We come today to consider the important Biblical truth of adoption. Paul introduces this by contrasting the differences between a slave and a child. He teaches that in childhood a child in many ways is like a slave as they are under many rules as to what they can and cannot do (v1-3). The people of God in the Old Testament were not a people who had reached maturity and were therefore spiritual children in a similar position as a slave.

That changed when Christ came and what Jesus was doing was buying the freedom of those under the law, of those who were immature spiritual children (v4-5).

What Jesus achieves is to bring them into the full rights as adult children, adopted into God’s family through which they are enabled through the Spirit to cry ‘Abba! Father! (v6). This speaks of a new privileged position and wonderful freedom there is in Christ.

Going back to the law means going back to a religion which is primarily about rules, which enslaves them (v7). They need to remember they’re not slaves but sons. Have you the mentality of God’s slave or God’s child?