4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2001). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
As my family waits to welcome a newly adopted cousin from China, I can’t help the fact that adoption is on my mind. It seems like more of my friends are considering adoption now, than ever before. According to the U.S. State Department, U.S. families adopted more than 9,000 children in 2011. Last year, Americans adopted the highest number of children from China followed by Ethiopia, Russia, South Korea, and Ukraine. The beauty of adoption is that it clearly depicts the love of God for us. A beautiful moment occurs when an adopted child finally mouths the words, “mommy”, to the adopted parent. In that moment, the child has acknowledged the love of the parent and accepted their love as mom, or dad.
In Galatians 4:6, Paul continues his theological discourse on sonship, salvation, and adoption. Beginning with, “and because you are sons” is a declarative statement of position. Our position in Christ and sonship of God also has relationship with the Holy Spirit. Understanding the Trinity is at work in justification and sanctification, in 4:6 we see recognition of the Spirit to develop the emotional dependency of a child to the Father.
Galatians 4:6 is strikingly similar to Romans 8:15-26, where we read of sonship, the Spirit, adoption, and “Abba Father”. “Abba” is much more than its often translated meaning of “daddy”. Although that symbolysm of dependency is valuable, there is deeper meaning.
“The word Abba appears in certain legal texts of the Mishna as a designation used by grown children in claiming the inheritance of their deceased father. As a word of address Abba is not so much associated with infancy as it is with intimacy.” George, T. (1994). Galatians (Vol. 30, p. 307). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
Living in intimacy with the Godhead, as His sons and daughters, should bring confidence. As adopted children, we must learn to see ourselves as He see us. In that moment of identity realization, we can boldy approach His throne!
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