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Galatians 4:1-7 (JDV)
Galatians 4:1 But I am saying that as long a time as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave, although he is the master of everything.
Galatians 4:2 Instead, he is under guardians and stewards until the time set by his father.
Galatians 4:3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were in slavery under the elements of the world.
Galatians 4:4 When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born from a woman, born under the law,
Galatians 4:5 to redeem those under the law, so that we might get back1 adoption as sons.
Galatians 4:6 And because you are sons, God sent the Breath of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”
Galatians 4:7 So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir by God.
from slaves to sons
Remember that the context of Paul’s letter is a group of heretics trying to take over the congregations in Galatia. They taught that in order to get on God’s good side, the Gentile Galations had to conform to their traditions about the Mosaic law.
But Paul and his team argues that the Mosaic law imposed a temporary status of slavery due to the people’s immaturity. But Jesus came to do two things. First, he abolished this slavery by redeeming all believers through his death on the cross. Then, he breathed his animating breath (the Sacred Breath) into our spiritually lifeless bodies, so that we could get back the Father/son relationship we had lost during our “under the law” period. Now we can go to God personally without the need of a priest or a ceremony.
Lord, thank you that we are no longer slaves, but sons.
1ἀπολαμβάνω
