Who are the true children of God?  Are we born into this world as children of God?  How do we become the seed of Abraham?  What does it mean to receive the adoption of sons and daughters of God?  These are important doctrinal concepts to understand and Paul attempts to clarify them for us in Galatians.  We left off in our study of Galatians with Paul saying in 3:26 “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”  He means, only those who put their faith in Jesus Christ are God’s – true spiritual children.  Verse 27 “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”  Now, this verse could be speaking of water baptism.  But Paul is most likely speaking of those who have been baptized into Christ spiritually or – by the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  And have put on Christ or – taken upon us His righteousness.  Verse 28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”  All are saved in the same way – all are entitled to the same privileges.  There is no favoritism.  All who place their faith on Christ to save them – will be saved by the merits of the Savior and – all are given the same privileges as children of God – justified by faith.  Note that when Paul says, “there is neither male nor female,” that it was intended to abolish the distinction of the sexes relative to God.  There is no male or female in Christ.  Circumcision is now of the heart.  Paul adds “for ye are ALL ONE in Christ Jesus.”  And, Paul ends with Verse 29 “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”  The promise made to Abraham related to the Messiah.  It was a promise that in Jesus all should be blessed.  And if you are a believer – a Christian – then you are Abraham’s seed, “and heirs according to the promise.”  Again, not by the Law – but by faith – according to the promise made to Abraham by God.  The first two verses in Chapter 4 describe a person who has come to faith but remains a babe or a child in Christ.  1:1-2 “Now I say, That the heir, as long as he (or she) is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he (or she) be lord of all (the one who will someday inherit the whole estate);  But is under (is subject to) tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.”  The Father – God – decides when this happens.  Until the child matures into a son or daughter of God – a child lacks understanding of spiritual things and initially are still carnal in nature.  Paul taught in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, and ye not carnal, and walk as men?”  Like the Prodigal Son who was immature in the faith and irresponsible with the inheritance.  He put himself in bondage to a Gentile citizen.  Back to Galatians 4:3 “Even so we, when we were children (still immature in spiritual things), were in bondage under the elements of the world.”  Paul is speaking of the Law, which kept the Nation of Israel in bondage as children to the elemental things relative to God.  Throughout the New Testament, the word “bondage” is often tied to the law.  Paul taught in Galatians 5:1 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”  And for our LDS friends, Colossians 2:20-22 “Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste no; handle not;  Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?”  Back to Galatians 4:4 “But when the fulness of the time was come (when the time w