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Sermon #5579

A Spirit of Adoption

A Sermon on Galatians 4:4-9

Originally preached Dec. 28, 1958

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Scripture

Galatians 4:4-9 ESV KJV
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. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into …

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Sermon Description

Christians can sometimes feel as if they are trapped or in bondage. In this sermon on Galatians 4:4–9 titled “A Spirit of Adoption,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones helps the listener understand the reasons for this feeling and the truths that help correct it. What are some reasons that people have this feeling even though they have been freed from sin? Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that some of this can be attributed to poor teaching within the church. Additionally, some people know it intellectually but have not applied it. This all brings the believer back to understanding why Jesus came. First, to redeem those who are under the law since they cannot do this themselves. Second, so that they could be adopted as His children. Those who believe in Jesus have been adopted into His family and have received the inheritance that comes with being a child of God. How does this “spirit of adoption,” as Paul refers to it, manifest itself? First, Christians are delivered from this bondage and may still sometimes feel trapped by it. Second, they are known by God. And third, relationship with Him is personal, like a father to his child. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones encourages perseverance in the walk with Jesus and throw off the chains of sin that often entangle.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The apostle Paul is writing to the Galatians to deal with false teachers who were telling them they must be circumcised to be true Christians.
  2. Paul wants to show them that in Christ they have freedom from bondage.
  3. The first consequence of Christ's coming was redemption - to redeem us from the curse of the law. We must rely fully on Christ's work, not our own righteousness.
  4. The second consequence was adoption as sons - coming of age and entering our full inheritance. Though believers, the Galatians were still like children, in bondage.
  5. The third consequence was receiving the Spirit of adoption - realizing our position as sons and heirs, with the privileges and responsibilities. The Galatians lacked this.
  6. The Spirit of adoption delivers us from a spirit of bondage. The Galatians were in danger of going back into bondage.
  7. The Spirit gives us knowledge of God through Christ. We know God as our Father.
  8. Even better is being known by God - chosen, predestined, cared for. This is the greatest privilege.
  9. The Spirit leads us to cry "Abba, Father" - with deep passion and intimacy, as Christ did. Not just knowing about God, but knowing and loving Him.
  10. We must ask if we know God this way, if Christ's coming has had this effect in us. If not, it may be due to sin, ignorance, or being bogged down in trivialities.
  11. Christ came to free us from bondage and bring us into sonship and liberty. We must stand fast in the liberty He brings.

Sermon Q&A

What Are the True Results of Christ's Coming According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?

What was the primary purpose of Christ coming into the world according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Galatians 4:4-9?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the primary purpose of Christ coming into the world was redemption - "to redeem them that were under the law." Christ came to deliver us from the curse of the law by taking our sins upon Himself. As Lloyd-Jones states, "The Lord Jesus Christ came into this world and went to the cross on Calvary's hill, endured and suffered and died and was buried and rose again, primarily for this reason that we might be forgiven, that we might be reconciled unto God, that the curse of the law upon us might be removed once and forever."

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones mean by "the adoption of sons" in his sermon?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that "adoption" doesn't simply mean God adopting us into His family, but refers to "coming of age" - entering into the full privileges of sonship. He uses the illustration of an heir who technically owns an estate but cannot exercise full rights until reaching a certain age. Lloyd-Jones explains: "When this boy reaches this particular age, he is pronounced to be the owner and the Lord of everything... He has reached the stage of a fully grown son. He realizes the position and he enters into the full privileges of that which is his by law and by right. That is the meaning of adoption. He becomes a full grown, conscious, responsible son."

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones differentiate between Old Testament and New Testament believers?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the main difference between Old Testament and New Testament believers is "this question of the spirit of adoption." He explains that both groups are children of God, but Old Testament saints, while truly God's children, were "like this heir that is still underage and hasn't yet entered into the state of adoption." They were "still under the law" which "always has a depressing effect" and kept them "in a state of bondage." Lloyd-Jones notes that "The Old Testament religion was an external religion. Sacrifices, burnt offerings, ceremonies, priests having to wear certain vestments. It was all something visual and external."

What does it mean to have "the spirit of adoption" according to the sermon?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, having "the spirit of adoption" means: 1. Being delivered from bondage - "The spirit of bondage has gone, and the spirit of rejoicing and of liberty has come." 2. Having true knowledge of God - "To know God as he can only be known in Jesus Christ, and that is to know him as your father." 3. Being known by God in a special way - "To be known of God means this: That he's elected you, that he's predestinated you, that he has chosen you before the very foundation of the world." 4. Having an intimate relationship with God - "We cry, Abba, Father. As a child to its father. We know him. We love him. There is an intensity. There is a passion in the relationship and in the expression of it."

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones connect the spirit of adoption with Christian liberty?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones presents the spirit of adoption as being in direct opposition to bondage. He states that "the peculiar note, the essential genius of Protestantism, is this note of liberty" that comes from understanding our adoption as sons. He contrasts this with systems that put people in bondage: "Catholicism, whether it be roman or anglican or Scotto or anything you like, is always something that puts people in bondage? Yes, because it depends, you see, upon what they do and upon the priesthood and upon the church."

Lloyd-Jones argues that true Christian liberty produces joy and passion, saying "The type of Christian who goes about with his head down, mourning, looking miserable and unhappy, always agitated about some minutiae, is denying his Protestantism." He emphasizes that in revivals, "The spirit of mourning and of heaviness, the spirit of bondage is gone. That's always the result of the coming of the spirit."

What are some reasons Christians might fail to experience the spirit of adoption according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies several reasons why Christians might fail to experience the spirit of adoption:

  1. Lack of clear teaching about justification by faith - "Some are in a state of bondage because they've never had clear teaching with respect to this great doctrine of justification by faith."

  2. Failure to apply what they know - "They've never said, well, now then, this is therefore true of me. Instead of doing that, they've looked at themselves, at the blackness of their own hearts."

  3. Allowing temperament to control them - "Who happen to have been born with a kind of melancholic temperament. And instead of realizing that that is something that the devil can use to rob God's children of their blessings."

  4. Embracing false or imbalanced teaching - "Having known the liberty and the joy and the freedom through espousing some sort of false teaching which lacks balance and proportion and which elevates to a primary position something that should come of the periphery of the faith."

  5. Sin in their lives - "I say it is due to sin in your life, or else it is due to ignorance, or else it is because you have allowed the devil to bog you down over some trivial detail."

Other Sermons

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.