October 19, 2014
Evening Service

Gal.4

 

            This morning we saw Paul using the illustration of Abraham to strengthen his argument against those trying to convince Christians to keep the law of Moses.  His main argument was that God promised Abraham, 430 years before the law was given, that He would bless all mankind through Abraham, and his seed ( the Messiah ), or Anointed One, the Christ.  Paul said the law could not make this promise void.  Paul also said that the law was good, but that there was not a law that gave eternal life, and that eternal life came by faith, and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit.

            Also this morning Paul used the example of the law as being a schoolmaster to bring us unto faith.  He said after the faith had came we are no longer under the schoolmaster.  He finished chapter three with this thought, Gal 3:26-29  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.  (27)  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  (28)  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.  (29)  And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

 

We will continue this thought in chapter 4.   Let us begin.

 

Gal 4:1-31  Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;  (2)  But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.  (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 forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,  (5)  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.  (6)  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.  (7)  Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. 

·         This is where we stand in Christianity.  If we have accepted the gospel message, and have been baptized into Christ, then we are adopted children of God. 

·         Notice, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, and you cry for Him, as a babe in the cradle.  He is your heavenly Father, and there is nothing He can’t do for you.

(8)  Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.  (9)  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?  (10)  Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.  (11)  I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. 

·         Paul here is speaking of the special days, and festival feasts as Passover, and the Feast of Unleavened bread, and many of the special days that the Jews had added in their Judaism religion.

(12)  Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.  (13)  Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.  (14)  And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.  (15)  Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me. 

·         We are not given the explanation of Paul’s infirmity of the flesh.  He describes it as a temptation of his flesh.  But it did not bother them from receiving him as Christ himself.  Whether it was some infirmity of the eyes we don’t really know, but Paul says you were willing to give me your eyes to show your love, and respect for me.

(16)  Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?  (17)  They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. 

·         Paul means, that the false teachers made a show of zeal toward the Galatians, or professed affection for them in order to gain them as their followers.

 

 

(18)  But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you. 

·         It is good to be zealous.  However, we must make sure we are in the gospel that the Apostle Paul taught, or else we will be accursed.

·         A lot of times we are impressed with the zeal different fellowships have in their worship of God.  However, when we take time to examine their teachings, we find them not what the Apostle Paul taught.  I do not judge them, for Jesus said, “ if they are not against me, leave them alone.”

·         One day we all shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ to receive the things that we have done in the body whether good, or bad.

(19)  My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, 

·         Paul considered them his little children as he had begot them through the gospel. 

·         I can see the Apostle agonizing in pain because they have been led astray from the pure gospel of Christ, to another gospel.

(20)  I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.  (21)  Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?  (22)  For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 

·         Paul now uses another Old Testament example to persuade them of their error in judgment.  He will explain it very clearly.

(23)  But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.  (24)  Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar( THE LAW OF MOSES).  (25)  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 

·         Paul considers all those still under this law are not free, but under bondage.

(26)  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 

·         John saw this New Jerusalem, which is above all, and is free.  Rev 21:2  And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her Husband.

·         Paul told the Colossians, Col 3:1  If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.

Col 3:2  Be mindful of things above, not on things on the earth.

·         You must remember Jesus said, “ I have not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill.”  He fulfilled all things that Moses saw in the mount.  We are complete in Him, the Apostle said.  How did we get into Him, For as many of you that have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ.  We are baptized into Christ, we become dead to the world, and alive unto God, to arise to walk in the newness of life.  Allowing His life to be manifested through us to the world.

(27)  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. 

·         Paul quotes this Scripture from Isa. 54:1.  The meaning being;  The sense is, that the accession from the Gentile world would be far more numerous than the Jewish people had ever been; a prophecy that has been already fulfilled.

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

·         Speaking of the Christians, we are children of promise just as Isaac was to Sarah, and Abraham.

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

·         The people of Ishmael persecuted, and still does, the children of promise which was the descendants of Isaac.  Paul relates this to Christians ( the people of promise ) being persecuted by the Jews, and non Christians.

(30)  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.  (31)  So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

·         The bondwoman, and her son, means those of Jerusalem that are bound by the law.

·         The Sons of the freewoman are we Christians, that are not bound by the law of Moses.