When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then God has made you an heir. (Galatians 4:4-7)
In his letter to the church in Rome, the apostle Paul wrote that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). It is a very sobering statement for many, because we often think that we are “good” people and that we can earn our way to heaven. However, in today’s reading, Paul provides good news. God provided a way for us to be redeemed from the condemnation of the law and our sins by sending his Son, Jesus Christ (Galatians 4:4).
While we were still enemies of him, God showed his love for us by sending Jesus to die for us. It is through Jesus’s death on the cross that we can be reconciled to God (Romans 5:8-10). Because we are now reconciled with God, we are considered heirs (Galatians 4:7). But what do we exactly inherit?
- Freedom from sin and death (Romans 8:2)
- The Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13)
- Imputed righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Today, let us remember that we are no longer slaves to sin and that by God’s grace we are his children. It is a gift from God and not something we earn from works (Ephesians 2:8). Because we are redeemed by God, we can be confident that no one can snatch us from his hand, he will never leave nor forsake us, and that through the Holy Spirit he is constantly working to make us more like Jesus day after day.