No Longer a Slave, But a Son

The lie we often believe -- doubting God's goodness and good purposes in our lives as believers -- is not from God. The Spirit who speaks to us, as believers, and says, "You are my child. All that I have is yours. You are always welcome in my presence. You always belong because you are mine and you are my heir" -- that is truth.

Christians, you are heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ! That is what Paul is repeatedly trying to get across to us, because we still feel like slaves on the inside too often. If you are in Christ, what Christ himself deserves, you will receive.

In Jesus we not only have new life, but new categories entirely. Not merely an improvement or help in what we were already trying to do on our own, but giving us in the Gospel the belonging, inheritance, and freedom we never dreamed possible.