1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
3 Even so we, when we were children, were in under the elements of the world:
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God forth his , of a , made under the law,
5 To them that were under the law, that we might receive the of sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 Wherefore thou art no more a , but a ; and if a son, then an of God through Christ.
8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye unto them which by nature are no .
9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in ?
10 Ye observe , and months, and times, and years.
11 I am afraid you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
12 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.
13 Ye know how through of the I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
14 And my which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.
16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the ?
17 They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
18 But it is good to be affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.
19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
20 I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I you.
21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a , the other by a freewoman.
23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to , which is .
25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
26 But which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
27 For it is written, , thou that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the of promise.
29 But as then he that was born after the him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Galatians 4 is a chapter from the New Testament of the Bible, and it is part of the letter written by the Apostle Paul to the Galatians. This letter addresses issues related to faith, law, and freedom in Christ. Here's a summary of the key points in Galatians 4:
ReplyDeleteChildhood and Sonship: In the beginning of the chapter, Paul uses the analogy of a child who is under guardians and managers until the set time appointed by the father. He compares this to the spiritual condition of people before the coming of Christ when they were under the law.
Redemption Through Christ: Paul emphasizes that when the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, to redeem those who were under the law. This means that through Jesus Christ, believers can be set free from the bondage of the law and become heirs of God.
Adoption as Sons: Paul explains that through faith in Christ, believers become adopted as sons and daughters of God. This adoption brings with it the Spirit of God, who enables believers to cry out, "Abba, Father," signifying an intimate and close relationship with God.
Turning Back to Weak and Beggarly Elements: Paul expresses his concern that the Galatians, after having experienced the freedom in Christ, are turning back to observing the law and religious rituals. He questions their desire to go back to the "weak and beggarly elements" of the world.
Allegory of Hagar and Sarah: Paul uses an allegory to illustrate the difference between living under the law (represented by Hagar, the servant) and living in freedom through faith in Christ (represented by Sarah, the free woman). He encourages believers to embrace the promise of freedom in Christ.
Freedom in Christ: Paul concludes the chapter by urging the Galatians to "stand fast" in the freedom that Christ has given them and not be entangled again in the yoke of bondage. He emphasizes that circumcision or other outward rituals are not necessary for salvation, but faith in Christ is what matters.
Overall, Galatians 4 underscores the central theme of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, not by adherence to the law. It emphasizes the freedom and sonship that believers have through Christ, urging them to live in the liberty of the Spirit rather than returning to legalistic practices.