One of the most critical things that ministries, churches and families need to be focused on is helping God’s people grow spiritually and physically in the Lord. For the young child and the young Christian it is important for them to understand their position in Christ and helping them understand what God has for them. 

 

Todays message looks at the “child” of God and the maturation of the “child” to an “heir”.   The term “child” we want to apply in a literal and spiritual sense. We will look at the characteristics of a child and the characteristics of an heir. 

 

Paul in his letter to the Galatians wrote in chapter 4:1, “Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything.” For many us, God wants us to be heir to everything he has promised us; however, because we are acting like children, we haven’t taken possession of what belongs to us. 

 

Many children want to be entrusted with privileges and possessions from their parents. Many adults want a similar position, possessions and power from God; however, we have not matured to a point where we are able to handle what God has for us. 

 

In the book of Galatians, Paul desires that the child becomes the heir. Do you always want to be treated like a child or are you ready to be treated like an heir. Let’s look at characteristics of a child and the characteristics of an heir.

 

First, Paul says the heir and the child should be different. He describes a child as one who is under guardians and managers until a certain date. Paul indicates that truly the child instead of being an heir is really like a slave. Consequently, until the date or time that the child physically grows, until the date or time the child shows themselves to be responsible, until the date or time the child shows themselves to be able to handle their possessions, they will be under the parents or guardians. Parents or guardians will manage their lives because they cannot manage it themselves. 

 

The same holds true for the spiritually immature. Until Christians, believers, and the saints of God grow in grace and knowledge, of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, until they are able to rightly divide the Word of Truth, until they are no longer driven by others and things of this world and become driven by the Holy Spirit, they will continue to be under spiritual guardians and managers. We will continue to need others to poke and prod us to do the things that God wants us to do. While God, is waiting for the time, when we show that we can handle more. 

 

Not only is the child not yet an heir and in possession of the things that God wants to give him; but, he is also held in bondage by things of the world. The child and/or immature Christian is looking at things the same way the world is looking at them. The child and/or immature Christian is captivated by the world. The child and/or immature Christian cannot receive the things of God as long as he is led by the things of the world. We must be different. When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. We must not be held in bondage by things of the world.

 

Now we must become heirs. Paul in our text tells us about the characteristics of an heir. An heir possesses the spirit of the Father. As a spiritual and physical heir to the things that have been set aside for me, I now have the Spirit of God in my heart. As an heir, I am now no longer in bondage because I have been redeemed from the law. I no longer need the law to compel me to do what is right. I have the Spirit of God in my heart to guide me to all truth. 

 

As a child matures, they began to know what their parents or guardians want them to do. As we mature, we know what our heavenly Father wants us to do. We don’t need to be slaves or treated like slaves. We have been set free; however, I am free to do as I want and free to do what I know my heavenly father wants me to do. Shall I continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. I am a son now. I recognize my relationship with my Father and I know what inheritance my Father has set aside for me. I no longer have to seek my identity in worldly things; but as an heir I know who I am in Christ.

 

As we seek to grow spiritually in the Lord, we must recognize who we are in Christ and what God has made available to us. I am praying that my children and children’s children recognize that they are heirs. I pray that they recognize they are heirs to the promise and have an inheritance in God through Jesus Christ that is greater than anything I could give them.

 

I leave you with this prayer. “Lord, help us to recognize that through Jesus’ death we are now heirs both to salvation and to the things that God has set aside for us in this life and the life to come. Thank you for the maturity of every child. Thank you for the inheritance promised to us. In Jesus Name, AMEN!