From Slave to Heir



Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for Your great love for me that would send Your Son to save me from my sins. Thank You also for Your Word that teaches me everything I need to know about You. It is my joy to read and study Your Word and I ask that You would send Your Holy Spirit as my Teacher and my Guide. May Your Word speak into the deep places in my heart and mind that I would be challenged and changed. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Read: Galatians 3:29-4:7
http://www.esvbible.org/Galatians 3:29-4:7/

Think about It: The Apostle’s Paul makes a fascinating correlation between the life of a slave and the life of a child. He points out that as they go through their daily lives, there is little difference between their realities. Both are told by someone else what to do, when to eat, when to sleep . . . their lives are governed completely by another. But while their lives may look similar, there is a huge difference between them and that is the disposition of their future. For the slave, life is never going to change. They will remain under the control of another until they die whereas the child will grow out of childhood and into their inheritance. They will someday be the one who enjoys the benefits of ownership and wealth.

When Christ came into the world to complete His work of salvation He dramatically changed our designation. We went from being slaves to sin to being heirs. In the moment of His death and payment for our sins our futures changed entirely. We went from no hope to the promise of an eternity spent with God. Just as Adam and Eve went from desperation over the consequences of their sin to a glimmer of hope as God promised to send Someone who would free them from death’s grasp so we too make the same trip when God comes to us. We make the move from slave to heir.

For most believers, our day to day lives do not really look that much different. We still eat, sleep, relate to our families and friends, work, and play. But something significant has changed. Our future lies in the hands of God and because of Jesus He promises that we will now spend eternity with Him in heaven. Exactly what that looks like is still a mystery. But we know that it is coming for each one of us. Our inheritance cannot be taken from us by anyone else. (We may be able to foolishly throw it away, but it cannot be stolen.) Someday, Jesus will return and make that inheritance a reality, so let’s stop living as slaves to sin and start experiencing life as inheritors!

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, please help me to truly understand what it means to be an inheritor in your kingdom. Help me to cast off the role of slave to sin and instead see myself as Your child. When I stumble and get a distorted view of You or of myself, please Holy Spirit, bring clarity. Thank You for providing this future for me. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

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