I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had 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 are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
Comment: This passage clarifies beautifully our status as believers before God. My wife and I have two adopted sons. And that is what they are – they are our sons. And believers are held in that very precious relationship with our Heavenly Father. We are His daughters and sons. We don’t need a manager to control us ( the Law), although we have the Spirit of God to strengthen us; we are not slaves to the base actions of the sinful world,. We are God’s adopted children and we have the right to call God ‘Abba’ ‘Daddy’.
And this opportunity is open to us because of the actions of the non-adopted son, who came born of Mary to be our Redeemer!
Prayer: Gratefully I call You my ‘Daddy’, but I stand in wonder and awe at the magnitude and magnificence of Your Grace.
As I read it! 
Thank you Barry for your comments on this passage. Adoption as we know it in an earthly family is a picture of what God has done for us through His own Son, to make us His children through adoption. What a special picture this is of how much God loves us. God bless you.
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