GALATIANS 4:21-4:31 | LIVE LIKE AN HEIR

As part of the remodel in our bathroom, we decided that we would replace the flooring in some other parts of our house as well since the existing flooring goes into those other areas too.

When we pulled in to pick up the flooring for our house we decided we were just going to put the pallet in the bed of my truck.

I didn’t take into account just how much all that flooring would weigh.

As they loaded that pallet into the back of my truck, I watched as the back went down, down, down.

My truck now appeared to have a low riding kit installed in the back of my truck and we drove home with the rear end of my truck sitting far lower than the front.

Because that pallet of flooring was heavy.

APPLICATION: Each week, I strive to open the Scripture and attempt to make the complicated parts of Scriptures clear.

It is my desire to place the jar on the body shelf so that everyone can access it easily.

However, at times there are passages in the Word of God that are heavy to navigate.

Sometimes it’s because of the subject matter, and other times it’s because of the complicated nature of the text itself.

Today is one such day.

Most Bible scholars, of which I am not one, would agree that the verses we will dive into this morning are the most complex in the entirety of the book of Galatians.

Some would place them as some of the most difficult in all of Paul’s writing.

So if you came this morning expecting a lighthearted snack of a message, I hope you will prepare yourself to chew on the meat we will be diving into.

Pull out your thinking caps if you’ve taken them off already, and put them back on your head and let’s navigate this vital passage of Scripture here in the book of Galatians.

EXPLANATION: Paul begins in v.21 by asking a somewhat rhetorical question to these Galatian believers:

Galatians 4:21 KJV 1900

Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

Don’t forget what Paul has been dealing with…

These Galatian believers were struggling with the teachings of the religious groups who had come in and began trying to bring them back into an old way of thinking.

They were trying to entangle them back in the bondage of religious works to gain and keep their salvation.

You’ll remember back only a few verses earlier when Paul asked them the question in v.9

Galatians 4:9 KJV 1900

But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

This thought of being in bondage and enslaved to the religious requirements and teachings of the day is the same thought that Paul is continuing to delve into in the verses we will see today.

If you are in the habit of marking things in your Bible, I would encourage you to circle or underline every time Paul talks of this matter of being in “bondage” in chapter 4.

Now, Paul addresses them directly when he asks his question in v.21.

He says, “You guys that say you want to go back to being under the OT Law, do you even know what the OT Law says?”

APPLICATION: There are many a false religions out there that have begun from Biblical illiteracy.

They don’t know what the Bible says!

Friend, as we mention so often here at WBC, don’t just take my word for things!

Do as the Bereans did in Acts 17:11

Acts 17:11 KJV 1900

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

In a day when people have more access to education than at any point in history

When Biblical resources and commentaries are literally at your finger tips.

You have more resources at your fingertips for studying the Bible than the men who translated this Bible into English could have dreamed of having!

And yet, there has scarce been a time when Biblical illiteracy was higher because Christians aren’t interested in studying their Bible!

We are so consumed with being on our phones or scrolling through social media or watching some movie, that we don’t have time to study the Bible!

I hope and pray that you don’t come to services on Sunday morning expecting for this preacher to fill you up for the week…

No, I hope Sunday mornings just wet your appetite to dive into the Word of God on Monday!

I hope their is a hunger to know the Word of God!

Friend, what would happen if tomorrow the Word of God was banned from you being able to possess it?

We aren’t far off from that being a possibility!

To be honest, I think it could be a positive thing for Christians.

I do not wish it, but the reality is, maybe then Christians would put a premium and priority on the Word of God that should be there.

Maybe then you would study it, because you might not always have easy access to it!

I hope that messages like this mornings will challenge you to dive deeper into God’s Word and to truly know this Book!

EXPLANATION: These believers in Paul’s day didn’t know God’s Word.

If they had, they wouldn’t have been so easily led astray into the false teachings by these false religious leaders.

Now, to simplify things for his readers and for us today, Paul breaks what he is about to go through into 3 sections, and I hope they will help you here today:

V.22-23 | HISTORICALLY

V.24-27 | ALLEGORICALLY

V.28-5:1 | PERSONALLY

He is trying to open the eyes of these young believers to the truths of the Scriptures.

Paul knew the potential in doing so, he mentioned it back in v.16

Galatians 4:16 KJV 1900

Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?

But Paul was willing to risk them not accepting him because the truth is that important.

So let’s walk together into Paul’s message to the Galatian believers who were struggling to know the truth of the Word of God.

V.22-23 HISTORICALLY

Galatians 4:22–23 KJV 1900

For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

EXPLANATION: Paul is bringing these young believers back to what the religious leaders would recognize as the “father of their faith”, Abraham

This was one of the struggles of some of those religious leaders in Galatia.

They believed that their salvation was determined by the fact that they could trace their lineage back to Abraham.

So because they were of the seed of Abraham, they were set.

And now Paul is going to give them a history lesson to help them understand that it isn’t about who your father was!

Paul is referring to the account of what took place all the way back in Genesis 16 and 21.

Your homework it to find your way back to those chapters and read through them so that you might have a fuller understanding of what happened.

Abraham had two sons, the Bible tells us, from 2 different women.

The first was from a woman named Hagar

The second was from his wife Sarah

When you do your homework and read through those passages in Genesis, you will find exactly what Paul says in v.23:

Hagar’s son, Ishmael, was born through man’s natural attempts, ultimately outside of God’s will.

Sarah’s son, Isaac, was born through supernatural means.

Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah 90 years old at the time of Isaacs birth.

Paul wrote over in Romans 4:18-21 that Abraham…

Romans 4:18–21 KJV 1900

Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

Paul is laying the groundwork and laying a foundation.

Ishmael was born by human means and therefore represents those who are seeking salvation by human means and achievements.

Isaac was born by supernatural means and therefore represent those who have not received salvation by human initiative, but rather through divine intervention.

V.24-27, ALLEGORICALLY

Galatians 4:24–27 KJV 1900

Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

Allegory - A picture or story the can be interpreted to reveal another hidden meaning.

ILLUSTRATION: CS Lewis, the great Christian apologist of yesteryear, would often write fantasy books that personified biblical characters or types.

Good, evil. The enemy and the Savior.

He was using a story to communicate a biblical truth.

EXPLANATION: When Paul said that what he was going to share was an “allegory” he wasn’t saying that it was a fictional truth.

But rather that he was going to use this OT example to illustrate a point he was trying to make to his readers.

The “Two covenants” he refers to could be more simply understood as “two testaments”

Your Bible that you hold today has two testaments, OT and NT

The OT was established by Moses on Mount Sinai with the giving of the commandments

The NT was established by Christ and completed with the shedding of His blood.

That is why in Luke 22:20 Jesus used the same Greek word when He said:

Luke 22:20 KJV 1900

Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

Jesus was saying that which was the old testament or covenant where a person was required to do certain things by faith looking forward for the coming Messiah…

It was now fulfilled and completed in the coming of Christ in the NT and the shedding of His blood to pay for sin.

Christ said it in Matthew 5:17

Matthew 5:17 KJV 1900

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

You see the OT was based on the Law and the NT or Covenant is based on the promise being fulfilled.

So what Paul is saying here is that Hagar has children that are born as slaves and represents the Old Covenant

That is what Paul is pointing to in v.25, as he says she represents Mount Sinai, or the Law, Earthly Jerusalem, and bondage.

Sarah has children and they are born free.

She represents the New Covenant, the New Heavenly Jerusalem, and Freedom in Christ.

It’s interesting as Paul rights about it being above.

James 1:17 KJV 1900

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

ILLUSTRATION: Over in John 3, Jesus is having a conversation with Nicodemus at night.

In there conversation John 3:3

John 3:3 KJV 1900

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

The Greek word for “again” is the same root greek word as the word used for “above” over in Galatians.

We could say, “Except a man be born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

EXPLANATION: You see only those who have been born from above, can be truly free!

Those who have not been born from above, but are only born earthly are in bondage.

WE HAVE SEEN PAUL’S APPLICATION HISTORICALLY, ALLEGORICALLY

V.28-5:1, PERSONALLY

Galatians 4:28 KJV 1900

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

EXPLANATION: I love the way Paul turns things personally in v.28, “Now we brethren”

What sweet comfort Paul is bringing to those young believers who were struggling with the temptation to be led astray.

“You can be certain that if you accepted Christ, you are a lined up under the story of Isaac!

APPLICATION: Friend, this morning you are either under the example of Isaac or the example of Ishmael.

You can do all you can from an earthly perspective

You can live a religious life

You can look the religious look

You can do all the religious things

But unless you have had that supernatural intervention by God’s Holy Spirit, you are in bondage!

It isn’t some bright light or some warm fuzzy feeling

It is that moment that you truly accept Jesus Christ as your Savior.

When you step out of the bondage of all the things you are trying to do to earn it on your own, and you trust that Jesus already did the work for you.

Romans 5:8 KJV 1900

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Christ took your place!

He supernaturally intervened on your behalf and now you can live in freedom!

You are not living to earn it… but you can live in light of it.

I love what Alistair Begg said about the matter, “Holiness is not something we create to get us into heaven. But holiness is something which God produces that evidences that we are going to heaven!”

EXPLANATION: Paul goes on to remind them of the reality in v.29

Galatians 4:29 KJV 1900

But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

If you go back and study your homework you will find that Isaac was mocked by Ishmael.

And so it has been true since the time of Christ, anyone who identified with Him, who truly followed Christ was destined to be persecuted.

ILLUSTRATION: Over in Hebrews 11, after the writer had walked through the heroes of the faith who’s names we know, he brings to our attention some who’s names we don’t know

Hebrews 11:36–38 KJV 1900

And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

Only heaven will one day reveal the countless numbers who suffered and died to follow Christ.

APPLICATION: Friend, following Christ has never been easy.

Standing and speaking the truth has never been popular.

Staying faithful to God has never been the path of the majority.

Persecution and resistance is certain to follow any who choose to live a life for God.

2 Timothy 3:12 KJV 1900

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

So how should we respond in light of that reality?

EXPLANATION: Well Paul tells us in v.30-31

Galatians 4:30–31 KJV 1900

Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

Paul is telling these believers, don’t live like you are in slavery!

You have been set free, not by your works or your lineage but by the supernatural workings of Christ!

So live like it!

CONCLUSION

Friend, this morning, I hope you will live in light of the promises of the Word of God!

If you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, don’t live like you are still a slave!

We will dive into the verse next week but Galatians 5:1

Galatians 5:1 KJV 1900

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Based on the reality that you are a child of God, stand fast!

Maybe you are here today and you have been living a life of defeat as a Christian.

God has a better plan for you!

Maybe this morning you have found yourself in the wrong line… you’re in the line of Ishmael because you’ve never been set free!

Why don’t you make today the day and accept Christ as your Savior

And maybe today you just need to purpose to dive deeper into God’s Word for yourself.

I hope you will give this Book the priority in your life it deserves

Love this book, learn God’s Word!

Live like the heir God has called you to be!

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