Father Mike Schmitz

I love this.

In chapter 24, he makes very, very clear.

He says, when the time had fully come, God sent forth his son, born of woman, born under the law to redeem those who were under the law so that we might receive adoption as sons.

And because you're sons, God has sent the spirit of his son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

So through God, you are no longer a slave, but a son.

And if a son, then an heir.

Basically back in the day, before all of this stuff, before Jesus, those under the law, right?

The Jewish people were unable to keep the law.

We heard this in Romans.

We heard this in Corinthians.

And then before this too, you Gentiles, you never even knew that there was a God who loved you.

And so you failed to keep the law.

But now, but now you've been made into God's sons and daughters.

Why would you want to go back?

Why would you want to go back?

Why would you, that's what he even asked in verse nine.

He says, how can you turn back again to those weak and beggarly elemental spirits whose slaves you want to be once more?

And this is the truth for how many of us, every single one of us, we're tempted to go back to our former bosses, our former little tiny tyrants, those little lords, those idols that take and take and take and never give anything back.

And yet here is St.

Paul who reminds us, you have a father who loves you, who just wants to give.