(a) Galatians 3:23-29; 4:1-7:
(i) Every man was under the law, kept under restraint until faith was revealed.
(ii) The law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith.
(iii) Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian (the law).
(iv) In Christ Jesus, we are all sons of God through faith.
(v) This implies that Christians share sonship of God through Christ who is the Son of God.
(vi) He has reconciled us to God through faith.
(vii) Through baptism, the believer in Christ has put on Christ, we become one in Christ (Jew or gentile, slave or free, male or female).
(viii) Now in Christ, we are Abraham's children, heirs according to promise and not according to the law.
(ix) As the young heir remains under guardians and trustees until the date set by his father, so we, as babes, were slaves to the elemental spirits of the world.
(x) At the appointed time, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
(xi) Now that we are adopted as sons, God had sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, so we bodly call God, 'Father'.
(xii) Hence, through. God, Paul explained, we are no longer slaves but sons, and as sons, then heirs.

(b) Three implications of the doctrine:
(i) The doctrine of sonship implies that the Christian is no longer alien to the household of God, but a bonafide member of the Kingdom of God through Christ.
(ii) The Christian shares the blessings of Abraham.
(iii) The Son of God had redeemed us and reconciled us to God and had given us the privilege to share with him the right of inheritance of God's eternal glory.
(iv) We now have every right to approach the Father, at all times, for whatever need may arise and are assured of his presence and help.
(v) With the spirit of his Son in us, we also share Christ's victory.
(vi) Christians are no more under the law.
(vii) Christians are children of God.