Sons or Slaves

Sons Or Slaves
Galatians 4

As the Apostle Paul penned the fourth chapter of his letter to the church in Galatia, he addresses further some of the issues of which we have spoken already in our study of this book.
Remember that the Galatians had grown in their faith since Paul had started their church some 3 or 4 years previous, but there had crept into their midst some who had been in this church scene much longer than they had.
These false teachers had come from Jerusalem and had convinced the people in the relatively new church of Galatia that they needed to be converted not only to Christ but to Judaism as well.
They would have to begin to observe all of the Jewish rituals and Sabbaths if they were to be real Christians.
It was not enough to go to church, read the Bible and listen to the Holy Spirit in a personal relationship with God.
They had to conform to the pattern of Old Testament law to be acceptable before God.

They were suddenly tripped up in their Christian growth.
Paul writes here to put down the false airs that had risen in their midst.
It seems the first thing that Paul does is show them that their advance into legalism is a step backward in their growth and a step down in their position before God.

READ TEXT
Galatians 4:1 ¶ Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
PRAY

Verses 1-7 show a contrast in Positions before God.
Paul begins by tracing their rise to the position of heir.
--They had before (in OT times) been "children of God," but had not yet received the promise and were therefore no better than slaves.
--Now they were redeemed and adopted children of God and enabled to act like sons of God.
They were no longer bound to the system of the Law as they were.
They were sons of God.
So we, when we accept the price that has been paid for our redemption, become the children of God and heirs of the promise of Heaven.

Galatians 4:8 ¶ Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
12 ¶ Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.
13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.
16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?

Verses 8-16 show a contrast in Practice of Religion.
Here Paul reminds them of how they used to practice their faith and contrasts it with their current system of religion.
--Their current religious activity appeared more like when they were idol worshippers.
--They became obsessed with following all the Sabbaths again.
--They used to accept Paul and his infirmities with open arm and with love.
--They used to be compassionate and giving.

Galatians 4:17 ¶ They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
18 But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.
19 ¶ My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
20 I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.
21 ¶ Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
Verses 17-21 show a contrast in Methods of Ministry.
Here Paul points out the different way in which these false teachers had gone about ministering to them.
They had made great changes among them, but only motivated by a desire to look good themselves.
--The false teachers had threatened to exclude them from fellowship if they would not conform to their system of religion.
--The false teachers were concerned with how their ministry made them look.
--The false teachers produced fake results, as their converts only conformed to their teachings when they were being watched.
IN CONTRAST:
--Paul dealt with them as his own children.
--He was willing to work hard for their benefit.
--He was only concerned that they become like Christ.
--He desired to work with them and help them to grow personally.

Galatians 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Verses 22-31 show a contrast in Symbolic Perspectives.
Here Paul uses an allegory to illustrate the two perspectives that existed within the Galatian church.
To understand the Allegory, we must quickly refresh our memory regarding the Old Testament story of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar.
---Abraham was married to Sarah and was promised by God that she would bear a son who would be the child of promise, the one through whom God would bless the world.
Abraham and Sarah doubted God's promise and tried to manufacture their own plan.
Sarah gave her handmaiden, Hagar to Abraham to be a second wife, and Hagar bear a son who was named Ishmael.
Meanwhile God fulfilled His promise and gave Sarah a child who was named Isaac.
Once Isaac was born Sarah and Abraham threw out Hagar and Ishmael to avoid any conflict with the inheritance.

Isaac then was the son of promise and became the symbol of a God's plan working its power within us.
Ishmael then was the rejected son of the bondwoman and became a symbol of man's plan working its chaos and confusion within us.

Some insisted on sticking to their idea of religion and forced an entire system of regulations upon the church - in doing so they showed a lack of faith in God doing what he promises to do, that is make us all perfect in the end.

The right perspective is that of the children of promise.
We cannot manufacture our own set of regulations that will please God.
We must simply obey His explicit instructions and allow Him to do His marvelous work in us.

So it is when we come to Christ for salvation:
We do not come up with our own way of salvation.
We accept His provided way of salvation.

If you are here today and you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your only Saviour, let me encourage you to make that decision today.
Become a child of promise.

Christian Brother, Sister, stop trying to fit a mold that has been created by men and gauging your spirituality by that standard.
It will only rob you of your joy, and you will fall short of God's standard.
Surrender to His working in your life, He has promised to change you, and He will do so.