03/10/2008
4But when the completion of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
In this passage, Paul is discussing the rights of a child versus the rights of a household servant. As a minor child, the child and the servant have about the same status, although obviously, the child is heir to estate. But what are we? At one point, our relationship to God was that of a stranger. We did not even have the status of a household servant. But when the completion of time had come, God provided a way to change that. Some versions say “In the fullness of time” – which is closer to the original Greek. The idea is that God did this at just the right time.
Jesus was sent as a Jew, that is, “under the law.” In His life, he completed the law and brought it to its conclusion. But what was the result of this? I love the word “adoption” in verse 5. Remember, we were strangers to God, but He provided a way that we could become adopted as His children.
Therefore, since we are children, we are also heirs to His estate.
To what then, does that entitle us?
First of all, we are free from the law. As a non-Jew, this is a difficult concept for me; however, I can understand it to mean that I do not need to offer sacrifices annually to (temporarily) atone for my own sin. It means that I no longer have to go to a High-Priest to represent me before God. It means that I can go directly to God. It also means that I have received the gift of the Holy Spirit. This Spirit is a counselor, guide and comforter in this life.
What about the wealth and material splendor of God? We are also heirs of this, but as we grow to understand God more fully, we realize that simply being His heir, and receiving the Holy Spirit are greater gifts than all the wealth in the world. Look at the wealthiest people on earth today. Many of them are empty. They have everything they desire, but still lack true inner peace. They try to fill their time with parties and pleasures but still hunger for more. What they hunger for, is the peace that only the Holy Spirit can bring.
Surely, the peace of God is greater than any riches we can acquire. Do you know this peace?
Jeff Justus
Cleff Publishing
www.cleffpublishing.com
©2008 Cleff Publishing, all rights reserved.
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