Galatians 4:1

Galatians 4:1 says, Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;  Paul said that as long as an heir was a child that they were no different than the servant.  Heirs were under those who taught them until they became of age.  The law was what taught and directed people until the coming of Christ.  With Christ's coming, people of any age could claim the promise of God through faith in Christ.  Verse two adds, But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.  Just as heirs are under tutors and governors until the time appointed by their fathers, so were people under the law for guidance and direction until the time appointed by the Father.  That time came when Christ came to the world and lived blamelessly and died for our sins.   Verse three continues, Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:  Paul is still referring to living under the law versus living under salvation by faith in Christ.  Until the coming of Christ, people were under the law to identify as being God's people.  Now, by faith in Christ, they could claim the promise of God with no need for anyone or anything to stand between them and salvation.  Verse four declares, But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,  Paul said that when the time was right that God sent His Son, born of a woman and under the law.  Jesus lived in perfect obedience to the law and was thereby the only acceptable sacrifice for sin.  By His sacrifice, He set us free from the penalty of sin.  Verse five adds, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.  Paul gives the result of Jesus's sacrifice and that is that He set us free from the penalty of sin if we accept Him as our personal savior and Lord.  We are redeemed by Jesus Christ to become adopted sons, or children, of God.  We do not become just servants, though we are, but the children of God by adoption, joint heirs with Christ.  Though some translations leave out the begotten when referring to Jesus, that is what makes Him unique.  Verse six continues, And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.  Paul said that since we are God's children, He sent His Spirit to live in us so that we would be able to proclaim God as our Father by faith.  Verse seven states, Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.  Again, we are more than just a servant, though I believe that even as an heir we still willingly obey and serve the Father.  Verse eight adds, Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.  I believe that Paul was saying that before we know the true God by faith that we still serve some false god.  I don't believe that we necessarily have to claim to serve any particular god, but we still follow some false god, whether we call it fate or materialism or whatever.  Verse nine continues, But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?  Paul asked the Galatians, how after being known by God, in a personal relationship as His children, how could they want to return to the bondage of the law.  That would be like returning to being a beggar instead of living as a child of God.  Verse ten says, Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.  I believe that what Paul was saying was that they wanted to keep the Jewish traditions as a necessity to prove their salvation.  I don't believe that Paul was saying that these traditions were wrong necessarily of themselves, but the way that they were viewed was wrong.  Traditions or rituals can never become a part of the plan of salvation.  We can only come to God through Christ, with no other requirements.  Verse eleven Paul adds, I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.  I believe that Paul was speaking of being afraid of what the Jewish believers were attempting to add to the gospel.  If they did not believe in salvation for all people through faith in Christ alone, then Paul said that he felt that he had labored in vain.  If anyone proclaims to be a follower of Christ but adds other requirements for salvation, then they are not truly His.