Not a Slave...a Son!

“But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” Galatians 4:4-7

Before we can fully understand Paul’s definition of our adoption into God’s family, we must first understand the promise of God to redeem mankind. By yielding to Satan’s temptation, Adam and Eve gave the enemy opportunity to apply his fingerprints to God’s creation.

When Satan had worked his evil deed, they were left to struggle with new invaders - sin and fear of the presence of God. This was something they had never known before the Fall. In gaining the knowledge of good and evil, they lost their innocence and surety in God.

Yet in His sovereignty, God made a mockery of Satan’s ploy. Even before dealing with Adam and Eve’s sin, He turned to the serpent and pronounced his ending.

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.” Genesis 3:15

This is our first glimpse of the coming of Christ. From this point on, God set in motion His plan to reestablish man’s rightful relationship to Him.

Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of that plan. He dealt a fatal blow to Satan in His resurrection - and through our faith in Him, we again become part of His family.