Galatians 4
1What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. 4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba,[a] Father." 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
Paul's Concern for the Galatians
8Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? 10You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! 11I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.
12I plead with you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong. 13As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. 14Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. 15What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them. 18It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you. 19My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, 20how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!
Hagar and Sarah
21Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? 22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise.
24These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. 27For it is written:
"Be glad, O barren woman,
who bears no children;
break forth and cry aloud,
you who have no labor pains;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband."[b]
28Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. 30But what does the Scripture say? "Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son."[c] 31Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
Footnotes:
[a] Galatians 4:6 Aramaic for Father
[b] Galatians 4:27 Isaiah 54:1
[c] Galatians 4:30 Gen. 21:10
3 comments:
How cool is this
4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba,[a] Father." 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
No longer a slave but a SON. Amazing.
The NLT makes this next point easier
10You are trying to find favor with God by what you do or don't do on certain days or months or seasons or years. 11I fear for you. I am afraid that all my hard work for you was worth nothing. 12Dear brothers and sisters,[d] I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles were--free from the law.
I wish I could live in freedom from those things. I pray a lot about not wanting favor in earthly things.
Hope you guys are having a good day.
IN Christ,
cas
8Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? 10You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! 11I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.
I struggle with this very often, working in graduate school, where at least with my boss, and many advisors, the goal is to give ALL of yourself to the job. It is easy to remember that I need to give myself to my son at home, and I know its wrong to give all of myself to work, but it's easy to get caught up in it. I do feel like there are times when I step outside myself and say "15What has happened to all your joy?" I do feel like I'm a different person here, one who isn't playing the new game anymore, but back to the old rules.
Father, forgive my eternal ignorance. By being human, you have given me free will and stubborn ignorance. Help me to choose to play by your rules, play above the muck and grind of daily life in the working world. Help me to work hard, but to work hard for You, without the worry. Help me to play by the rules that Christ's resurrection has put forth, and help us all to remember that You have eternal love for us. Father, I'm sick and tired of playing the rat race, help me to walk in Your light much taller, prouder, and share Your light with others, rather than continuing in the cycle of exhaustion/frustration/depression.
In Jesus' amazing name,
Amen
crb
crb,
I will be praying that same prayer for you this week!!! We are all in this together.
As far as the text goes, I am with cas on the amazing fact of "sonship" God has bestowed upon us. I love the fact of God's timeliness shown in vs. 4. So often I deal with frustrations and impatience wondering why God is not moving at my beckoning call to Him. What a great reminder that His greatest miracle (salvation bestowed upon us) came at the perfect time. Not a moment too soon and not a moment too late. In the waiting on God mode, I need to continually remember that even my salvation and sonship are on His timetable and not my own.
vs. 7ff zeroes in on our condition prior to Christ...slaves! Unbelievable, we are born in the "Land of the Free" yet we are born slaves. And once set free, we sometimes still want to live as slaves, rather than as sons.
God, I ask that you will give our hearts a deep longing for freedom that only you can provide. We praise you for your grace in Christ by which we are sons, yet we ask you to continually remind us of that fact.
In Christ's name,
ER
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