The concept of a Trust and an estate plan is laid out for us in Galatians 3 and 4. This is what it says: Galatians 3, starting in verse 18. “For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but god gave it to Abraham by a promise. Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions until the offspring should come to whom the promise has been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.”
Let’s summarize: Paul is explaining to the Galatians the reason for laws. God promised Abraham and his heirs that it would all be theirs in abundance. They are questioning, then, why do we need the laws? Paul answers, because of transgressions.
The law was put into place because of breaches in the law. It was set to show standards. Let’s skip down a bit: Galatians 3:24-29 – … the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith… for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God… you are all one in Christ Jesus… and if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. Galatians 4: 1-7 – …the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father… when the fullness of time has come… because you are sons… you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
If a son, then an heir! What is this saying? It is laying out the concept of an estate plan. This is where the idea of trust first came to be. As Christians, we mirror our lives after the bible and God. Here, God is saying that because of the simple fact that we are sons, we are therefore heirs. However, for the time being, the only way the son is different from a slave is the son is the owner of everything. Meaning the son is put under the care and training of a manager, which typically is the father, until the date set by the father. That date will be a time when the son is ready to receive the inheritance. When he is trained, mature, and ready to manage the responsibility.
This is an estate plan.
