“Through Christ, we are no longer bound by the law or striving to earn God’s love; instead, we are adopted into God’s family, fully embraced as His beloved children, living in the freedom of His grace.”
Galatians 4:1-20 is important for Christians to understand because it shows how God’s grace completely changes our relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. Before Christ, people were living under the law, trying to follow rules that couldn’t fully bring them into the freedom God intended. Paul uses the image of a child who, even though they’re destined to inherit everything, has no real control over their life until they come of age. This is how we were under the law—bound, waiting, and not yet experiencing the fullness of life with God. But when Christ came, He broke those chains and brought us into a new reality, where we’re not just trying to follow a set of rules but are free to live as God’s beloved children. That shift from law to grace is central to our faith, especially as Methodists who believe so deeply in God’s transforming grace.
Paul’s message is also a powerful reminder of our identity as children of God. Through Jesus, we are not merely forgiven sinners; we’re adopted into God’s family. This means we don’t have to work to earn God’s love or approval—God already loves us fully and unconditionally. In Methodism, we talk a lot about prevenient grace—the grace that is at work in our lives before we even know it. Galatians 4 reminds us that God has always seen us as His children, drawing us into relationship with Him, and through Christ, we’re able to fully live into that relationship. As God’s children, we approach Him like a child goes to their parent—trusting, secure, and confident that we are loved.
Finally, Paul’s concern for the Galatians also resonates with us as Methodists. After experiencing the freedom of Christ, they were tempted to fall back into old ways of thinking, believing that they had to follow rules and rituals to be in good standing with God. In our tradition, we emphasize that while personal holiness and good works are important, they are a response to God’s grace—not a way to earn it. Paul’s words remind us to avoid falling into the trap of thinking we have to “prove” our faith by checking off religious boxes. Instead, we’re invited to live in the freedom of God’s grace, letting that grace shape how we love others and how we live out our faith every day. As Methodists, we’re called to live in a way that reflects our deep understanding of God’s grace—trusting fully in His love, and sharing that love with the world.
