Galatians 4

Galatians 4:1

Look at a young man in love. No one tells him to write love letters, pick flowers, or go for a walk in the park with his sweetheart. These things just happen when we’re in love. That’s what the Lord wants for you and me. He wants to set us free and wants us to respond to that freedom in love. Legalism, however, will drain us of our passion for Jesus Christ. If you are feeling dry or dragged down in your spiritual life, it could well be because you have fallen back into a pattern of legalism. Perhaps you have imposed rules upon your spiritual lifestructure, commitments, and vows. Because you can’t keep them, however, you inevitably find yourself feeling dragged down, dried up, and wiped out. Such is what was happening to the believers in Galatia. Judaizers came on the scene, saying, “You need to follow rules and regulations. You need to become circumcised. You need to adhere to the Jewish traditions.” Responding with holy indignation, Paul said, “No. Don’t let anyone burden you with rules, rituals, or expectations. Stand fast in your liberty. You’ll end up serving the Lord more energetically, talking to the Lord more frequently, studying His Word more joyfully, and giving more generously than when you had rules and legalistic trips that you couldn’t keep and that only drained you of joy.” The question then becomes, “Why was the law given?” At the end of chapter 3, we saw the law was given to show us that we don’t measure up, that we’re sinners in need of a Savior. The law is a schoolmaster, said Paul, to bring us to Christ. But after faith is come, we no longer need the schoolmaster, as we exchange a relationship based on the law for a relationship based on love. Donald and Marla Trump had a baby. As heir to the Trump fortune, this little Trumpette will one day inherit multiplied millions of dollars. Does this mean when she was five years old she could write checks, use credit cards, and make investments? No. Even though she was an heir, being a child, she was under the restrictions of her parents, nannies, and teachers. The same is true of God’s people. Before they were brought into adult sonship through Jesus Christ, they were kept under a tutor, a schoolmasterthe law. God knew all along He would send His Son to die for His people. He knew they would eventually be brought into a right standing with Him through the blood of Jesus Christ. Thus, the law was only a temporary tutor.

Galatians 4:3

The “elements of the world” refer to the law. Why is the law referred to in this way? Because the basic building block of society must be the law. Any society that ignores the foundational principles of the law will crumble, dissipate, and be destroyed from within. The problem is, the law tells us what to do, but it fails to give us the power to do it.

Galatians 4:4

In the fullness of timeat just the right timeJesus Christ came to purchase we who were under the law, we who were trying hard to obey it, but powerless to do so. The Greek word translated “adoption” is huiothesia. Huios meaning “son,” and thesis meaning “position,” huiothesia means “taking the position of a son.” The Son of God took our position on the Cross of Calvary in order that we might in turn take the position as sons of God. Adoption is not the means of entry into God’s family. As Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3, we enter into God’s family only by being born again. Rather, adoption speaks of our privilege and standing within God’s family. The moment we were born again, we were placed in an adopted state as heirs, as sons of God. We think of adoption in terms of adopting a little baby. But that’s not the biblical concept of adoption. Biblical adoption refers to a full-grown adult. It would be like, before retiring from Ford Motor Company, having no sons, but wanting his name to continue, Henry Ford approached a twenty-four-year-old Harvard graduate and said, “Would you let me adopt you? If you will, you’ll have a place on the Board of Directors, a salary of three million dollars a year, a summer house in Hawaii, a winter house in Tahiti, a private jet, and your own yacht.” The moment you were born again, you assumed the position of an adopted sonheir to the riches of the Father. Too often people say, “I really can’t be used by the Lord because I’ve only walked with Him five years,” or, “I can’t get involved in intercessory prayer because I’m just a new Christian.” Wrong. Concerning the privileges and responsibilities of the kingdom, you were adopted as a mature son with as much right to be blessed and used by the Lord as is Billy Graham. This does not mean, however, that we are equal to Jesus Christ. We are adopted sons, but God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. There’s a lot of misunderstanding concerning this point within the “faith movement.” There are those who say, “Jesus is the Son of God, and you’re a son of God. Jesus created all things by His Word, therefore you can create all things by your word. Speak the word of faith. Name it and claim it. Blab it and grab it.” Wrong. The word of faith teachings are totally in error when they say that because God said let there be light, whatever we say will come to pass. It’s not that God said, “Let there be light,” but that God said, “Let there be light,” which caused the light to shine. If you remember that you are an adopted son, you’ll be free of heresy and misunderstanding.

Galatians 4:6

Because we’re adopted sons, we have the Spirit of the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, in our hearts. Therefore, we can call God “Abba,” the Hebrew word that means “papa,” or “daddy"and He will respond.

Galatians 4:7

Although we’re no longer servants but sons, we need to understand that the privilege of prayer, wherein we cry, “Abba, Father,” is not given to enable us to give God orders, to say, “Bless this, do that, provide the other.” Such is not prayer at all. Prayer is the Spirit of Jesus Christ working in and through us in order to bring us into harmony with the perfect purposes of the Father. Prayer is the Spirit of Jesus in me crying, “Abba"not for manipulation, but for unificationto become one with His perfect purpose and plan.

Galatians 4:8

“Before you were saved,” Paul said, “you served those which were not gods.” The same is true today. People who are into the worship of idols wear robes and put on masks. They sprinkle water, burn incense, spin prayer wheels, and light candlesall in an effort to manipulate their gods.

Galatians 4:9

“What are you doing?” asked Paul. “You’re burning incense. You’re sprinkling holy water, lighting candles, fingering beads, and repeating prayers over and over again. You’ve gone right back into pagan ritualism, but you’ve been set free from all that stuff.” There’s something within us that gravitates towards the law and rituals, legalism, paganism, and all the stuff from which Jesus Christ came to set us free. “Well, I just feel more holy if I can hear the chants or the swishing of robes,” you say. That’s okaybut you don’t need those things. There’s a better way: Be totally free in your love relationship with God. Just enjoy the Lord!

Galatians 4:12

“I’m not keeping ‘kosher’ rules. I’m not under Judaistic traditions,” said Paul. “You’re Gentiles. I live like you do.” “When I first came to you,” said Paul, “you received me and the message which I brought, even though I was suffering from a physical infirmity.”

Galatians 4:15

Here, many commentators believe we are given a clue as to what Paul’s infirmity wasperhaps an eye disease that caused his eyes to ooze and always appear runny, similar to perpetual pinkeye. Not only would such an infection be painful for Paul, but it would be painful for others to look at as well. Yet Paul says his infirmity didn’t prevent the Galatians from receiving him with such a measure of devotion that they would have given him their own eyes if possible.

Galatians 4:16

“Are you turning away from me now because I am speaking truthfully by telling you that you’re missing the mark by getting involved in legalism again?” asked Paul.

Galatians 4:17

Legalists appeal to the macho mentality within each of us. “Come join us,” they say. “We’re really radical. We pay the price. We bear the Cross. We deal with stuff that only a few can deal with.” And we are prone to say, “I want to be one of the few, one of the chosen, one of the elite group that God will use in these last days. So I’ll submit to stipulations and regulations in order that I can be among the few, the chosenthe spiritual marines!” “Legalizers have their own agenda,” said Paul. “They want to exclude you from grace in order that by your own works, you can support them.”

Galatians 4:18

“I travail in birth for you,” said Paul. To another group of believers, he said, “You have ten thousand instructors, but not many fathers” (see 1Co_4:15). Paul’s goal was not merely to dispense theological information, but to see the reality of regeneration. He wanted to see people born again, to see them grow in grace, to see them mature in liberty.

Galatians 4:21

To validate his argument, Paul appealed to Abraham, father of the Jewish race. God said to Abraham, “I’m going to bring you into a new land. I’m going to give you a new name. I’m going to make you great. And from you will come forth a people as innumerable as the stars in the heavens or the sand on the seashore.” Abraham believed God. But when he was eighty-six years old, with the promise yet to be fulfilled, his wife said, “Honey, I realize God spoke to you, but let’s be practical. You’re eighty-six. I’m seventy-six. This promise isn’t going to come to pass the way we thought it would. Therefore, take my slave girl, Hagar, have relations with her, and the child you produce will be the promised seed from which will come the nation God promised you.” When God gives a promise, there is almost invariably a gap of time between the giving of the promise and the fulfillment of the promise. And it is in that gap of time that we get impatient. “Time is running out,” we say. “I’ve got to make something happen.” Abraham agreed to Sarah’s plan. The result was the conception and birth of a baby boy named Ishmael. Thirteen years went by. Then God spoke to Abraham again, saying, “I’m still going to give you a child.” “Let Ishmael live,” said Abraham. “He’ll do.” “No,” said God. “Ishmael is not the fulfillment of My promise. He’s only your fleshly attempt to help Me.” As I look back over my life, I see that every time I got impatient and tried to help God, the result has always been troubleIshmael. Because God is so good, the promise still comes because He’s faithful to His Word. But the problem is, I have a bunch of Ishmaels to deal with. You see, to this day, blood is shed daily in the ongoing struggle between the children of Ishmael and the children of Israel. So, too, in my own life, whenever Ishmael is born as a result of my own fleshly efforts, strife, anxiety, and tension are also birthed in my life. Push God, rush God, help God outand you’ll have an Ishmael on your hands. Abraham was a great man. Yet this friend of God, this father of faith, this incredible saint had a problem that God recorded as a lesson for each of us today: He was impatient. “Impatient?” you say. “He waited how many years for God to keep His promise?” It was at least twelve years between the time Abraham was given the promise and the time he went in to Hagar. But it could have been as many as eighteen years. Some of us think, I’ve been waiting eighteen days, eighteen weeks, eighteen months. When is God going to fulfill His promise to me? Abraham waited eighteen years before he said, “I better help God.” But it was a disaster, nonetheless.

Galatians 4:24

Evidently, Hagar was born in Sinai, a significant site indeed, as it also speaks of the place where the Law was given.

Galatians 4:25

“Hagar illustrates Jerusalemor Judaism,” said Paul. “But the Jerusalem which is abovethe heavenly Jerusalemis free.”

Galatians 4:27

Paul reminded the Galatians that, according to Isa_54:1, the barren onethe Gentileswould produce more children than the people of promisethe Jews.

Galatians 4:28

We’re Isaac, the children of promise. It’s a miracle we’re here. Ten years ago, would you have thought you would be sitting in churchcalled out of the kingdom of darkness, into the kingdom of God’s glorious light?

Galatians 4:29

The custom in Abraham’s day was to throw a party to celebrate the day one’s son was weaned. Thus, it was at Isaac’s “weaning party” that Ishmael, his half brother, began to taunt and tease him. That is what the law does to this day: It causes those who live by it to taunt and tease those who don’t. “You’re shallow. You’re carnal. You’re weak. You’re immature. I’m disciplined. I’m chosen. I’m a spiritual marine,” says the legalist to the child of promise.

Galatians 4:30

The cure for the mocking and taunting of the legalizers is to get rid of the law. Cast it out. We are to preach the law to those who are hard of heart. Once a man opens his heart, however, the law has done its job. The Law Is a Mirror to Show Us Our Sin A necessity for those who don’t know the Lord because it places restrictions on an exceedingly sinful world (1Ti_1:8), the law can be a monitor, but it cannot be a mother. It cannot produce the promise. The Law Is Not to Be Married Again Just as Hagar never married again after she was cast out, once we open our hearts to Jesus, the law has accomplished its purpose and is never to be embraced again. We are not to say, “I’ve been living in grace for ten years now. I’m going to do a little bit of law from here on out.” No, that which was begun in the Spirit cannot be finished by the flesh (Gal_3:3). The Law Was Made Manifest After Grace Sarah was the wife of Abraham before Hagar ever came into the picture. God’s intention from the beginning was grace. But man said, “I don’t need God’s grace. I’m doing okay by myself. I can handle everything by my own ability.” The law was given to show man his need. Don’t be confused by those who say the law existed for several thousand years before God got tired of it and switched to grace. No, the promise was given to Abraham long before the law was given to Moses. The Law Materialized in the World Where did Abraham get Hagar? In Egypt. You recall the story: When there was famine in Canaan, Abraham and Sarah went to Egypt for food. While there, Abraham got entangled in lies and deception. Pharaoh sent him away with riches and servantsone of whom was Hagar. Whenever someone is legalistic, judgmental, and uptight, I know he got those attitudes not from the Word, but from the world. You see, the more sin we’re exposed to, the more sin we’re involved in, the more cynical we become. Had Abraham never gone into Egypt, he never would have had Hagar. If someone is pompous, pious, and full of pride; if someone is legalistic, fault-finding, and sin-sniffing, I know he or she is one who has spent quite a bit of time in Egypt. Conversely, if someone is loving and kind, forgiving and gentle, he or she is one who has spent time in the Promised Land, enjoying the grace and goodness of God. Legalism doesn’t protect us from carnality, folks. It is the result of carnality. To the pure, all things are pure (Tit_1:15). People who are legalistic are those who have been peeking at Playboy, going to R-rated movies, or otherwise engaged in Egypt in one way or another. Angry at themselves, they’re out to persecute others. May God give you wisdom as you think and pray through this powerful picture. Legalism: It’s Gotta Go! A Topical Study of Gal_4:21-31 It could and should have been the most glorious, the grandest, the happiest day of Abraham’s life. His son was finally weanedan event that called for a huge celebration. In that day, there were two milestones in the life of every child… The first took place eight days after his birth when his parents performed the rite of circumcision. Although this was painful for the parents as well as for the child, because it was part of God’s plan for His people at that time, they obeyed out of dedication to Him. The second milestone was marked not out of dedication, but with delight as the parents gave a feast at the time their child was weaned. On the day Isaac was weaned, his old man was no doubt proud as punch. “Aren’t you being a bit disrespectful, referring to Isaac’s father as his ‘old man’?” you ask. No. It’s not a question of respect, but of reality. You see, when we first met Isaac’s dad, he was already seventy-five years old. Living in the Mesopotamian town of Urthe upscale town wherein bathtubs were invented, Abram was most likely very prosperous. Although he was a worshiper of the moon goddess commonly worshiped in that region (Jos_24:2), God spoke to him, saying, “Get thee out of thy land, and away from thy kindred unto a land that I will show thee. And I will make of thee a great nation. And I will bless thee. And I will make thy name great. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee. And in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed” (see Gen_12:1-3). If you’re a senior citizen or retired, don’t think God is through with you. He’s not. You never know when He will whisper in your ear something of new instruction, or of greater ministryjust as He did to Abram. Abram did, indeed, leave Ur. He traveled northwest to the little town of Haran, where he stayed until his father died. Then he journeyed southwest to the land to which God was leading himto Canaan. When he arrived, he looked around, pitched his tent, and built an altar to worship the Lord. But then something interesting happened. Famine came, and things got tough. “We have to leave this land,” Abram said to his wife. “There’s plenty to eat in Egypt.” So they left the Promised Land and journeyed south to Egypt. Upon their arrival, Abram came to the conclusion that, because of his wife’s great beauty, Pharaoh would order him killed in order to add her to his harem. Tell everyone you’re my sister,” Abram told her. And this beautiful woman submitted to the foolishness of her husband. Just as Abram feared, Pharaoh’s scouts spotted Sarah and notified him she was wanted in Pharaoh’s harem. “Fine,” said the father of faith. “She’s my sister.” In return, Abram was given menservants and maidservants, camels, and all kinds of riches. That night, God plagued Pharaoh and his household so intensely that Pharaoh recognized the hand of God. Knowing Abram had tricked him, the next morning, Pharaoh rebuked Abram and sent him and Sarai back to Bethel. I find it interesting that there is no record of God talking to Abram while he was in Egypt. “Why doesn’t God talk to me?” you may be saying today. It could be because you’re in Egypt. You’re not where you are supposed to be, doing what you were called to do, or being what you were called to be. Don’t expect the Lord to speak to you in Egypt. He loves you too much. If He spoke to you while you were in Egypt, you would probably settle down there, and it would be disastrous for you. God shouts loudly through His silence whenever we’re in Egypt until we finally say, “Let’s go back to Bethel, back to the place of God.” The Lord spoke to Abram a second time, saying, “I am your exceeding great reward and shield” (see Gen_15:1). “Lord, You might be my reward, but I still don’t have any children,” Abram replied. God said, “Look up at the stars, Abram. So shall your seed be.” And, because Abram believed God, God declared him righteous (Gal_3:6). The years went on. Finally, at seventy-six years of age, Sarai said to her eighty-six-year-old husband, “I know God said you would be a great nation. I know He showed you the stars in the heavens. But the time has come to get your head out of the clouds and your feet on the ground. Abram. Have relations with my handmaiden, Hagar. The child will count as ours.” Scripture says Abram “hearkened unto the voice of his wife,” and the child born was named Ishmael. Thirteen years later, the Lord came to Abram again, saying, “You’re no longer going to be called Abram, or “Exalted Father.” From this time on, your name will be Abraham, or “Father of Multitudes.” Great, Abraham must have thought. I only have one child. It was bad enough being called Exalted Father. But the Father of Multitudes? Why did God change Abram’s name? Because “h” was the fifth letter in the Hebrew alphabet. Five being the number of grace, in changing Abram’s name to Abraham, it was as if God inserted grace into Abraham’s life. So, too, when God changed Sarai’s name to Sarah, it was as if He bestowed grace upon her. At the age of ninety, she gave birth to a son. Elated to be parents at last, Abraham and Sarah named their baby Isaac, or, “Laughter.” The celebration commemorating his weaning must have been a joyous occasion, indeeduntil Ishmael, a teenager at this point, began teasing his little brother. Observing Ishmael’s taunts and jeers, Sarah implored Abraham to cast out Hagar and Ishmael. And Abraham again “hearkened unto the voice of his wife,” this time being instructed by God to do so (Gen_21:12). Scripture records that the thought of casting out his son was “very grievous in his sight.” Abraham is the greatest example of faith in the Old Testament simply because he did what God saideven when he didn’t understand or couldn’t agree. With a broken heart, Abraham filled water skins for Hagar and Ishmael and sent them to the desertwhich brings us, at last, to our text. You see, every New Testament principle has an Old Testament picture. Justification by faith, as outlined here in Galatians, is no exception. Consider the picture-perfect allegory: Hagar represents the law. IshmaelAbraham’s attempt to “help God out"represents the flesh. Sarah represents grace. Legalism will always persecute the person who is living in grace and enjoying the free gift of salvation. Just as Ishmael taunted Isaac, those who are trying to be religious mock those who celebrate liberty in Jesus, calling them shallow, immature, and undisciplined. You will find this to be true. Not only will those around you mock you, but a voice will well up within you, saying, “Look what you’re doing. Real Christians don’t do that. You must not be a Christian.” In addition to the voices around and with you, Satan himself will condemn you day and night (Rev_12:10). Contrary to our natural inclination, the solution to all of these accusations is not to get more religious, try harder, vow more earnestly or work more diligently. No, the solution is to cast out the bondwoman. The solution is to say, “Away, rules and regulations, religion, and tradition. I’m not going to try to deal with or compromise with the bondwoman. I’m going to cast her out.” My mind rebels against that. My heart wonders about that. I am tempted to think, The best way to help the people I’m shepherding is to set up rules and restrictions, to set up certain standards of spirituality, to draw up pledges for them to sign, commitments for them to make, promises for them to keep. But the Book of Galatians says just the opposite. It tells us to get rid of the promises, the pledges, the commitments, and the rules. They’re all Ishmaels. They will come back and persecute us because, inevitably and invariably, we’ll hedge on our commitments, break our promises, and be unable to keep our rules. Then we’ll be down on ourselves, depressed about ourselves, disgusted with ourselves until at last we’ll say, “Forget it. Why even bother walking with God? I just can’t do it.” Cast out Hagar and Ishmael, on the other hand, and what will happen? You’ll cleave only to Sarahto grace. And when you realize that the work is done, and that the price has been fully paid, you’ll exchange the legalistic relationship you once had with God for a loving relationship with Him. If we truly love God, we won’t be attracted to the places or activities of those who don’t care about Him. You see, the reason I don’t go to bars, for example, is not because God says, “Thou Shalt Not Go to Bars.” It’s because I can’t think of anything worse than sitting in a dark room by the hour when I could be tossing the football or riding bikes with my son Ben. Thus, I abstain from bar hopping not because I’ve promised tobut because I want to. If you’re sitting here today, skeptically saying, “Just as I suspected. Sinners talking about cheap grace,” remember that Hagar represents legalism. Where did Abraham get Hagar? In Egypt, in the world. The extent to which we look down on and find fault with others is indicative of our own Egyptian wanderings. To the pure, all things are pure (Tit_1:5), but the one who is in sin will spot sin in everyone else because Hagar is traveling with him. Therefore, the degree to which I place bonds on others is indicative of my own Egyptian wanderings. Consequently, when I begin to find fault with everyone else, it would behoove me to say, “Uh-oh, Lord, have I been cruising in Egypt? Have I picked up this legalistic tendency because of my excursion into the world? Has my joy been robbed because I’ve brought Hagar back with me?” If that is the case, what must I do? Again, the answer lies in casting out the bondwoman. I must say, “Away, legalism; away cynicism; away, works of the flesh. I choose to cleave to Sarah. I will celebrate grace.” Folks, because legalism and love cannot dwell together in the same tent any more than could Hagar and Sarah, you will either become more rigid and ritualistic, or you’ll become more liberated and loving. The two cannot dwell together. One has got to go. Let me recommend that you cast out Hagar, and that you cleave to Sarahthat you let go of legalism, and grab hold of grace.