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GALATIANS CHAPTER 4 RECAP
BELOVED CHILDREN OF GOD
Questions and Answers…
Please note: Some of my answers are lengthy for clarity. Yours will likely be shorter, which is fine.
Why did Paul use the analogy of the child/heir and slave in verses 1-2, and what does this represent?
He uses this analogy to illustrate a few things. One is that we are children of God through faith, and as children of God we are heirs to the promise made to Abraham, that through his seed all of the world would be blessed. Paul talks about a guardian here and how we were like children under the care of a guardian. The guardian was the law, which we are no longer under. When we were adopted as sons of God, we were freed from the bondage of the law.
Define adoption according to verse 5.
The Greek word for “adoption as sons” found in verse 5 is “huiothesia.” According to the NIV footnotes, this is s a legal term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture.
What happens as a result of our ‘adoption’ in Christ?
We receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. We are also free from the law through the righteousness of Christ. And we are children of God.
What was Paul so concerned over for the Galatian church according to verses 10-11? Compare with verses 19-20.
Because they were returning to the law, they were minimalizing the righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ. Faith is the only thing that makes us righteous from the condemnation of the law. If you don’t have the righteousness of Christ, then you are under the law, and every curse written in the law is against you.
The law points to our sin. It puts a label on our sin, and proves that we are guilty of sin, but it does not by any means make one righteous or pardon our transgressions.
The feasts and the Holy Days pointed to the coming Messiah. They revealed the righteousness of Christ and His work on the cross.
The disciples in the New Testament continued to celebrate these feasts. In fact, we see in Acts 18:21, Paul says, “I must by all means keep this feast [probably Passover] that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you.”
The day after Passover was the first day of unleavened bread which was one of three Pilgrimage feasts. Jews from all over, would travel to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast.
Believers would be celebrating the feasts knowing that Christ had fulfilled them, and so their attitude was different from those who celebrated the feasts believing that it made them righteous.
The problem Paul was addressing here was those who put their faith in the law.
What did Paul mean when he said ‘be as I am’ (v. 12)?
That they would be of one mind and one heart with Paul on these issues.
Explain the two covenants according to verses 21-33.
Abraham had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac. One was born through the miraculous promise of God, while the other was born naturally by his concubine.
The bondwoman in this story was Hagaar the concubine, and the free woman was Sarah, Abraham’s wife.
Their boys represented Abraham’s seed. One born of natural descent, while the other was born of the promise.
“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” – Galatians 3:29
Those born of natural descent, put their faith in the law, and therefore are under the condemnation of the law.
Those born of the promise (including both physical Jews and Gentiles) put their faith in Jesus Christ, and are free from the condemnation of the law.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. – Romans 8:1
Who was Paul referring to with the ‘son of the bondwoman,’ as compared to the ‘son of the freewoman,’ in this chapter? What did the two represent?
The son of the bondwoman was Ishmael. He represented those born of natural descent who put their faith in the law.
The son of the freewoman was born of the promise. They represent those (both Jews and Gentiles) born through faith Jesus Christ.
Which are we now as Christians?
We are children of the promise.
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