Galatians 4:31
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave but of the free woman.” – Galatians 4:31 CSB
Paul’s contrast of Sarah “the free woman” and Hagar “the slave woman”, as figurative examples of old and new covenants and the difference between works of the flesh as inferior to the life of faith. Sarah and Abraham received God’s promise by faith. Abraham and Hagar took action (inspired in part by Sarah) according to the flesh. They tried to accomplish God’s promise outside of God’s will. Paul compares the Judaizers who are drawing Galatians away from allegiance to Jesus and association with their local churches to Ishmael (Hagar’s son) harassing Isaac (Sarah’s son)
Galatians 4 Main Themes
1. By faith in Jesus we receive redemption, adoption into God’s family (including the ability to call God “Abba”), and the shared inheritance of God’s’ promise to Abraham and Sarah, Gal. 4:1-7.
2. By faith in Jesus we must not return to being influenced or controlled by other things, Gal. 4:8-11.
3. We learn from Sarah that we can receive spiritual freedom by faith in God’s promise, Gal. 4:21-31.
What is he talking about, in Galatians 4:31?
1. We need to remember that Paul is warning the church about Judaizers.
2. The Story of the Promise of a Son to Abraham and Sarah in Genesis
Hagar represents: Slave/Works of Flesh/the Law
Sarah represents: Our freedom because of Jesus/ Life of Faith
Question: What is drawing us away from relating to God, by faith, through the grace provided by Jesus?
Goal: Walk Lighter by removing unhealthy thinking and feelings from your relationship with God.
Let’s balance the scales between Spiritual Legalism, the Gospel and Spiritual liberalism
By Timothy Keller
Legalism: God is holy
Gospel: God is holy and love
Liberalism: God is love
Legalism: Earn your own righteousness
Gospel: Receive God’s perfect righteousness
Liberalism: You don’t need perfect righteousness
Legalism: Go into guilt – work it off
Gospel: Go through guilt – rest in Christ
Liberalism: Go away from guilt – convince yourself you’re ok
Legalism: Repent of sins only
Gospel: Repent of sins and self-righteousness
Liberalism: Repent of neither
Abraham and Sarah tried to accomplish God’s promise outside of God’s will.
Genesis 16:2 – “The Lord has prevented me from having children.”
Genesis 16:5 – She says to Abraham, “This is all your fault”
God’s Standard = What’s best
Lack of trust = impatient/choose for ourselves
Deception = Drift away from the truth
Blame Shifting = no personal responsibility
Consequences = step away from God’s best
Possible thoughts/actions that draw us away from faith to personal action:
Incorrect behaviors or ways of relating to Jesus ( learned from our parents or other leaders)
Listening to things or people that aren’t teaching the true Gospel (the Bible)
Trauma/Unhealthy relationships (can make us relate to God as if he is human and will treat us like other humans have)
Lack of trust in God. (not believing God will do what he says)
Impatience (lack of trust makes us feel like God isn’t doing anything so we take matters into our own hands)
What do we learn?
By faith in Jesus we receive redemption, adoption into God’s family, spiritual freedom and the shared inheritance of God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah.
What should we do?
1. Read Galatians 4 – 5 this week.
2. Write at least one truth from it.
3. Pray, asking God what may be pulling you from this truth.
4. Think about the contrast between Jesus’ Good News and what may be pulling you from it.
5. Choose to draw closer to Jesus and withdraw from what may be pulling you away from Jesus’ Good News.