Adoption is a deliberate and loving choice by parents to bring a child fully into their family. Unlike biological relationships, adoption is marked by intention and commitment. Adoptive parents choose the child and embrace them completely, making no distinction between genetic offspring and adopted children.
This is the type of adoption Paul refers to—a full and complete inclusion into God's family. The child is not a second-class member but an heir with all rights and privileges.
Paul further elaborates on this in Ephesians 1:3-6, where he states that God chose us before the foundation of the world for adoption through Jesus Christ. This adoption is according to God's will and is a cause for praise and glory to His grace.
Being a "holy heir" means more than just inheriting blessings; it means belonging to a royal and holy family. This status comes with a new identity, new privileges, and new responsibilities. It is a call to live in the freedom of grace, empowered by the Spirit, and to reject the bondage of legalism and worldly principles.
Paul's message in Galatians 4:1-10 is a profound reminder of the believer's new identity as adopted children of God. This adoption is a deliberate act of God's grace, freeing us from the law's guardianship and granting us full heirship in His kingdom. As holy heirs, we are called to embrace our new identity, live by faith, and reject the old ways that enslaved us.
