Slaves & amp; Heirs - Getting free and staying free
v1-3: ‘Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves a great wealth for his young
children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even
though they actually own everything their father had. They have to obey their
guardians until they reach whatever age their father set. And that’s the way it was
with us before Christ came.’ NLT
Paul is writing to the Galatians as a concerned friend that cares deeply about
their freedom. He uses this analogy of the child heir to illustrate how the law that
was intended to guide them in their spiritual youth, has now come in Jesus who
is perfect love and grace, to empower them as kingdom heirs. The false leaders
of their time, were trying to keep them trapped in the old law, without the
freedom that Jesus brought.
The law is a guardian over us as we learn the ropes as new believers. When Jesus
came he brought grace, that surpassed any earning or deserving of forgiveness
and love. This chapter is a great reminder to look back at where we came from,
and know that freedom is a free gift, found in relationship with Jesus alone.
Working to keep it is not needed, but guarding it is. Living a life led by faith, is
not a passive thing but an active stance.
v.17 ‘True, these teachers are zealous for you, but their motives are not good. They
want to separate you from us so that you will become zealous for them.’ CJB
The Galatians were a different ethnicity to the Jews, as I also am. My family
history and maybe yours too, has literal slavery in it. There is also bondage to
poverty and debt, addiction, whatever it is, we all have something. There is
power in Paul’s words here. We as Gentiles and Jews, were all created to be in
God’s tight family, not as an add on, but with equality with all believers.
v.7 ‘So through God you are no longer a slave but a son (or daughter), and if you
are a son (or daughter) you are also an heir.’ (CJB)
God’s purpose is one big multi-ethnic family joined by faith. We are ALL
empowered as his children, and free from any kind of slavery that the world, or
society tries to impose on us.
The world today doesn’t sound too much different to back in Paul’s day. War is
still waging, there are racial divides, religious leaders misleading or going astray,
inequality and injustice. I am reminded to come back to the words of Jesus as my
first source of guidance and encouragement, as Paul is redirecting the Galatians
to.
Vs 28 ‘you are children of the promise, just like Isaac’ (NLT)

Getting rid of a slave mentality and replacing it with an heir mentality, will build
faith to believe and walk in that freedom everyday. Take a moment to ask God if
there are any areas in your life that He wants to bring freedom to today!
Romans 8 aligns so well with Galatians 4, and is full of the powerful promises
Paul mentions, claim them over your life!
Romans 8:15-16
“So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you
received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him,
“Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s
children. (NLT)