ELNORA’S BIBLE STUDY WITH FRIENDS, Galatians 4, Saturday, April 26, 2025

Context for Chapter 4

Galatians 3 ends with Paul stating, once more, that those who are in Christ are Abraham's offspring, just as Christ, himself, is He has made us heirs along with Him. Galatians 4 continues that idea, showing how Christ's arrival signaled the moment all people could receive the inheritance with Him and be adopted as God's children. Paul makes his appeal personal, asking why the Galatians moved from blessing him to rejecting the message of Christ. The chapter ends with Paul's allegory about the difference between being born into slavery under the law and being born into freedom by the power of the Spirit through faith in Christ. Chapter 5 will continue by expanding on the freedom we have in Christ.(https://www.bibleref.com/Galatians/4/Galatians-chapter-4.html)

Chapter Intro, Verses 1-7, KESHIA

1Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually owneverything their father had. 2 They have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set. 3 And that’s the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles[a] of this world.4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.[b] 6 And because we[c] are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child.[e] And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.

SECTION QUESTIONS: 

1. What's Paul's main point in this passage?

2. What is your understanding of God's timing from this passage? 

3. What does it mean to be a "Son of God"?

Paul’s Concern for the Galatians, Verses 8-20, KESHIA

8 Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist. 9 So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world? 10 You are trying to earn favor with God by observing certain days or months or seasons or years. 11 I fear for you. Perhaps all my hard work with you was for nothing. 12 Dear brothers and sisters,[f] I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles—free from those laws. You did not mistreat me when I first preached to you. 13 Surely you remember that I was sick when I first brought you the Good News. 14 But even though my condition tempted you to reject me, you did not despise me or turn me away. No, you took me in and cared for me as though I were an angel from God or even Christ Jesus himself. 15 Where is that joyful and grateful spirit you felt then? I am sure you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me if it had been possible. 16 Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?17 Those false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions are not good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you will pay attention only to them. 18 If someone is eager to do good things for you, that’s all right; but let them do it all the time, not just when I’m with you. 19 Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives. 20 I wish I were with you right now so I could change my tone. But at this distance I don’t know how else to help you.

SECTION QUESTIONS:  

4. What are the "So-called gods that do not even exist" that Paul mentioned in verse 8?

5. Paul makes a few personal appeals to the Galatians regarding what seems to be their decision to follow the law and become slaves again. Where do you think this happens so far?

Abraham’s Two Children, Verses 21-31, DESTINY

21 Tell me, you who want to live under the law, do you know what the law actually says? 22 The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife.[g] 23 The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of his promise. 24 These two women serve as an illustration of God’s two covenants. The first woman, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai where people received the law that enslaved them. 25 And now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai in Arabia,[h] because she and her children live in slavery to the law. 26 But the other woman, Sarah, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. She is a free woman, and she is our mother. 27 As Isaiah said, “Rejoice, O childless woman, you who have never given birth! Break into a joyful shout, you who have never been in labor! For the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband!”[i] 28 And you, dear brothers and sisters, are children of the promise, just like Isaac. 29 But you are now being persecuted by those who want you to keep the law, just as Ishmael, the child born by human effort, persecuted Isaac, the child born by the power of the Spirit. 30 But what do the Scriptures say about that? “Get rid of the slave and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”[j] 31 So, dear brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman; we are children of the free woman.

SECTION QUESTIONS: 

6. Can you identify the two covenants in the parable or allegory?

7. Can you identify the two Jerusalems?

8. Let's contrast the concepts "being born to the flesh" and "The son...through the promise." How is this a component of the parable and/or the situation the Galatians have found themselves in?

9. In the illustration, one day, Ishmael mocked Isaac. How does this fit in the story of grace and salvation?

 

Cross-Reference Scriptures: 

Isaiah 42:6

Isaiah 49:6

Genesis 3:15

Genesis 12:3

Deuteronomy 7:9

                                            Confessions for Galatians, Chapter 4

 1 Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had. 4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.  (Galatians 4:1,4)

Heavenly Father, how easy it is for me to try to justify myself in Your sight through works of the Law, rather than accepting my salvation as a free gift of Your amazing grace. I know that there are no works of the Law that can justify me in Your sight, and when I try to work to justify myself, I simply expose my lack of understanding of Your perfect plan of redemption. Help me to remember that faith alone in Him alone is all I need. Thank You, Father, for sending Jesus into the world at the right time. Thank You that Jesus became a man and fulfilled all the righteous requirements of the Law on my behalf so that I might be forgiven of my sins and adopted into Your family, for time and through eternity, in Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

 

6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child.[a] And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. (Galatians 4:6-7)

6Abba, my loving Father, I realize I am standing on the holiest of ground. Thank You for doing such great things for me. I desire to develop the depth of fellowship with You that is demonstrated through the life of Jesus. May I submit in humble obedience to You so that my inner spirit may commune in godly intimacy with Your Holy Spirit. 7Heavenly Father, thank You that by faith in Christ, I have been born into Your family and am no longer a slave to sin, but a born-again son of God. Thank you for the many privileges and promises I have received through identification with Christ my Savior. Thank You that I am no longer a slave, but a son and heir, through Christ. I pray that I may live as a dutiful child, doing only those things that are honoring to You. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.

 

27 As Isaiah said, “Rejoice, O childless woman, you who have never given birth! Break into a joyful shout, you who have never been in labor! For the desolate woman now has more childrenthan the woman who lives with her husband!” (Galatians 4:27)

Heavenly Father, thank You for this peep into Isaiah's amazing prophecy that spoke of Sarah, that barren and desolate woman who was unable to conceive, after the flesh. Thank You that Paul opened up this amazing Scripture to us and showed that Sarah corresponds to the New Covenant, the heavenly Jerusalem, and the rejoicing mother of all Your spiritual children who have been saved by grace, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank You for the forgiveness of my sins and life everlasting. Thank You that I am part of that great congregation who have an inheritance in the New Jerusalem. May I live a life that is worthy of my calling - to Your praise and glory. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.

Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Galatians/4