Study of Galatians

Week 9  

Galatians 4:8-20

I am reminded of the mother who sent her son off to college. She diligently raised him in a life of faith, fought for him, fought with him and fought alongside him as he grew.  She equipped him to stand firmly in his faith and she was confident that he was ready.

 

However, after several months into his college experience, she noticed his social media account was filled with a young man that she did not recognize. His actions, language, and communication seemingly were foreign. Where had her child of faith gone?

 

Paul faced a similar experience with the young churches in Galatia.

He had taught them, labored with them, loved them and prepared them to live a life of faith in Jesus Christ. After his departure, word got back to him. He heard that these young Christians apparently forgot so much of what they had received.

 

It was time for an intervention.

 

He begins in Galatians 4:8-11. Like a good parent, Paul reminds them of who they are and the foundational beliefs they used to hold.  Interestingly, and this is important, he used two different Greek forms of the word “know”.  Let’s take a look together.

 

Beginning with verse 8, “At that time, when you did not know (“oida”/ know from seeing or hearing) God, you were slaves to those which by nature are not gods. (idols)

 

BUT now that you have come to know (“ginosko”/ know through personal experience) God, or

rather to be known (“ginosko”/ be known through personal experience) by God, how is it that you turn your back again to the weak and worthless elemental things (idols and pagan worship) to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?”

 

They had known a life of faith. They had known a life of freedom, freedom from the Law, freedom from idolatry. Paul confronted their beliefs and their behavior.

“You observe days and months and seasons and years.” (v10)

Yes, we too, look at a calendar to mark our daily lives. However, Paul used the word, “observe” which means to “scrupulously watch to ensure any final success.” Basically, they returned to the pagan practice of trusting the weather more than trusting God. Where had the freedom in Christ gone?

 

In Galatians 4:12-16, Paul reminds them of when he first came to see them. He reminds them of their great love for him in spite of his illness, (thorn in the flesh as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12:7 ) and their receptivity to the message of freedom in Christ. 

 

Like that parent who goes after a wayward child, Paul compels the Christians in Galatia to turn away from the practices of the  Judaizers, those religious leaders that would put them back into spiritually slavery.  

 

Paul recounts for them once again the foundational truths of the message of faith in Christ.

 

“You began (your faith journey) by the Spirit…” Galatians 3:3.

 

Even “Abraham believed (had faith) in God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” Galatians 3:6

 

“The righteous man shall live by faith…” Galatians 3:11

 

“The law is not of faith….” Galatians 3:12

 

“For if the inheritance is based on the law, it is no longer based on a promise, but God had granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.” Galatians 3:18

 

“Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions (sin).” Galatians 3:19

 

“But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor (the law).”  Galatians 3:25

 

“Therefore, you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” Galatians 4:7

 

Paul challenged them to once and for all turn away from a life lived under the Law and embrace whole- heartedly a life based on faith in Christ. 

 

He reminded them of who they were:  sons, heirs, known by God.

 

Paul gave them so much to consider.  While he longed to be with them in person (v20),  we will see in the next couple of chapters how he continued to teach and equip them in their faith. 

 

His constant challenge, live in the grace of God through faith in Christ.

jeannaswann

#nowuntohimwhoisable

Question for discussion (your email is never shared or posted)

How can our daily lives reflect our whole-hearted faith in Christ?