Galatians 4:1-11 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Galatians 4:1-11. Let’s go!
Galatians 4:1-5 (NIV)
1 What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate.
2 He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father.
3 So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world.
4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law,
5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.
On verses 1-5: These are not the easiest verses to interpret, but here goes. Paul begins by painting the picture of an underage child of a rich father, who until the time he becomes of age, is subject to the supervision of guardians and trustees. These guardians and trustees exercise a great deal of control over the son such that this son is effectively no different from a slave, even though he is an heir (v1-2). Why does Paul mention this? It’s because Paul is saying that at one time, we were children living under the enslaving control of “the basic principles of the world” (v3) (also translated “the elemental spiritual forces of the world”).
What exactly are these “basic principles of the world”? I used to think that Paul was referring only to the law of Moses. But upon further reflection, it seems to me now that Paul is referring to something broader. Perhaps the better answer is that Paul is referring to various systems of religious thinking – and possibly even the demonic powers which empower them – that enslave people, both Jews and Gentiles, causing them to worship idols and to put their trust in themselves rather than in the Lord. God’s plan has always been to set people free from these “weak and miserable principles” (v9), from those that “by nature are not gods” (v8). So at the proper time, God sent His Son Jesus Christ, born of a woman (that is, born a human being) and born under the law (that is, subject to God’s laws), to redeem us and adopt us as His children.
While Paul doesn’t say it here explicitly, Paul is saying that God sent His Son Jesus Christ to live the perfect life that satisfied all of God’s laws and to die the death that we were supposed to die because of our failure to obey God’s laws. In so doing, Jesus redeemed (i.e. saved, rescued and won back) all of us who were controlled by “the basic principles of this world”, that is, various types of religious thinking that caused us to put our trust in something other than the Lord.
Only when Jesus sets us free from the unhealthy thinking that once enslaved us can we truly enjoy our full rights as children of God (v5).
Galatians 4:6-7 (NIV)
6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
On verses 6-7: Here Paul mentions one of the greatest rights and benefits that we get to enjoy as the adopted children of God: we get to have the Spirit of the Son in our hearts (v6), by whom we can call God “Abba, Father”.
What does “Abba” mean? “Abba” is a word in Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke with his family when he was on earth. The word “Abba” is a tender, intimate way to refer to your father, kind of like “Daddy” or “Pa”. It is awesome that God gave you and me the Spirit of His Son Jesus – the Holy Spirit – so that we can experience a tender, intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father.
Galatians 4:8-11 (NIV)
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 principles? 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.
On verses 8-11: Paul sees an unhealthy pattern developing in the Christians in Galatia: At first they received God’s forgiveness by faith in Christ. But instead of continuing to hope in Christ, they are now trusting in their own religious legalism (for example, starting to believe that circumcision is necessary in order to be fully accepted by God (see Galatians 6:12-13) or “observing special days, months, seasons and years” which Christians were never required to observe (v10)). They have strayed away from a pure faith in Christ and instead have started trusting in their own religiosity, falling into idolatry in the process. In this way Paul fears that the Galatian Christians are reverting back to being enslaved by “those weak and miserable forces” (v9) and “those who by nature are not gods” (v8) from which God had earlier set them free.
Paul says that such behaviour is as silly as a child who used to be under the control of a guardian, who became old enough to access and enjoy his father’s inheritance, who actually did access and enjoy that inheritance for a while, but who now somehow wants to be under the control of his guardian again. That’s why Paul says, “I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts” (v11). Paul had tried so hard to lead the Galatians to a pure faith in Christ and he is perplexed by how they are becoming enslaved all over again.
What can we learn from this? God meant for us to place our trust in His Son Jesus for our hope and salvation, not in anything or anyone else. Trusting in anything or anyone else for salvation is slavery to something that is not God. Trusting in Jesus for salvation sets us free to be the child of God that God made you and me to be, with all the rights and benefits that come with it.
Praise You God that because Your Son set me free, I am no longer a slave to fear, to legalism, or to religious thinking that draws me away from a pure faith in Christ. Thank You that as a child of God I have been given Your Holy Spirit, by whom I can call You, “Abba, Father”. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
