Heirs of God’s Salvation 上帝救恩的继承人

[Dexu Xia]

As long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his fatherGalatians 4:1 – 2.

Today's Scripture  Galatians 4:1-7

Today's Insights    Huiothesia is used only five times in the New Testament (and only by Paul). This word, translated as “adoption to sonship” in Galatians 4:5, is packed with meaning. Huiothesia is a compound Greek word from huios (“son”) and thesia (“placing”). Adoption took place when a child (almost exclusively males in the ancient world) was placed in a family that lacked a suitable heir. With adoption came privileges, rights, and responsibilities of family membership. Paul used the term adoption, but the concept of family membership is also present in John’s writing: “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! . . . Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:1-2).

Today's Devotional    When Abigail’s parents died tragically in a car accident, she inherited a large real estate portfolio. She also learned that her parents had arranged to place the portfolio in a trust. For the time being, she could access only enough money for her college tuition. The rest would come when she was older. Abigail was frustrated, but she later realized her parents’ wisdom in planning a measured delivery of the inheritance.

    In Galatians 4, Paul uses a similar example to illustrate Israel’s situation as promised heirs of God’s covenant with Abraham. God had made a covenant with Abraham to bless him, and circumcision was a sign of that promise (see Genesis 17:1-14). However, the sign wasn’t the promise. Abraham’s descendants would await a future descendant who would fulfill it. Isaac was born and pointed to the future birth of a Son who would redeem God’s people (Galatians 4:4-5).

    Israel, like Abigail, had to wait until the “time set by his father” (v. 2). Only then could Israel take full possession of the inheritance. What they wanted immediately would arrive in due time with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. All who put their faith in Christ were no longer slaves to sin, “but God’s child” (v. 7). A new covenant has been established. We have access to God! We can call him “Abba, Father” (v. 6).

Reflect & Pray  If you profess Jesus as Savior, how are you no longer a slave to sin but a child of God? What does it mean to know Him as Father?

 Loving Father, thank You for sending Your Son to address the sin problem of the world.  by Matt Lucas

我说那承受产业的，虽然是全业的主人，但为孩童的时候，却与奴仆毫无分别。乃在师傅和管家的手下，直等他父亲预定的时候来到。加拉太书 4:1

    今日经文  加拉太书 4章1-7 节

    今日见解 Huiothesia 在新约中仅使用过五次（而且只有保罗使用过）。这个词在加拉太书 4:5 中被翻译为“儿子的收养”，含义丰富。Huiothesia 是一个复合希腊词，由 huios（“儿子”）和 thesia（“安置”）组成。当一个孩子（在古代几乎都是男孩）被安置在一个没有合适继承人的家庭中时，就会发生收养。收养带来了家庭成员的特权、权利和责任。保罗使用了“收养”一词，而在约翰的著作中也出现家庭成员的概念：“你看父赐给我们是何等的慈爱，使我们得称为神的儿女……亲爱的弟兄啊，我们现在是神的儿女，将来如何，还不晓得。但我们知道，基督若显现，我们必要像他，因为必得见他的真体”（约翰一书 3:1-2）。

  今天的灵修  当阿比该的父母在一场车祸中不幸去世时，她继承了一大笔房地产投资组合。她还得知，父母已安排将投资组合放在信托中。目前，她只能拿到足够的钱来支付大学学费。其余的钱要等她长大后再领取。阿比该很沮丧，但后来她意识到，父母计划分步交付遗产是明智之举。

  在加拉太书第 4 章中，保罗用了一个类似的例子来说明以色列作为上帝与亚伯拉罕之约的应许继承人的处境。上帝与亚伯拉罕立约，要赐福给他，割礼是这个承诺的标志（见创世记 17:1-14）。然而，割礼这个标志并不等同上帝的应许。亚伯拉罕的后代必须等待将要来的一个后裔来实现这个承诺。以撒的出生预示着，未来将诞生一个救赎上帝子民的儿子（加拉太书 4:4-5）。 以色列和亚比该一样，必须等到“他父亲所定的时候”（2节）。只有那时，以色列才能完全继承遗产。他们立即想要的东西会随着耶稣的死亡、埋葬和复活而及时到来。所有信靠基督的人不再是罪的奴隶，“而是上帝的孩子”（7节）。新的契约已经建立。我们可以亲近上帝！我们可以称他为“阿爸，父”（6节）。

  反思和祈祷  如果你接受耶稣为你的救赎主，这个决定如何使你不再做罪的奴隶，而是成为上帝的孩子？认识他是你的父亲意味着什么？

  慈爱的父亲，感谢您派您儿子来解决这世界上罪人的问题。

  作者 马特·卢卡斯