adoption

Galatians 4:1-7

The key words: slaves, guardians, law, adoption, sons, children, heirs. Paul uses a word picture of a guardian or trustee of an heir. When the child is young, the guardian or trustee acts like the boss of the child even though the child is the boss (or will be someday). As the child gets older, he assumes the role of the son or the heir - he has legal standing. This is complicated in an adoption situation but "adoption to sonship" is a legal term signifying that the adopted child has full legal standing as the heir. Paul compares this to us: even though we are people created in the image of God, we are not much better than slaves under the law (the law acts as our tutor or guardian) but Jesus came to set us free and allow us to become full heirs of the kingdom of heaven.
There's a lot to unpack in these verses. I think verse seven stands out to me the most: I am not a slave but a child of God and, as his child, an heir. I don't think I understand the deep intimacy that I can have with God - the previous verse says that I have the Spirit who, with deep emotion (the same word is used for Jesus' cry on the cross) cries "Abba". I don't think I understand that. I don't think I've felt the emotional reality of being a child of God. The problem is that if I haven't, then I don't know that I can mentor my students in that direction.