“TRUE FREEDOM”/GALATIANS
4:21-31
It is a great
privilege to live in a country with so many freedoms.
We can only hope and pray that countries like
Iraq, Iran, and
Afghanistan will one day experience freedom/democracy.
But, what we see as bondage, many in Iraq, Iran, and
Afghanistan believe to be freedom. I’m hoping to use
what we see happening in this world of ours to help us
understand the Apostle Paul’s point in the text we are
considering today. Here’s the main point: Some people
believe that they are free when indeed they are in
bondage or slavery. Paul’s point relates to the
spiritual realm. Paul has something to say to all
countries. True freedom is available even to those in
countries ruled by oppressive governments who hold
people in bondage to fear. True freedom comes to all,
regardless of their place in this world–economically,
socially, or politically speaking. Those who yearn for
freedom will find true, eternal freedom in Jesus Christ.
I) THE
CONTEXT–VV.21-23
A) Paul, in
this passage of Scripture before us, is going to ask the
Galatians if they prefer bondage over freedom. Many of
them believed themselves to be free though they were
not. Also, it is important to remember Paul’s comment
in verse 20.
This led Paul to ask a basic question of them.
B) He
addresses all of the Galatians, with hopes of awakening
some who had become to
enamored with the Judaizers, and their message of grace
plus works as the grounds of freedom and salvation. So,
he addresses them as those who have been tempted to
return to the Law of Moses as a means of
justification/salvation (v.21).
His question to them is “Tell me, you who want to be
under the law, do you not listen to the law?” Paul’s
question is designed to get them to think more broadly
of the law, as the law had much to say, as Paul spoke of
earlier in Galatians
3. Moses wrote more than was recorded in
Exodus, as he also wrote what was in Genesis which is
also considered one of the books of the law. Then from
this Paul launches into a powerful defense of salvation
by grace, which is founded upon a promise that God made
to Abraham in Genesis
(Galatians
4:22-23).
This leads to Paul’s main argument in
verses 24ff.
Are we ...
II)
BORN OF THE FLESH OR OF THE PROMISE–VV. 24-31
A) To make
his point, Paul uses a literary device known as an
allegory. The women he referred to in
verses 22 & 23
are said to represent two covenants (v.24a),
with the first “proceeding” or coming from
Mount Sinai (v.24b).
The children of which are said to be
slaves (v.24c).
This covenant is represented by Hagar, the bondwoman
previous mentioned. And, he further says that
Hagar/Mount Sinai represent the earthly Jerusalem, which
he says is in slavery with her children (v.25).
B) The
earthly
Jerusalem is contrasted to the heavenly Jerusalem, of
which the earthly is but a shadow, as the reality is in
Heaven. The Jerusalem of Paul’s day was in slavery in
three senses: 1) Civil–to Rome, 2) Moral–to sin, and 3)
Legal–to the ceremonial law of the OT. But, the
heavenly Jerusalem is free from all of these things (v.26).
Paul then quotes from the OT book of
Isaiah 54:1 (v.27).
C) Now, Paul
brings the truth of the allegory home to the Galatians,
and I would say to us in what follows in
vv.28-31.
Paul brings hope to his hearers in
verse 28. He
wants them to know that they are, like Isaac, children
of the promise. Who are the children of promise? Paul
tells us, in the latter part of
verse 29,
that it is those who are born according to the Holy
Spirit. It is not those born only according to the
flesh. Does the story of Nicodemus come to mind
cf. John 3:1-8?
This will mean that there will be persecution from those
only born of the flesh (v.29a).
Paul further uses the story of the bondwoman and the
free woman from
Genesis 21 to tell the Galatians what to do
with the Judaizers (v.30)
... Cast them out! In other words, get them out of the
church immediately! He closes the passage we have been
studying by affirming their true identity, hence their
only hope of true freedom (v.31).
Now some ...
III)
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
A) First, we
are either slaves, spiritually speaking,
or we are free, spiritually speaking. What
determines our status/identity? Whether we have only
been born of the flesh, hence we have no knowledge of
God’s saving grace given by virtue of a promise to
Abraham’s spiritual descendants. In other words, we
have not come to know that we are desperately in need of
a Savior, and that Christ alone saves by faith in Him.
Or, our status is determined by, whether we have been
born of the Holy Spirit, hence having come to know that
we can in no way save ourselves by any activities or
works we can do. What we need is God to divinely
intervene to bring us salvation. Call out to Him to
intervene in your life today, and know of His saving
grace!
B) Second,
preaching and teaching these truths will result in some
form of persecution. More than likely, nothing more
than folks making light of our stand, or saying
ill-conceived things about the pastors and the church.
Yet, it is wise to stand with Paul, and to preach that
salvation is all of grace, and not of works or human
efforts in the least.
