Galatians 4:6-7 Because You are Sons of God, Walk by the Spirit, Not the Works of the Law

Galatians 4:6-7 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Therefore, you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

You have been adopted by God; you who “received [Christ].” To you “He gave the right to become [a child] of God,” for you have believed in Christ. This birth is not one that is of the flesh nor of anybody’s willing for you to be a child of God, but it accords with the will of God (John 1:12-13). He gave His Son for you. Thus you are heirs of the promise of Abraham and He has thus given you all things, including the Spirit of Christ.

This is the great promise of all things. The Spirit is the gift and that by which you are given “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). You are no longer in need, spiritually, but you have the Spirit of Christ, by which you have all things necessary for life and godliness. You cannot say to God, “I am lacking spiritually.” This is not the case. You have all things that you need: The Spirit Himself is the blessing and He is the bestower of the blessings. Thus, if you walk in the Spirit you are able to “overwhelmingly conquer” (Romans 8:37) and to be “he who overcomes” (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21). For it is His work that sanctifies you in this (cf. Philippians 2:12-13).

Because you are sons, or “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17), God has given us the Spirit of Christ (which is the Spirit of God, which is God the Spirit). Thus you no longer have the spirit of bondage to the Law, the “spirit of slavery leading to fear” of condemnation (Romans 8:15). You are no longer viewed as a slave—one who is not a partaker in the things of the family and who does not receive the inheritance. Rather, the Spirit you received is the spirit of adoption. This is the Spirit that leads us and draws us to God. It is those who “are being led by the Spirit of God” who are sons of God (Romans 8:14). Because you are sons you are led by the Spirit and because you are led by the Spirit you are sons (this is a divine mystery). If you have believed and are a son, then you are given the Spirit to lead you; if you have been given the Spirit then you believe and so are counted as a son.

The Spirit has been given for the purpose of causing our hearts to cry out “Abba! Father!” The Spirit draws us to God and puts the desire for God in our hearts. The Spirit also “testifies with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16). The Spirit is the one who gives us confidence that we are truly saved and heirs of God. We cannot gain this through any means, it is the gift of God alone. Assurance of salvation is the gift of God to all who have received the Spirit. Because you are sons, in other words because you have received the Spirit, you are an heir through God’s gracious act toward you. He has sealed you, you have your inheritance in heaven waiting for the second coming of Christ when He and it will be revealed in full (cf. John 6:39-40; 14:2-3, Colossians 3:3-4, 1 Peter 1:3-5).

Brothers and sisters, do not again be given the yoke of slavery to the Law. You have received the Spirit by faith and so you must continue in the faith (if you have received the Spirit). Hope in Christ. You are the heirs of God by faith, not by works. If you seek to be a slave again, you forfeit your right to be an heir (a son). God sent forth His Spirit into your hearts for the very purpose of testifying that you are His child and so that you would be driven to seek His face through Christ, which you cannot do through the Law, for the Law acts as a veil between those who seek to be justified by it and God (2 Corinthians 3:14-15). Only Christ can remove the veil created by the Law (2 Corinthians 3:16). Because the veil is lifted, you can now go to God as Father through Christ. Therefore, take all your concerns before God and walk in thankfulness for how He has worked in you and for how He has justified you in Christ. God is now your Father, not the judge who will be forced to condemn you.