Galatians 4:1-3
What It’s Like
We are still in the deep waters of this book. The theme of the book
is "How far into Judaism must one go to be saved?" The answer in a
nutshell is "None." We are saved by faith in the grace of God. For
you and I, even if we had a question about keeping the Law, it would
have been settled with the first few words of \\#Gal 2:16.\\
However, Paul could not leave this truth in a nutshell, largely
because the people he was writing to doubted his calling. So even
though he clearly stated the truth, Paul will use Scripture, logic,
and his gift of revelation to try to convince the churches of Galatia
that no one ever has or ever will be saved by obeying the Laws.
What does this mean to us? The same Scripture, logic, and revelation
that Paul gave to the churches of Galatia also explains to us why we
do not worship like the Jews did. Why not on the Sabbath? What
foods? And so forth.
I. \\#Gal 4:1-3\\ (What it’s like) For the Jew living under the Law:
A. It was like an heir living under a tutor. What is that like?
1. The heir is "lord of all" \\#1\\, but he does not get
to enjoy any of the riches, privileges, or powers of
being a child of a king.
2. The Jews, by faith, were forgiven of their sins and
one day, going to go to heaven.
3. But so many of the things that Christians take for
granted, they never knew.
a. They did not get to have real fellowship with God!
(1) All they had was rituals and rules.
(2) No sweet fellowship and communion with God.
(a) Jesus told us to go to our prayer closet and
what we pray in secret, God will grant
openly. How is that possible? Because God
is in the prayer closet with us.
(b) Jesus told us where 2 or more are gathered
in His name, He would be in the midst of
us. How is that possible? Because God is
with us!
b. They were not filled with the Holy Ghost as we are.
(1) Some had the Holy Ghost move on them for a task,
but He did not permanently abide in and on
everyone.
(2) You and I—since the moment we were saved—have
never separated from God!
c. They did not have the Living Word of God as we do.
(1) They did not have a Bible, a Book of Love from
God to mankind, like we have.
(2) The only thing they knew about God was what they
were told by the priests and could remember.
(3) Sadly, priests can mislead or misinform and even
when the truth is taught, we can misunderstand.
d. Because we have the Word and the presence of God and
His Spirit abiding on us, we have assurances of
salvation, of God’s pleasure in us, of being
rewarded, of being helped, and many other joys that
they never experienced.
e. They did not get to serve God like we do.
(1) Service was limited to the priests and a few
prophets.
(2) But even the priests did not get the privilege of
fellowship and service as we do.
f. They did not get their sins cleansed and removed like
we do. The best they could get was a temporary
covering of their sins.
g. When they died, they did not even get to immediately
go to heaven like we do. They had to settle for
paradise and abide there until Jesus came to take
them home!
B. Paul went on to say:
1. \\#1\\ The Jewish condition "differed nothing from a
servant."
a. It would the "servant" here would have to reference
those who did not know God.
b. The Jews were heirs of all the promises of God, but
spiritually, they had none of the PRIVILEGES or
PLEASURES of being His son.
2. \\#3\\ They "were in bondage under the element of the
world."
a. That means that even though the Jews were heirs to
God, they had none of the power of sonship.
b. They lacked the POWER of the Holy Ghost, of the
Word of God, and of assurance in Jesus Christ.
C. What a sad and unhappy situation they lived under!
1. The Old Testament was better than being separated from
God. It was better by far than being cast into hell
after death, but it lacked the graces that we so often
speak of which came with death and resurrection of Jesus
Christ.
2. We often slander the Old Testament saints for their
weakness and shortcomings, but we would have done no
better had we lived in those days.
a. The improvements in our spiritual life—if indeed
there have been any—is not due to the improvements
in the quality of the saints, but to the improvements
God made to our salvation and worship.
b. Is it no wonder that Jesus told His disciples:
Matt 5:20 …except your righteousness shall
exceed the righteousness of the scribes and
Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the
kingdom of heaven.
II. \\#Gal 4:4-7\\ (What it’s like) For the Christian living under
Grace:
A. It is like no longer being a servant but a SON with all of the
powers and privileges.
Gal 4:7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant,
but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God
through Christ.
1. Everything the Old Testament Jews lacked, we have:
a. Personal and continuous fellowship with God.
b. The abiding presence of God living with us.
c. The Living Word of God to instruct and encourage us.
d. The many assurances that come with these salvation
"upgrades."
e. An opportunity to serve.
f. Complete and permanent forgiveness of sins.
g. The swift movement from this world to the very
presence of God Himself.
2. And many more!
B. When? How? Why did this occur?
Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was
come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman,
made under the law,
1. When? In the fullness of time" - When God was ready for
it to take place.
2. HOW? "when God sent forth His Son" - (Paul elaborated on this
thought for a moment.)
a. Jesus was "made of a woman." That is a reference to
Mary and Jesus’ humanity.
b. Jesus was "made under the law."
(1) That is, Jesus had to obey the Law just as any
other Old Testament person might.
(2) But even more, Jesus used the Old Testament Law
to make the payment for our sins!
3. \\#5\\ Why did He do this?
Gal 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law,
that we might receive the adoption of sons.
a. To give us redemption.
b. To give us "the adoption of sonship!"
c. And to give us "the Spirit."
d. And to give us the "Abba, Father" relationship!
C. Friend, if you are saved, you have something glorious, and
powerful, and cleansing, and life changing. You have been
adopted by the Father and granted full rights and privileges!
III. \\#Gal 4:8-11\\ (What it’s like) For the Apostle to be Baffled
Gal 4:9 But now… how turn ye again to the weak
and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again
to be in bondage?
A. Paul said, "Now you want to go back to the weaker, punier,
powerless state of being under the Law?
1. \\#Gal 1:6\\ Paul had already said that he "marvelled" or
stood in amazement that these people would be walking
away from what they have to go back under that system.
2. His amazement continues to show!
3. Notice what element of the Law Paul specifically stated
that the Galatians were wanting to keep:
Gal 4:10 Ye observe days, and months, and times,
and years.
a. These churches were wanting to keep the Jewish
calendar.
b. The key point of the Jewish calendar was "to keep the
Sabbath."
c. It was so important that God put it into the Ten
Commandments.
(1) It should not surprise us when people tell us
that we are not right with God if we do not
worship on the Sabbath.
(2) As I have said before, the devil has a big bag of
tricks but he prefers to use the ones that have
worked before and this one has worked on many
to confuse and confound.
(3) Expect to see some saying we cannot eat unclean
meats again.
(4) \\#1Tim 4:3\\ Some are going to come along
telling us we can’t marry, at least not who we
would want.
B. Notice Paul’s Thoughts:
1. He was beginning to wonder if they were saved at all:
Gal 4:11 I am afraid of you, lest I have
bestowed upon you labour in vain.
a. Anyone who says they used to be a Christian, never
was.
b. If you don’t understand and appreciate salvation, you
never had it.
2. He wanted them to be like he was.
Gal 4:12 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am;
for I am as ye are….
a. Paul was not bragging on himself.
b. He was saying that he was a Jew who once had great
hope in his works but now understood that the Law
could not save.
c. These Gentiles were now like Jews: confused and wrong.
d. Paul did not want them to stay like that but to follow
the path he had followed to Jesus Christ and faith in
God’s grace.
I close with a thought I try to make often. Paul never said it was
all right to break the Law. The Law still teaches us what is right
and wrong. We are not bound by Law but neither should we rail and
live contrary to it. Read the Bible—all of it—and listen to the
Holy Ghost of God. He will let you know what you should do.
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