Gal_4_1-4

Galatians 4:1-4

No Longer a Slave, But a Son

Paul is now bringing his whole argument to a close, which began in 3:1-5 with several questions. The Galatians were being fooled by the Judaizers. They were being told that if they were to become true Christians they not only had to have faith in Jesus Christ, but that they had to take up the Law of Moses as their code of ethic. They had to live under the law if they expected to be right with God.

Arguing his case: Gal. 3 >> Paul surveyed OT history (2000 yrs) to show the relationship between 3 figures (Abraham, Moses, Christ).

God gave Abraham a promise to justify the nations and fill them with His Spirit through His Seed.

He then gave Moses the law 430 years after He had given the promise to Abraham, which did not annul the promise but actually made it more necessary (i.e. placed Israel under a curse; 3:10).

The law was used by God to bring a heightened awareness of sin (Rom. 7:4ff.), and even increase sin. It acted as a prison to condemn and shut Israel up in their sin. Ultimately, the law was to drive Israel to Christ.

Finally, God sent Christ to fulfill the promise so that those who are under the oppressive yoke of the law would find in Christ that His yoke is easy and His burden in light (Matt. 11:30).

Now in Gal. 4, Paul returns to the same history by contrasting man's condition under the law with his condition under Christ. Man's first condition under the letter of the law of Moses is described as a slave, a child, immaturity. Man’s condition under Christ is described as a Son, heir of God, life of the Spirit.

1. Man's Condition Under the Law (1-3).

Man under the law is like a young boy who is an heir to a large estate. The father dies and the estate becomes the young lads. However, he is much too young to oversee an estate seeing that he is not even able to oversee his own needs. He is just a child, immature.

He is master of it all, but yet he is much to young control it.

So he is put under guardians and managers until the time appointed by his father.

Even so, when Israel was a child she was in bondage under the elemental things of the world.

Elementary, rudimentary -- formal instruction of basics (abc's) for children.

“The elemental things of this world” refers to Israel under the law (cf. 3:23-25) in its condemnatory and supervisory/authoritative functions. Paul is referring to the basic principles (abc's) of their religion.

Israel served as an example of the whole world under the bondage of the law (natural law; Rom. 2:14-15).

Later in vv. 8-9, Paul will equally refer to the Gentiles under their “basic principles” (i.e. natural law) which refer to their life in paganism with its worship of nature and cultic rituals (cf. Col. 2:16-23 -- no value)

"served idols" -- (cf. v. 3). may refer to evil spirits of this age >> Satanic influences

Calvin "our minds are a factory of idols"

When we make idols we sin by giving glory and honor to something other than God.

God loves to be worshipped. God hates it when worship that belongs to Him is given to

another who does not deserve it. That is idolatry.

This was a life of bondage -- the law was a prison for Israel. Why? The law always held out the promise of life, but because of Israel’s sin it only reminded them that they could never measure up to God’s standards (3:22ff; Heb.10:1-3; i.e. Sabbath observance)

Vv. 9-11 -- They want to return to their former religion of works salvation which is:

weak or feeble

beggarly or bankrupt >> very poor, worthless, inadequate

"The religion based on law is weak because it is helpless. It can define sin; it can show a man when he is sinning; it can convict him of sin; but it can neither find for him forgiveness for past sin nor strength to conquer future sin. The law's basic and inherent weakness always was and is that it can diagnose the disease but it cannot produce a cure." Barclay.

The Galatians thought they were progressing when they accepted the teaching of the Judaizers.

Paul saw them as simply reverting to their former religion before Christ came to them.

The life of the Christian is lived in gratitude for what Christ has done, not in order to acquire merit or to earn salvation.

Christ had set them free from such things, but they were placing themselves back under the bondage of them. (Ceremonial law >> days, seasons, etc. & circumcision)

Days >> Paul points to the meticulousness of the law.

Already following days, maybe not circumcision yet (cf. 5:1-6, 11-12; 6:12-16)

Paul says they are enslaving themselves. If we are going to appeal to God's mercy based on his judging our merits, then we are in bondage to living perfectly or being damned forever.

This is why we must flee to Christ.

Paul was concerned to the point that he feared he brought to them the gospel in vain. It was worthless.

This rounds out Paul's passionately plea for them to turn from this damning teaching.

Under the bondage of the law, Israel was constantly reminded that they were weak.

In the same way, the child under the guardians and managers, though he is the master of it all, is constantly reminded that he is nothing but a child fully dependent upon others. Even though he is anything but a slave, in this sense he is very much like a slave.

The Jews prided themselves upon the fact that they possessed the law. In no way did they view the law as something oppressive from God. Rather, it was a badge of honor (Phil. 3:2-3; Rom. 9:3-5; 10:1-10) to possess the law distinct from all the other nations. But Paul is looking back on the law from a new point of view. He is comparing what we have in Christ (through the righteousness of Christ by faith) compared to what he experienced under the law. It is only in light of the fulfillment in Christ, that the law of Moses is perceived with this oppressive nature.

2. Man's Condition Under Christ (4-7).

But -- while under this condition of bondage - God initiated a change in Israel’s relationship with Him.

Notice: In vv. 1-3 the focus is on Israel’s condition under the law >> in vv. 4-7 it is on what God does to us.

God's sovereign election and work in the life of depraved sinners.

But God >> 2 Things:

1. Sent His Son (4-5).

God sends His unique Son “under the law” (i.e. covenant of works). Man’s condition under the law was one of oppression because he could never fulfill it. Jesus Christ comes in order to gain what man had lost.

God's purpose in sending His Son is twofold: to redeem (Kinsman redeemer; Lev. 25) and to adopt his people (Gal. 3:16 --> 2:20; 3:26, 29; 4:4-5).

God's Son was the perfect redeemer:

"God's Son" -- speaks of His divinity

"born of a woman" -- speaks of humanity

"born under the law" -- righteousness

V. 9a "have been known by God" -- the start of a new beginning. What God does is supreme ! (cf. vv. 7-11)

2. Sent His Spirit (6).

Because God adopted us through union with Son of God, He sent His Spirit to confirm and seal it.

J. Stott "He sent His Son that we might have the status of sonship, and He sent His Spirit that we

might have an experience of it."

The Spirit witnesses to our adoption and prompts our prayers that we might cry out

"ABBA Father."

ABBA -- Aramaic for Father -- term used by a little toddler who is still babbling much

like "dada". Very intimate usage of familiarity within the family.

(cf. Rom. 8)

Father -- Greek for father.

We live in a day when most approach God very casually.

Because we live casually before God we do not understand the power of Paul's

words of approaching God this way.

The disciples were shocked to hear Jesus pray "Our Father".

This is a wonderful privilege given only to the children of God.

Conclusion (7):

We are no longer slaves who have to strive to slavishly please a Master, but we are eternally accepted by our Father because He has made us His children.

Note again Paul’s questions that he is putting before the Galatians. If you have come to the glorious privledge of being made Sons, not slaves, why do you want to be slaves again (4:21; 5:1)? They want to return to immaturity under the rudiments of the law. If you have been redeemed from the Law of Moses, why do you want to put yourselves under it again? 4:8-9 Are you so foolish that God has given you so much in Christ, that you want to go back under the Law of Moses?

Paul pictures the Law of Moses like a race. Israel tried to run the race but they always came up short and could never complete it. Finally, God sent His only Son to that race and he ran it perfectly and completed it. Now that the race has been completed, it is over. It has been finished. But here the Galatians are wanting to call the crowds back into the stands and start the race all over again. But why? Those elemental things of this world have been completed in Christ and in Christ we have won the prize. We have become co-heirs with Christ. So why do we want to go back under those things?

Application:

1. We must daily remind ourselves of our new relationship to God. We are no longer slaves, but sons. We must preach this doctrine to ourselves anew every morning. This is the purpose for daily prayer. We daily confront our thinking to change it from a slavish mentality to freedom of sonship.

When we try to appeal to God based on our own meriting of good works this is not simply a humble attempt to win God's favor. It is actually a damning work. It brings about damnation to the sinner.

Because no work is sufficient, not even our best. They are all tainted with sin and non are

ultimately done for the glory of God. (cf. 3:10, 12).

Therefore, we must flee to Christ alone who has earned the full merit for His good work and gives it to us upon trusting in Him alone.

2. We are no longer slaves of unrighteousness and sin. However, we are now slaves of righteousness and slaves to Christ. This is a slavery of freedom, not bondage. Christ's yoke is light and his burden is easy. We serve out of joyful freedom, not slavish fear.

3. We are no longer under the law of Moses as a direct, immediate rule of conduct. Our new life as sons is no longer “Torah-centered” but “Christ-centered.” This is why Paul says in 1 Cor. 9:21 that though we are no longer under the law of Moses, that doesn’t mean that we are no longer under the law of God, but now we are under the law of Christ. This is not only true of our justification but also of our sanctification -- how we live out our lives as Christians (Gal. 3:1-4).

Now, that we are known by God, all of our works, even those which are not done with the purest motives are pleasing to God because they are done by His children and are clothed in Christ.

Paul gives a passionately plea for the Galatians to live up to their calling. They have become children of God who belong to Him and should have made progress in the faith. Rather, they have regressed back into a works salvation which is equivalent to the form of false worship of their Pre-Christian life.

Amen! - SDG -