“Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave, although he is owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. So we too, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under ]the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons and daughters. Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba! Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” (Galatians 4:1-7 NASB)
Paul’s message is about freedom and belonging. Through Jesus, God sets people free and welcomes them into his family. Through the Holy Spirit, God helps them live as his children.
Paul is not talking about a different God from the God of Israel. He is talking about the same God who called Abraham and rescued Israel from Egypt. This God has now sent his Son and the Spirit of his Son to bring people close to him.
Paul’s message is about freedom and belonging. Through Jesus, God sets people free and welcomes them into his family. Through the Holy Spirit, God helps them live as his children.
Paul is not talking about a different God from the God of Israel. He is talking about the same God who called Abraham and rescued Israel from Egypt. This God has now sent his Son and the Spirit of his Son to bring people close to him.
A New Exodus
The Exodus story tells how God freed Israel from slavery in Egypt. Paul’s message points to another rescue: freedom from sin, fear, and false gods.
We can think of this as a new Exodus. God does more than lead people out of slavery. He brings them into a new life with him. The Father sends the Son to rescue them, and he sends the Spirit of the Son to live in their hearts.
Romans 8: The Spirit Leads God’s People
Romans 8 explains what this new life looks like. Just as God guided Israel through the wilderness, the Holy Spirit guides believers as they learn to follow God.
The Spirit helps God’s people in many ways:
- He sets them free from the power of sin and death through life in Christ (Romans 8:2).
- He lives in them and marks them as belonging to Christ (Romans 8:9).
- He gives hope that the God who raised Jesus will also give life to their bodies (Romans 8:11).
- He helps them turn their thoughts toward what brings life and peace (Romans 8:6).
- He gives them strength to turn away from sinful actions (Romans 8:13).
- He leads them as God’s children and assures them that they belong to God’s family (Romans 8:14–16).
- He gives them a first taste of the future God has promised, while they wait for their bodies to be made new (Romans 8:23).
- He helps them pray when they are weak or cannot find the words (Romans 8:26–27).
This freedom does not mean doing whatever we want. It means learning to live in God’s love. With the Spirit’s help, believers can turn away from harmful ways and grow more like Jesus.
Hope for a Hurting World
Being God’s children does not mean life will be easy. Believers still face pain, weakness, and waiting. But they do not face these things alone. The Spirit supports them, helps them pray, and keeps their hope alive. Paul’s hope also reaches beyond individual lives. In Romans 8, creation itself waits to be set free from decay. God’s plan includes making his creation new, not simply taking people away from the world.
The Big Takeaway
The God who rescued Israel is still the God who rescues. The Father sends Jesus to set people free. He sends the Holy Spirit to help them live as his children.
Paul’s words help us understand why Christians speak of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is not a story about replacing Israel’s God with another god. It is about knowing the one God through his saving work.
In simple words: through Jesus, you are welcomed into God’s family. Through the Spirit, you are helped to live as someone who belongs. You can turn to God with trust, even when life is hard.
Minister A Francine Green, November 2026