no small thing. may we remember the intentionality, the cost, and the commitment. and, may we remember whose we are. enjoy these passages – and may your worship be full and rich today as you remember and celebrate.
by the Father’s adopting plan, …
in love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will. [eph 1:4-5]
for you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” [rom 8:15]
for we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. [rom 8:22-23]
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. [gal 4:4-5]
through the Son’s sacrificing work, …
and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. [eph 5:2]
indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. for Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. [heb 9:22-24]
for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. but as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. [heb 9:26]
and every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. but when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, [heb 10:11-12]
with the Spirit’s sealing presence …
in him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. [eph 1:13-14]
and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. [eph 4:30]
~ john ryan