Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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99th Happy Birthday to our Beloved Rt. Rev. Dr. Philipose Mar Chrysostom Valiya Thirumeni
Mission in Christ’s Spirit
Santhosh Abraham
1. My point is this: heirs, as long as they are minors, are no better than slaves, though they are the owners of all the property;
Paul, having spoken of the Law, and of the participation of believing Gentiles in the privileges of the Abraham family(God's promise to Abraham), proceeds to speak of the times before Christ's advent as an infant. 
(Vers.1-3.) The Old Testament times represented the experience of all men before the inception of the gospel. The soul was then like a child who was placed under guardians, and was not allowed to take charge but lived by law and rule.  Now, the entire world was in this legal condition which we can call the "infant" stage. However it is better that the soul should adhere to the school of Law than wandering after its own devices. It is better to be under restraint than to be utterly spoiled by getting our own way. We should not under-estimate the discipline which the Law has secured.
(Vers.4 and 5) It was Christ's coming that secured the world's redemption. He did so by being "born of a woman" but at the same time being "born under the Law". Having obeyed the Law in its penalty of death for disobedience as well as in its precepts, He redeemed men from the condemning power of Law, and secured their adoption as sons. 
(Ver. 6.) The advent of the Spirit secured men in their spiritual inheritance. The cry of the human heart became the cry of the children who had learned at last to feel at home with God. Both converted Jews and believing Gentiles began to cry to the one Father in heaven, and to feel "orphans" no more (John 14:18). The Holy Spirit enables human hearts to look up hopefully to heaven, and to realize that it is filled with the presence of an infinite and all-merciful Father.
(Ver. 7.) The termination of slavish fear, and the advent of a sense of sonship, is what we call conversion. But we hardly realize at once the meaning of our inheritance.  We should realize that we have become heirs of all things, and find that all things are being made to work together for our good (Romans 8:28). May we no longer live as bonded-servants before God, but enter as the privileged sons.
Our heavenly Father does not want us to serve Him as a slave in bondage motivated by fear. Our heavenly Father wants us to serve as children, assured of His love and motivated by the love, joy and peace that come as a result of the working Spirit within the person who looks to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, We praise You for forgiving us  our sins, for giving us eternal life,  for sending your Holy Spirit and bestowing gifts on us in every area of our lives. Amen
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
"So you are no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir". Galatians 4:7 

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