Galatians 4:8-31

Summary
Apostle Paul expressed shock at the lack of understanding on the part of the Galatians on their status in Christ. They were still caught up in rituals, observations of the weather, days and months, season and years; the bondage from which they were once delivered. They were too quick to forget the sound teachings received from Apostle Paul. The Galatian church could be described as one with zeal but without knowledge.
Paul charged them to grow up spiritually until Christ is formed in them. He reminded them of who they were in Christ Jesus. They are the children of the free woman and not that of the slave. Apostle Paul wanted them to walk and act in the consciousness of who they really were in Christ Jesus.

Life Application
You need to have an understanding of your rights and privileges in Christ so that the devil won’t toss you to and fro regarding your health, finances and your general wellbeing. It is the truth that you know that will set you free; therefore, search the scriptures.

Personal declarations
I will not be entangled with the yoke of sin, sickness and poverty from which I have been delivered in Jesus name.

Reading – Galatians 4:8-31

Paul’s Concern for the Galatians

⁸ Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. ⁹ But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces^[a]? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? ¹⁰ You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! ¹¹ I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.

¹² I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong. ¹³ As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you, ¹⁴ and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. ¹⁵ Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

¹⁷ Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them. ¹⁸ It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you. ¹⁹ My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, ²⁰ how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!

Hagar and Sarah

²¹ Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. ²³ His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.

²⁴ These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. ²⁵ Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written:

“Be glad, barren woman,
    you who never bore a child;
shout for joy and cry aloud,
    you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
    than of her who has a husband.”^[b]

²⁸ Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. ²⁹ At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. ³⁰ But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”^{[c] 31} Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

Footnotes:

1. Galatians 4:9 Or principles
2. Galatians 4:27 Isaiah 54:1
3. Galatians 4:30 Gen. 21:10