"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out 'Abba, Father.' So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir" (Gal. 3:26-4:7).

A fact that we sometimes miss when we question God about why whole countries or people groups suffer is that not everyone is heir to the promises of God. We become heirs of His great promises and provision through faith in Jesus Christ. It is not a privilege of nationality or ethnicity--there is neither Jew nor Greek; it is not a question of social position--there is neither slave nor free; it is not given according to gender--there is neither male nor female. The promises and favor of God are not bestowed on us because our mothers and fathers go to church, or because we attend church, or because we read the Bible. There is only one element that changes us from slaves under the basic principles of this world to heirs of the Kingdom of God, and that element is faith in Jesus Christ.

God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to live as we live, but without sin, the only one qualified to redeem those under the law, that we might receive the full rights as sons. He did it all for us--He became "the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law He meditates day and night" (Psalm 1:1-2); He "took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities," chastised for our peace and wounded for our healing (Isaiah 53:4-5); He personified the Passover lamb--the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). By Him, and no other way, do we becomes heirs of the promises of God. Without Him, one can not lay claim to God's promises. He is the only way.