Children of God

Galatians 4:1-7

1What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. 4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

I hope that you really allow the reality of your adoption to sink in. Adoption? Yes, sometimes it is easy to forget that when you were born—unless you are Jewish—you were not a true child of God.

Ephesians 2:12-13 clarifies this point for us Gentile orphans: “In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from God’s people, Israel, and you did not know the promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you belong to Christ Jesus. Though you once were far away from God, now you have been brought near to him because of the blood of Christ” (New Living Translation).

There is a lot of information packed into the seven verses that make up today’s Scripture reading. Galatians 4:4-6 says that we were born as orphans (or “under law”) but, through Jesus, received full rights as children of God (vs. 4-5). So how did this happen? Three things make this possible: 1. God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem us and give us full rights (read: adopt v.4-5), 2. God sent his Spirit into our hearts and 3. The Spirit cries out to God (v.6).

Confused? Don’t be! Get this: when God sees us, He sees His Son, Jesus Christ. When God hears us, He hears the voice of the Holy Spirit, who calls out to him, “Abba, Father.” Could there be a more complete adoption? No! The transaction of adopting us as God’s children is so complete that we have become God’s legitimate children, with full rights to the Kingdom of God!

How do you see yourself, as a child of God or as an orphan? How do you treat other Believers, as strangers or Brothers and Sisters? Do you act as an orphan or are you convinced that you are a part of the family of God?