Galatians 4:4–5
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”
Dwell:
Jesus came into this world at the perfect time, born in such a way that He was able to redeem everyone who was under the law. In Romans 7, we learn that we are either “under the law” or “under grace”. Being under the law means we would have to keep the law perfectly to uphold God’s standard, which we are obviously unable to do. So, Jesus redeemed us from being under the law and gave us grace. Now, for those who trust in Jesus as their redeemer, we are under the grace of God.
The good news doesn’t stop there, though. We are not only under grace, but we are also redeemed into God’s Kingdom as His sons and daughters. We are adopted children of the King! As followers of Christ, our identity now becomes something new. We are adopted into God’s family, we are heirs of the Kingdom of God.
Thought:
“You sum up the whole of New Testament religion if you describe it as the knowledge of God as one’s holy Father. If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God’s child, and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means that he does not understand Christianity very well at all.
For everything that Christ taught, everything that makes the New Testament new, and better than the Old, everything that is distinctively Christian as opposed to merely Jewish, is summed up in the knowledge of the Fatherhood of God. ‘Father’ is the Christian name for God. Our understanding of Christianity cannot be better than our grasp of adoption.”―J.I. Packer
Prayer:
Father,
I am grateful for this new identity You've bestowed upon me. Your love exceeds my understanding. To have You as my heavenly Father is truly beyond comprehension; it's the highest privilege. May I never forget to whom I belong. I am a Child of the King!
In Jesus' Name, Amen.