Bible Study: Galatians 4- Sons, Not Slaves: Discovering Your True Identity in Christ

Abba Father

Hey everyone, Ryan here, your friendly neighborhood Bible Nerd! Welcome back, and today we're diving headfirst into a section of Paul’s letter to the Galatians that's just bursting with truth and grace: Galatians, chapter 4.

This chapter flips the script and shouts, "You are now a son, not a slave!" Honestly, what I hope is, this message would have rung just as true for the Jewish people in the crowd as it does today. It's a message for any time. It hits hard, and today I'm diving into its meaning. So, let's review and kind of go through this together and remember just how beautiful the entire book is.

The Heir Under Guardians (Galatians 4:1-3): A Relatable Analogy

Paul kicks things off with an analogy that just might speak to any listener, really:

“I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is owner of everything. But he is under guardians and managers until the day set by his father. In the same way also we, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world."

Even if you’re destined for greatness, there’s this feeling that something is holding you back, right? Like the promise hasn't quite come true yet. We still might be enslaved by lesser gods of the world or even ourselves. There was always something standing before the people of Galatia: what could make them grow up?

Before Christ, we were in a constant push-pull and never arrived at our promised purpose: God. So what was standing in front of the promised children that Christ speaks of?

God's Amazing Rescue Plan (Galatians 4:4-7): Sending His Son

But of course, there's hope! Let's pause on verses 4-5:

"But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons."

God steps in with the best of who can follow His Law. It can happen and it is with the Son, as foretold by many prophets. So what does this Son do? And it's pretty powerful: adoption as sons and daughters! Now, we have someone that's a brother and a Lord! Someone that is both next to you and in the heavens to offer a blessing at any time.

But why is this important if we're always in a sinning state? Verse 6 tells us:

"And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

It's like daddy!

It's just that it's so much more of a personal connection with that personal relationship. And that leads us to the question of: how much different would our lives be if that type of relationship with the God of the universe?

Turning Back to Slavery? (Galatians 4:8-11): The Warning

Paul's tone shifts:

"Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature were not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? You observe days and months and seasons and years! I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.”

What's the warning? How can you follow the creator with lesser things? Did God's relationship, in addition, also provide that the lesser was going to not serve our interest?

Paul was seeing with them a lesser. All the things they needed to get in to heaven are not enough!

But maybe for Paul the beatings and prison time were not enough. He knows for a fact that if you had to pay with blood then you won't be in his grace.

Think about that. Is Paul's emotion here trying to keep them from sliding back?

My Heart? (Galatians 4:12-16)

Paul shares his heart. ""Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong. You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first... I got beat, you felt bad, we were cool, and you loved me. And now? It was for the glory. Did all that great support dry up?

He makes himself vulnerable. And then a question:

"Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?"

What we think to be his greatest strength and what we think of as weakness and the ability to say it. He tells them point blank what's what and knows at that very moment if they will trust him.

In this, they are reminded it was his heart. All of him and what he gave is for the truth. He knows they'll understand.

Do They Even want to do what God does? (Galatians 4:17-20)

How's your team? The Galatians had great support until Paul left. Was he the center of their faith, or was Paul just a good guide? Because he then puts this forward:

"They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.”

To show that they're in the wrong and to save a life what do you think Paul might do to show this?

It's all for God. Paul wants you to get to that point even if it hurts!

A Story Is Worth A Thousand Pictures! (Galatians 4:21-31)

What's the bottom line of it all? Here are the basics the people of Galatia need to know:

• Tell me, those who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? (Galatians 4:21). • What was all this like in relation to the Jewish state (Galatians 4:22-23)? • What does the spiritual state say (Galatians 4:24-27)? • So? (Galatians 4:28-31)

Now I am free!

So with all this what is Paul trying to do for the Galatians?

This is more than a list of things but something that needs to be lived and embraced in our hearts!

I hope what you are getting from this is that God's love for you, and God sees you!

Thanks for reading today I hope you know that if God had done nothing else, He still chose you. If God had done nothing else, He still sent his son for you. If God had done nothing else, He still created you. May you start today and take it to action!