The Holy Spirit causes us to cry out: Abba, Father
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| Pentecostés. Óleo sobre lienzo, 275 × 127 cm. Madrid, Museo del Prado. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
By “full rights” or “adoption” he means entering into the privileges and responsibilities of sonship. He uses it also of the sonship of Israel (Romans 9:4). Galatians 4:1, 2 indicate that the son and heir of a wealthy family in Paul’s day would be treated as a slave until he became of age.
Then he would receive the adoption, that is, all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities that belonged to an adult member of that family. Adoption was also used in the modern sense, so that Gentiles who were not sons of Abraham became true heirs, true sons of God, by faith.
Jesus died, not just to save us from the fires of hell, but to make it possible for us to receive all the blessings that go with being a member of the household (family) of God (Ephesians 2:19).
Then, because you are sons, and because all the promised blessings of sonship now belong to you, “God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father’ ” (Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:15). The Holy Spirit is probably called “the Spirit of his Son” to remind us of the words of Jesus in Luke 24:49. There, Jesus used the same verb, “send,” to say, “I am going to send you what my Father has promised.”
This sending of the Spirit is clearly the baptism in the Holy Spirit, as explained in Acts 1:4, 5; 2:4. That Paul refers to it as the Spirit coming into their hearts is not strange. He still has the same definite coming of the Spirit in mind as in Galatians 3:2. Moreover, we have already seen in Acts the variety of terms the Bible uses for the Spirit’s coming in the Pentecostal experience.
It is of great importance here, however, that Paul distinctly makes the fact that they are sons the ground for sending the Spirit. Some have tried to reinterpret Galatians 4:6 to avoid a difference between the experience of the new birth and the sending of the Spirit. But the verse is a plain, simple sentence that can bear no other meaning.8 Some try to make the sons only potential sons, not yet born again, but this is only another clever argument to try to avoid the plain meaning. Sonship, clearly, must precede the sending of the Spirit in Pentecostal fulfillment.
That Paul still had a distinct experience in mind that people can know whether they have it or not is seen in the next verse (v. 7): “So you are no longer a slave, but a son.” By saying this Paul brings it home to each individual that the fact he experienced the baptism in the Spirit is positive confirmation that he is indeed a son and heir, not a slave to the Law.
This is confirmed by the Spirit himself who comes into our hearts and continually “calls out, ‘Abba, Father’ ” (v. 6). “Calls out” usually means loud cries, shouts, such as might be needed to get attention in a marketplace or public square. It expresses a depth of intensity, fervency, and urgency by which the Holy Spirit within us cries out to God as Father.
The repetition of the cry gives added solemnity.9 It is often said today that Abba was the Aramaic equivalent of “Daddy!” as a familiar form of address. It does sound good to think of how we have the privilege of the most intimate fellowship with the Father through the Spirit. Indeed, we do. Yet, Abba is actually Aramaic for “The Father,” or “O Father!” It was used in the family circle. But in that society children did not say, “Daddy.” Very respectfully, they said “Father.” There is no thought of a loose or careless familiarity in the intense cries of the Spirit.
A better explanation might be that the early believers had heard Jesus address God in Aramaic as Abba. This became the common address in prayer and was taken over by the Greek-speaking Gentiles. But it could easily become a meaningless form, especially to those who did not speak Aramaic. So the Holy Spirit directed their hearts to God, calling Him by the precious term Abba, but immediately adding “Father” in their own language. He wanted them to feel that God was truly their Father.
“Abba, Father,” of course, was not something said in tongues, but was the Spirit’s own continued inner cry. It is implied, however, that this stirs a response in the heart of believers so that they too call out to God as Father. Because these cries are real and meaningful, they give believers further assurance that they are children and heirs of God.
Horton, S. M. (2005). What the Bible Says about the Holy Spirit (pp. 172–174). Springfield, MO: Gospel Publishing House.
Then, because you are sons, and because all the promised blessings of sonship now belong to you, “God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father’ ” (Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:15). The Holy Spirit is probably called “the Spirit of his Son” to remind us of the words of Jesus in Luke 24:49. There, Jesus used the same verb, “send,” to say, “I am going to send you what my Father has promised.”
This sending of the Spirit is clearly the baptism in the Holy Spirit, as explained in Acts 1:4, 5; 2:4. That Paul refers to it as the Spirit coming into their hearts is not strange. He still has the same definite coming of the Spirit in mind as in Galatians 3:2. Moreover, we have already seen in Acts the variety of terms the Bible uses for the Spirit’s coming in the Pentecostal experience.
It is of great importance here, however, that Paul distinctly makes the fact that they are sons the ground for sending the Spirit. Some have tried to reinterpret Galatians 4:6 to avoid a difference between the experience of the new birth and the sending of the Spirit. But the verse is a plain, simple sentence that can bear no other meaning.8 Some try to make the sons only potential sons, not yet born again, but this is only another clever argument to try to avoid the plain meaning. Sonship, clearly, must precede the sending of the Spirit in Pentecostal fulfillment.
That Paul still had a distinct experience in mind that people can know whether they have it or not is seen in the next verse (v. 7): “So you are no longer a slave, but a son.” By saying this Paul brings it home to each individual that the fact he experienced the baptism in the Spirit is positive confirmation that he is indeed a son and heir, not a slave to the Law.
This is confirmed by the Spirit himself who comes into our hearts and continually “calls out, ‘Abba, Father’ ” (v. 6). “Calls out” usually means loud cries, shouts, such as might be needed to get attention in a marketplace or public square. It expresses a depth of intensity, fervency, and urgency by which the Holy Spirit within us cries out to God as Father.
The repetition of the cry gives added solemnity.9 It is often said today that Abba was the Aramaic equivalent of “Daddy!” as a familiar form of address. It does sound good to think of how we have the privilege of the most intimate fellowship with the Father through the Spirit. Indeed, we do. Yet, Abba is actually Aramaic for “The Father,” or “O Father!” It was used in the family circle. But in that society children did not say, “Daddy.” Very respectfully, they said “Father.” There is no thought of a loose or careless familiarity in the intense cries of the Spirit.
A better explanation might be that the early believers had heard Jesus address God in Aramaic as Abba. This became the common address in prayer and was taken over by the Greek-speaking Gentiles. But it could easily become a meaningless form, especially to those who did not speak Aramaic. So the Holy Spirit directed their hearts to God, calling Him by the precious term Abba, but immediately adding “Father” in their own language. He wanted them to feel that God was truly their Father.
“Abba, Father,” of course, was not something said in tongues, but was the Spirit’s own continued inner cry. It is implied, however, that this stirs a response in the heart of believers so that they too call out to God as Father. Because these cries are real and meaningful, they give believers further assurance that they are children and heirs of God.
Horton, S. M. (2005). What the Bible Says about the Holy Spirit (pp. 172–174). Springfield, MO: Gospel Publishing House.
