Galatians 4:21-31

Galatians 4:21-5:6

“No amount of religion or legislation can give the dead sinner life. Only Christ can do that through the gospel.”

– Warren Wiersbe

The Ancestry Allegory: “Two Mothers” and “Two Sons”

Hagar  (Law-Based Salvation)

• Second Wife Origin: Unbelief
• Nature: Slave Ishmael = “God Listens”
• See: Matthew 5:45b
• Life Source: Ordinary/Natural/Physical
• See: Galatians 4:22-23
• Inclusion: Dismissed
• See: Genesis 21:10-12 
• Presiding Covenant: Mt. Sinai (v. 25)
• Home: First-Century Jerusalem
• See: Galatians 4:25
• Blessed then Banished
• See: Genesis 21:8-10
• Final Result: Contempt
• See Genesis 16:4

Sarah  (Grace-based Salvation)

• First Wife Origin: Promise
• Nature: Free Isaac = “He Laughs”
• Life Source: Miraculous/Supernatural/Spiritual
• See: Galatians 4:22-23
• Inclusion: Accepted and Ordained
• See: Galatians 4:31
• Presiding Covenant: Abraham Home: New Jerusalem
• See: Revelation 21:1-3
• Barren then Blessed
• See Galatians 4:27
• Final Result: Contentment
• See: Genesis 21:6

** Additional passages are given below **

Note: Galatians 4:29-30 answers many questions:

1. How are Jewish and Gentile believers related?

   1. v. 28 – We are all children of the Promise

   2. Unknown - “Just as Isaac’s birth was a miracle of God, so Christianity, offering people the

      opportunity to be born again, is a miracle of God (John 3:3).”

2. Why is there conflict in the Holy Land?

   1. v. 29 – Because of Ishmael’s violence.

   2. Genesis 16:12– “Ishmael will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against

      everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”

3. Who does God favor?

a. v. 30 – To those who come to him through the promise, he gives the inheritance

Additional Passages from the Chart Above

Matthew 5:45b – “For God gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.”

Genesis 21:10-12 – So Sarah said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.” 11 And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” (ESV)

Revelation 21:2 – “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”

Genesis 21:8-10 – “The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. 9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, ‘Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.’”

Genesis 16:4 – “So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt.” (NLT)

Genesis 21:6 – “Sarah said, ‘God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.’”

Faith Fellowship Boca · Galatians 4:21-31

Galatians 4:8-20

“If you’re lost in the wilderness and travelling in circles,

it really doesn’t matter how much ground you cover each day!”

- Anonymous

I. Pastor Paul’s Vulnerability

Galatians 4:11 – “I fear for you...”

Galatians 4:8-9 – “Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But 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?

Paul’s Pastoral Question: Why do you want to go back to ignorance when you’ve had intimacy with God?

II. Pastor Paul’s Plea

Galatians 4:12 – “I plead with you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you.”

Galatians 4:15-16 – “What 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. Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

Point: The Truth that once set them free is now going to be their Judge.

III. Pastor Paul’s Release (vs. 17-20)

Galatians 4:19 – “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you...”

Galatians 4:17-18 – “Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you, so that you may be zealous for them. It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you.”

** The Judaizers...

• They are up to no good

o v. 17a - “Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good.”

• They are trying permanently drive a wedge between you and God.

o v. 17b – “What they want is to alienate you, so that you may be zealous for them.”

o “Alienate” = image of locking a dead bolt on the door.

** So his word of Release is:

Galatians 4:18- “It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you.”

Point: “If a thousand people believe in a stupid idea...it’s still a stupid idea.”

Faith Fellowship Boca · Galatians 4:8-20

Galatians 3:27-4:6

Benefits of Being a Heir

Benefit 1 - Heir has a new Position: Child of God

Galatians 3:26 – “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”

Note: Paul is emphasizing the word “All”.

Benefit 2 – Heir has a new Privilege: Adulthood

Galatians 3:26-27 – “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

** Analogy for our Christian Application of Baptism: Roman rite of Toga

Point: Paul’s point is that Christian Baptism is the donning of adult faith.

Benefit 3 – Heirs have a new Purpose: Equality

Galatians 3:28-29 – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

** Three Barriers that the Law (i.e.: Sin) Creates

1. The Ethnic Barrier – “There is neither Jew nor Greek...”
2. The Social Barrier – “...slave nor free...”
3. The Gender Barrier – “...male nor female...”

Rabbinic Prayer – “I thank you God that I am not a Gentile, slave or woman.”

Josephus Flavius (1st Century Jewish Historian who worked for the Romans) – “Woman is inferior to man in every way.”

Paul’s Point: Jesus overcomes our earthly barriers to fulfill God’s will in salvation: “...for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Galatians 3:29 - “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

Comparing and Contrasting a Child and the Heir 

Note: The word Paul uses for “child” really means “baby” or “infant”.

“Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly – mere infants in Christ.

I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.” 

- 1 Corinthians 3:1-2

“What 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. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world.”

– Galatians 4:1-3

Child

• Restricted Rights and Privileges Under a Guardian
• Limited access to Riches of Inheritance Slave
• Intermediary to Father
• “Under the Law”

Heir

• Full Access to Privileges Self-regulated
• Full Access to Riches of Inheritance Free
• Direct Access to Father 
• “Under Grace”

Note 1 – God’s grace “redeems” the Heir.

Galatians 4:4-5 – “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.”

** Redemption by Jesus has two purposes:

1. To make us acceptable to God
2. To free us to live as adopted heirs.

Note 2 – God’s grace creates a new relationship for the Heir.

Galatians 4:6 – “Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’”

John R. W. Stott - “We cannot come to Christ to be justified until we have first been to Moses to be condemned. But once we have gone to Moses, and acknowledged our sin, guilt and condemnation, we must not stay there. We must let Moses send us to Christ.”

Faith Fellowship Boca · Galatians 3:26-4:7

Galatians 3:15-25

What is a Covenant?

Defining “Covenant”

• A Covenant is a declaration by the Sovereign regarding a unilateral promise to his people.

o A Covenant is NOT a Contract or a Treaty (negotiated between two “equal” parties.)

Quote: “The Covenants form the unifying thread of God’s saving action through Scripture.” - Unknown Source

The 6 Key Covenants God made with Israel 

1. The Adamic Covenant – Re: Sin – Curses and Provision  (See: Genesis 3:15-19).

2. The Noahic Covenant – Never flood the earth again (See: Genesis 3:15-19)

3. The Abrahamic Covenant – Salvation is for ALL peoples (See: Genesis 12:2-3)

4. The Mosaic Covenant – The Law  (See: Deuteronomy 11:26-28)

5. The Davidic Covenant – The Promise of a Messiah  (See: 2 Samuel 7:11b-13; Luke 1:22-23)

6. The New Covenant – Eternal forgiveness and life through Messiah (See: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Luke 22:14-22)

Galatians 3:15-25

Law vs. Covenant (v. 15-18)

** Understanding the Relationship between the Law and Covenant is like comparing...

• works vs. grace

• obligation vs. promise

• “salary” vs. inheritance

• contract vs. gift

  Point: You cannot set aside the Covenants as they are not bound by Law. Only God can change the Covenant.

  
  

  The Purpose of the Law (v. 19-25)

  ** The Law...

  ...does NOT

  • set aside or negate the Covenant (v. 17)

  • contradict the Promise (v. 21a)

  • impart life (v. 21b)

    ...does

  • teach about sin (v. 19a, 22) – See: 1 Timothy 1:8-11

  • point to Jesus (v. 19 – the “promise referred”)

  • hold us “prisoners” until faith is revealed (v. 23) – See: Romans 6:15-23

  • ULTIMATELY: lead us to Christ (v. 24 – “lead us” = Gk: “pedagogue” = trainer of boys)

    – See: 2 Timothy 3:14-15

    Essential Teachings:

1. The Jews were not born again through the Law but were brought up by the Law.

2. The Law does not give life, but regulates it to teach us about righteousness until faith is activated.

3. Once faith is activated through grace, the Law becomes antiquated, moot... it cannot increase righteousness since it could never impart righteousness.

   
   
   

   
   

Faith Fellowship Boca · Galatians 3:15-25