Theme: Not slaves or debtors, but sons (and daughters!)

Exegetical note
Though there is still some disagreement about the extent of Hellenistic dualism in Paul's thought, it seems prudent not to read him in a too Neoplatonistic (dualistic) light, but rather to view his references to "flesh" and "spirit" as both referring humans in a more holistic sense, the former meaning their unredeemed state and the latter their redeemed. Whereas "fleshly humans" are captives and debtors, "spiritual humans" are sons and daughters, who can theref…