Hello everyone. We’re going to return again to our Trinitarian study tonight as we continue through the book of Galatians. This book is largely about the message of salvation and who exactly is included in the new covenant. However, Christology is still a large part of that. A Christ who is less than divine can not give a divine salvation. Our passage tonight will be Galatians 4:1-7, with an emphasis on verses 4-5. Let’s go to the text:
1What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. 4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
Salvation wasn’t an accident according to Paul. There was no plan B for God. This was the plan from the beginning. Salvation would be by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul has been demonstrating that point by saying that not even the Law overcame this.
Not only was Christ the plan from the beginning, when he came was also part of the plan. The world was in a state of looking for salvation. There was a universal language of Greek and there was a travel system of roads set up for people to get from place to place easily. The world was in the perfect position to receive a savior.
Note that the Son was sent. The Son pre-existed, which is a high Christology for a letter that is early and is definitely Pauline. Pauline doctrine of the Son has no place in it for an adoptionistic theory. The Son was there in the bosom of the Father.
While we know the Son was sent, we also know he went willingly, and there’s no reason we should think that these two contradict each other. We can picture the Son offering himself to go and save fallen humanity and then the Father preparing the way so that the Son could fulfill his mission.
What did happen? The plan worked. Salvation came at the fulness of time when it was meant to be. What about those who came before and what about those who never heard? Those are separate blog posts, but I will say at this point that the judge of all the Earth will do right and we who believe the Scriptures and in the God who is revealed in them can simply say that we trust him in that regards.
Yes. The salvation of man was no accident and the Son had always been willing. What are we doing for such a great savior?
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