Gospel Freedom in Galatians
Background: What was the key issue in the early church? Race. Culture. Issues that are still with us today. The church at its inception on Pentecost was essentially 100% Jewish and the Apostles and the church in Jerusalem seemed content to keep it that way. Then God called a Pharisee named Saul to salvation and set him aside as an Apostle to the Gentiles. Over the next 30 years, the church became primarily Gentile with a Jewish minority, and many Jews fought it.
Galatians was Paul's first letter, written at the end of his first missionary journey when Gentiles began to come to Christ in droves. A group, sometimes called Judaizers and sometimes the circumcision party, opposed the inclusion of Gentiles in the church. If they were to be part of the church, they needed to become Jewish - follow the law and Jewish rituals. Paul fought them tooth and nail his entire ministry. The gospel was for the whole world.
Galatians is a powerful argument for a gospel free from the works of the law.
As often as time allows, the reader is encouraged to read the entire book - it will not take more than a few minutes. Each day we will work our way through the book passage by passage.
Today's Reading: Galatians 1-6 Focus Passage - Galatians 4:28-31
Now you too, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But just as then the child born as a result of the flesh persecuted the one born as a result of the Spirit, so also now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Drive out the slave and her son, for the son of the slave will never be a coheir with the son of the free woman.” 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave but of the free woman.
Through the Bible Readings: Ezekiel 29-30, Hebrews 3, Psalm 119:169–172, Proverbs 27:19–21
If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings.
Devotional: Children of Promise
I had the unique privilege many years ago of sharing several meals with J. Vernon McGee when he spoke at our church in Florida. He was, to say the very least, an interesting man. Gracious and kind, he was also highly opinionated. He said something one time that bothered me, but I had trouble arguing with his insight. The group that sponsored him was changing over to doing "Family Life" conferences the next year and he would not be one of the speakers. He said, "When you read the Bible, it is difficult to find a good example of marriage and family." Joseph and Mary? Perhaps. There aren't too many.
In today's passage, Paul references what seems to be a long and happy marriage, but one that has some tough moments. The worst revolved around Abraham and Sarah's moment of doubt when instead of waiting on God to provide their son as he had promised, they decided to "put feet to their prayers" and help God out a bit. God was planning to bring Isaac, the child of promise, the miracle baby, in his time, but they schemed their own plan. Abraham took Sarah's slave girl, Hagar, and fathered a baby through her. This baby, Ishmael was not the baby of promise but of the "result of the flesh."
When we act in the flesh, thinking we can accomplish God's will by our works, we cause more harm than good. Ishmael and Hagar caused problems in the household and eventually (to Abraham's pain) he was forced to send them away. This brokenness has lasted 4000 years. Many of Israel's modern enemies are the progeny of the child of the flesh, Ishmael, the father of the Arab peoples.
Paul says two things about the flesh and the Spirit here, built on the story of Ishmael and Isaac. First of all, the flesh persecutes the Spirit, in verse 29. Those who walk in the Spirit and do things the way of the Spirit will always be hounded and harassed by those who walk in the flesh. Those who operate in the way of this world and in the power of the flesh, and who live by human religions, will always fight against the truth of God and those who walk in the Spirit.
He also says that because we are "children of the free woman" we must drive out the slave. He is saying that we must banish the flesh in our own lives and we must chase it from our churches. Walking in the flesh is not harmless, it is contrary to Christ.
Father, help me to walk in your power, to live as a child of promise, not as a slave to the flesh.
Think and Pray:
What does this verse say about your Christian life?
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