Growing in Grace: The Journey from Servant to Heir
Galatians 4:1
Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
I do believe that this verse gives us great insight into what it means to grow in grace. If you’ll study the context of our selected text, Paul is dealing specifically with the subject of law versus grace. He is using here an heir and a servant to help us understand the differences between the two. For example, consider the differences between them both at childhood; there is none! As long as the heir is a child, you can tell absolutely no difference between him and the servant. Why? Because a child will be a child! When we make this comparison, what truth is it that we are attempting to understand? It is to help us understand that when a believer first trusts Christ as Savior, he is going to take time to develop, mature, and come to a full understanding of who he is in Christ, and what his full privileges and responsibilities are as an heir.
At first, it is difficult to grasp the concept, due to the fact that before Christ, he was a servant to sin, condemned under the law. But, now that he is saved by the blood of Christ, he is a new creature in the inner man, while still fighting the sinful tendencies of the flesh. As a believer, we must stop thinking of ourselves as servants to sin, and begin viewing ourselves as the heirs of God through Christ. When this mindset is fully adopted, Christians begin to grow in grace, understanding that the freedoms of grace will empower them as heirs to live above that which living as a servant beforehand simply could not afford.
Why do many still try to live under the law after many years of having been members of the body of Christ? It is because they are yet children. That’s why you can hardly tell any difference between a carnal Christian and an unbeliever; because the carnal Christian is still living in the spirit of the letter which condemns, rather than being liberated from that guilt and condemnation by the Spirit of grace which empowers him to live for Christ! Making the transition from law to grace is just like moving from the mindset of a servant to the mindset of an heir. I’ll say this; as long as you continue to adapt to your list of do’s and don’ts, you will always be enslaved. It is only when you decide to live in God’s free grace that you are set free!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
I do believe that this verse gives us great insight into what it means to grow in grace. If you’ll study the context of our selected text, Paul is dealing specifically with the subject of law versus grace. He is using here an heir and a servant to help us understand the differences between the two. For example, consider the differences between them both at childhood; there is none! As long as the heir is a child, you can tell absolutely no difference between him and the servant. Why? Because a child will be a child! When we make this comparison, what truth is it that we are attempting to understand? It is to help us understand that when a believer first trusts Christ as Savior, he is going to take time to develop, mature, and come to a full understanding of who he is in Christ, and what his full privileges and responsibilities are as an heir.
At first, it is difficult to grasp the concept, due to the fact that before Christ, he was a servant to sin, condemned under the law. But, now that he is saved by the blood of Christ, he is a new creature in the inner man, while still fighting the sinful tendencies of the flesh. As a believer, we must stop thinking of ourselves as servants to sin, and begin viewing ourselves as the heirs of God through Christ. When this mindset is fully adopted, Christians begin to grow in grace, understanding that the freedoms of grace will empower them as heirs to live above that which living as a servant beforehand simply could not afford.
Why do many still try to live under the law after many years of having been members of the body of Christ? It is because they are yet children. That’s why you can hardly tell any difference between a carnal Christian and an unbeliever; because the carnal Christian is still living in the spirit of the letter which condemns, rather than being liberated from that guilt and condemnation by the Spirit of grace which empowers him to live for Christ! Making the transition from law to grace is just like moving from the mindset of a servant to the mindset of an heir. I’ll say this; as long as you continue to adapt to your list of do’s and don’ts, you will always be enslaved. It is only when you decide to live in God’s free grace that you are set free!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill