Galatians: Justification by Faith, Freedom, and Walking by the Spirit
We are children of God
Jan 5
Jan 12
Jan 19
Jan 26
Galatians 1-2:10
Galatians 2:11-3:25
Galatians 3:26-4:31
Galatians 5:1-26
Gregory Chao
Jan 19, 2013
“Faith plus Law” versus “Faith plus nothing”
Christ is Sufficient, Gospel & Law
We are children of God
Christian Freedom & Walking by the Spirit
OVERVIEW: We are children of God. It is the mainspring of Christian living, the apex of creation, and
the goal of redemption. It will take a lifetime to understand and live out its implications.
Galatians 3:26-4:7 - 26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who
were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither
slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ,
then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. 4:1 What I am saying is that as long as
an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 The heir is
subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were underage, we
were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. 4 But when the set time had fully come,
God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might
receive adoption to sonship. 6 Because you are his 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 God’s child; and since you are his
child, God has made you also an heir.
Children of God - In this passage, Paul reaches the climax of his argument --- that we are children of
God. It is the mainspring of Christian living, the apex of creation, and the goal of redemption. Christians
are divinely adopted (v.29). Through the Son, we become God’s children legally (4:4-5) and through the
Spirit, we are God’s children experientially (v. 6-7).
Clothed with Christ – (1) Just as clothes communicate to others our personality, preferences, and
identity, we are to draw our identity from Christ’s work. This is very profound and it will take a lifetime
to appreciate and practice. This new identity will smash all the old barriers of culture (“Jew nor
Gentile”), class (“slave nor free”), or gender (“male nor female”). It will lead to a radical unity that is not
based on merit, status, or gender but simply on the fact that we are known by God adopted as His
children. Because it is unearned, received by grace, there is no reason for any to think of themselves as
better than others.
Redemption and Adoption – Our natural state is slavery (v. 4:1-3). But God sent his Son to “redeem” us
(v. 5). Redemption has the idea of a debt that is paid in full. Until that debt is paid, one is a slave to the
creditor. In this analogy, the debt of sin is paid by Christ and we are now free, a neutral state before
God. But, in this passage, it goes further using a second analogy. Not only is the debt of sin paid, we are
additionally “adopted” as sons and daughters. This adoption enables us to closely associate with God
with great intimacy. We rightfully call God, “our Father” (Abba). We never have to worry about gaining
God’s approval because it is ours now and forevermore.
What do you most appreciate about being God’s child?
Galatians 4:8-20 - 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? 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
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did me no wrong. 13 As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you,
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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!
Paul’s pleading - Paul is very upset at the Galatians. He argues, (paraphrased) “you have experienced
the best of all…you know God! Or even better, “God initiated knowing you! ... How can you go back to
the old ways? …slaves to your reward/punishment system, distant from God. Paul expresses fear for
them and pleads with them. He tries to remind them of their initial eagerness and tells them that his
opponents are trying to create doubt in their minds.
Knowing God – What makes a person a Christian is not so much you knowing God but His knowing you.
“To know” is more than intellectual awareness but rather to enter into a personal relationship with that
person. Paul is saying that it is not so much your regard and love for God as much as the fact that God
loves and regards you. Our regard for God will rise and fall depending on circumstances; God’s
“knowing” us is constant and fixed. There are many ways this truth will transform our lives in that area
of self-esteem, insecurity, need for approval, behavior, etc.
Galatians 4:21-31 - 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.” 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.” 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are
not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
Allegory of Abraham’s sons - Paul is using an allegory that would infuriate his opponents. Abraham had
two sons, Isaac & Ishmael. Ishmael was born of because he tried to fulfill God’s promise of a son using
his own means (birth through a slave, Hagar). It was a human effort and he associates it with his
opponents calling it “slavery” and the “present city of Jerusalem.” The second child, Isaac, is born by the
“power of the Spirit” calling it the “Jerusalem that is above.” It is not “slavery” but “free.” He adds that
“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.”
APPLICATION: So what can we learn from this passage today?
Four types of people related to the law – The term “under the law” has the idea of relying on the law for
your standing before God. Here is a way of categorizing people of the world today.
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1. “Law-obeying, law-relying – These people are under the law, and are usually very smug, selfrighteous and superior. Externally, they are very sure they are right with God, but deep down,
they have a lot of insecurity, since no one can truly be assured that they are living up to the
standard. This makes them touchy, sensitive to criticism, and devastated when their prayers
aren’t answered. This includes members of other religions, but here I am thinking mainly of
people who go to church. These people have much in common with the Pharisees of Jesus’ day.
2. Law-disobeying, law-relying – These people have a religious conscience of strong worksrighteousness, but they are not living consistently with it. As a result of this, they are more
humble and more tolerant of others than the “Pharisees” above, but they are also much more
guilt-ridden, subject to mood swings, and sometimes very afraid of religious topics. Some of
these people may go to church, but they stay on the periphery because of their low spiritual
self-esteem.
3. Law-disobeying, not law-relying – These are the people who have thrown off the concept of the
law of God. They are intellectually secular or relativistic, or have a very vague spirituality. They
largely choose their own moral standards and then insist that they are meeting them. But Paul,
in Romans 1:18-20, says that at the sub-conscious level, they know there is a God who they
should be obeying. Such people are usually happier and more tolerant than either of the above
groups. But usually there is a strong, liberal self-righteousness. They are earning their own
salvation by feeling superior to others. It is just that this is usually a less obvious kind of selfrighteousness.
4. Law-obeying, not law-relying – These are Christians who understand the gospel and are living
out of the freedom of it. They obey the law of God out of grateful joy that comes from the
knowledge of their sonship, and out of freedom from the fear and selfishness that false idols
had generated. They are more tolerant than number 3, more sympathetic than number 1, and
more confident than number 2. But most Christians struggle to live out number 4, and tend to
see the world as a #1, #2, or even #3 person. But to the degree that they do, they are
impoverished spiritually.”1
1
Keller, Timothy, Galatians for You, p. 117-118
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