Yet Paul will show that they were not handling the Old Testament Scriptures correctly, and he will show that a true understanding of the Law of Moses will support the true gospel he preaches. “The better legalist a man is, the more sure he is of being damned; the more holy a man is, if he trust to his works, the more he may rest assured of his own final rejection and eternal portion with Pharisees.” (Spurgeon). Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had. The fifth contrast Paul draws between Christianity and legalism is the contrast between persecuted and persecuting. It is not above a Christian – it is under a Christian. … The abundance and glory of the New Covenant is shown by the fact that it would soon have many more followers than the Old Covenant. Home / Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary / Galatians / Chapter 4. His reference to Hagar and Ishmael were pictures, meant to illustrate his point. a. Instead, it is associated with the Jerusalem above – God’s own New Jerusalem in heaven. Salem Media Group. The third contrast Paul draws between Christianity and legalism is the contrast between heaven and earth. An excellent rule is given. Was come, God sent forth— From his own bosom. But I deny that its fertility consists in the various meanings which anyone may fasten to it at his pleasure. (21-31). He explains his point from the story of Abraham, Hagar, and Sarah in Genesis 16 without a lot of detail from the story. (19,20) And then explains the difference between what is to be expected from the law, and from the gospel. But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise. Verse 4 says ‘the right time came…’ • Never forget that God knows all things. My one word title for this lesson is "adoption". iii. We learn the happier state of Christians under the gospel dispensation. He knows the right time to act in world affairs and inpersonal affairs. From these verses see the wonders of Divine love and mercy; particularly of God the Father, in sending his Son into the world to redeem and save us; of the Son of God, in submitting so low, and suffering so much for us; and of the Holy Spirit, in condescending to dwell in the hearts of believers, for such gracious purposes. Galatians: Bible Study and Commentary “God has made his people free” A Bible Study in EasyEnglish (1200 word vocabulary) on Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. Every Christian through the centuries belongs to this new covenant, the covenant of the heavenly Jerusalem. He assumes that they knew the story. MINISTRY OF SERMONAUDIO. And as that was a dispensation of darkness, so of bondage; they were tied to many burdensome rites and observances, by which they were taught and kept subject like a child under tutors and governors. 5 to redeem the subjects of the Law, so that we could receive adoption as sons.. 6 As you are sons, God has sent into our hearts the Spirit of his Son crying, 'Abba, Father';. Under the law the focus is on my performance. Made under the law— Both under the precept, and under the curse, of it. > Chapter 4 > Verse 13. The legalists wanted them to relate to God under one set of rules, and Paul wanted them to relate to God under the “rules” presented by the gospel. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. For the desolate has many more children We may request cookies to be set on your device. Chapter 4. “Tutors and governors” or “Guardians and managers”. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. The heavenly Jerusalem, the true church from above, represented by Sarah, is in a state of freedom, and is the mother of all believers, who are born of the Holy Spirit. This covenant is associated with Hagar, the “surrogate mother” who gave birth to Ishmael. Click on the different category headings to find out more. f. Which is the mother of us all: This covenant has many children; it is the mother of us all. g. The desolate has many more children: The quotation from Isaiah 54:1 also suggests that there will soon be more Christians than Jews – a promise that was fulfilled. If the privileges of all believers were so great, according to the new covenant, how absurd for the Gentile converts to be under that law, which could not deliver the unbelieving Jews from bondage or condemnation! of By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. Now he knew the freedom of living as a son of God, free in Jesus Christ. It denies God’s promise and tries to make your own way to God through the law. Proud member Changes will take effect once you reload the page. He was born not from his wife, but from his wife’s servant (the bondwoman), from a misguided surrogate mother scheme to “help God” when Abraham’s wife Sarah couldn’t become pregnant. Second, you can compliment yourself because you keep the rules better than others do. This was the way most Jewish people in Paul’s day tried to be right with God – by trusting in their ability to please God by keeping the law. We seeand know only a little. The legalists among the Galatians presented themselves as the “back to the Bible” bunch. Let us labour to be accepted of God. When we think of an adoption, we … 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 … Galatians Chapter 4. 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