But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption. Galatians 4:4-5 NABRE
Paul is sharing in this letter to the Christians of Galatia that the Jews were subject to the law, which may not have been much different from the Gentiles subjection to worldly law. The Gentiles were viewed serving idols of gold, silver, iron and wood, thus slaves to the elements. Paul affirms that Jews “were enslaved to the elemental powers.” These elemental powers are literally the four elements of the world, earth, water, air, fire. Paul is saying subjection to the law entails being subject to the world in its material dimension. Paul characterizes dietary rules as submission to the elements. So for Paul Gentile and Jew are slave. But in the fullness of time God sent His Son to ransom all slaves so we might receive adoption. We see Christ, like all humanity, is born under the law and of woman. He was born under the law to ransom those under the law. He was born of woman so that all who are likewise born of woman might receive adoption as children of God. This explains Paul’s early declaration “that through faith you are all children of God.” (Galatians 3:26) Christ freed Himself from the law by dying under the law with strict obedience and in freeing Himself frees those who unite themselves to Him. Because Christ is born of woman He is flesh and human nature; as we are the same we can be adopted through Christ, becoming children of God.
Our adoption is not second rate, we are heirs and divinely communicate the life of God participating in the Sonship of Christ. God adopts all who believe in Christ, regardless of origin, Jew or Gentile. We are children of God through Christ.
Do you accept being a child of God? Do you believe in your adoption through Christ?
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