Galatians 4:1-9

1Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had.

2They have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set.

3And that’s the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world.

4But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.

5God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.

6And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”

7Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.

8Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist.

9So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world?