Paul’s letter to the Galatians reveals the difference between being spiritually bound and truly belonging to God’s family. He compares our condition to a wealthy heir who lives like a slave until coming of age. Before Christ, we lived under various binding standards – whether religious law, cultural expectations, or personal codes. These different standards create judgment, hostility, and division in relationships. However, Jesus changed everything by perfectly keeping the law and dying for our sins, essentially strapping himself to the leash to set us free. Through faith in Christ, we move from being bound outside to belonging inside God’s family, receiving the Spirit of adoption that allows us to call God ‘Abba, Father’ with intimate access and freedom.