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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
GALATIANS 4:8-31
LESSON #09
THE CHOICE BETWEEN BONDAGE OR FREEDOM
v MEMORY VERSE: GALATIANS 4:31
v INOUR LAST LESSON, PAUL TOLD US THAT GOD CONSIDERS BELIEVERS AS MATURE SONS BY GOD.
Ø NEWBELIEVERS CAN UNDERSTAND THE WORD OF GOD.
Ø NEWBELIEVERS ARE READY TO INHERIT ALL GODS BLESSINGS. (4:7)
v READGAL 4:8-10 PAGAN IDOLATRY AND LEGALISM AREEQUATED
Ø WHATWAS THE GALATIANS RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE BEFORE THEY BECAME CHRISTIANS?
§ THEY WORSHIPPED IDOLS.
· HOWEVER,CHRIST FREED THEM FROM THIS BONDAGE. (9)
¨ WEAKAND BEGGARLY ELEMENTS (9) =
Ø THELAW WAS WEAK BECAUSE IT COULD NOT CHANGE THE HEART. ONLY GODS GRACE THROUGH FAITHCHANGES THE HEART.
Ø THELAW WAS WEAK BECAUSE FOR EACH NEW SITUATION YOU HAD TO HAVE A NEW LAW. NOW GODSGRACE COVERS ANY AND ALL SITUATIONS BY THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT.
¨ NOTICETHAT PAUL EQUATES THE BONDAGE OF IDOLATRY WITH THE BONDAGE OF LEGALISM UNDER THE MOSAICLAW. (9) WHY?
Ø BOTHPAGAN IDOLATRY AND THE MOSAIC LAW ARE RELIGIONS PRACTICED OUTWARDLY THAT DO NOT CHANGE THEHEART OF MAN.
Ø BOTHPAGAN IDOLATRY AND THE MOSAIC LAW ARE SYSTEMS THAT HAVE NO MECHANISM TO PRODUCE A LIFE OFFREEDOM.
Ø THEREFORE,BOTH SYSTEMS ARE EMPTY AND USELESS.
Ø BOTHSYSTEMS ARE BONDAGE.
Ø HOWWERE THE GALATIAN CHRISTIANS UNDER A NEW BONDAGE?
§ THEY WERE LEGALISTICALLYKEEPING THE JEWISH CALENDAR. (10)
· THEYKEPT THE SABBATH.
· THEYKEPT THE FEAST DAYS OF LEVITICUS.
§ READ COL 2:16 AND JAM 2:10
· EVENTODAY WE HAVE CHURCHES THAT KEEP THE SABBATH AND CERTAIN OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE MOSAIC LAW.
¨ ACCORDINGTO COL 2:16, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT JUDGE THEM FOR DOING THAT. HOWEVER, PAULWANTS US TO KNOW THAT WE ARE FREE NOT TO KEEP ANY OF THESE ASPECTS OF THE LAW.
¨ THEVERY IMPORTANT POINT IN JAM 2:10 IS THAT THE MOSAIC LAW IS ONE WHOLE UNIT. YOU CANNOT PICKOUT ONE OR TWO POINTS AND CLAIM TO BE KEEPING THE WHOLE LAW.
v READGAL 4:11-16 PAULS FRUSTRATION
Ø PAULWONDERS IF HE HAS WASTED HIS TIME TRYING TO MINISTER TO THESE PEOPLE.
§ THEY RECEIVED CHRIST ASTHEIR SAVIOR AND THAT MAKES THEM EQUAL WITH PAUL. HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOT TREATING HIM AS ANEQUAL.
Ø PAULSTHORN IN THE FLESH
§ PAUL MENTIONS HIS THORN INTHE FLESH HERE IN GALATIANS.
· READ 2COR 12:7-10
¨ THERE IS SOME CONTROVERSY OVER WHAT EXACTLYWAS PAULS THORN IN THE FLESH.
Ø FROM THE CONTEXT OF THE PASSAGE IN GALATIANSAND THAT IN 2COR 12, IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN SOME SORT OF EYE DISEASE. (SEE GAL 4:15 AND GAL6:11)
§ EYE DISEASE IN THE MIDDLEEAST WAS COMMON. IT CAUSED AN UNSIGHTLY RUNNING PUS FROM THE EYES.
Ø SATAN CAUSED THIS AFFLICTION, BUT GODPERMITTED IT SO PAUL WOULD NOT BECOME PRIDEFUL.
§ THE GALATIAN PEOPLEACCEPTED PAUL AND TOLERATED THE UNSIGHTLY ASPECT OF HIS EYE DISEASE SO AS TO HEAR HISGOSPEL MESSAGE.
v READ GAL 4:17-18 THE TACTICS OF THE JUDAIZERS
Ø THE JUDAIZERS FOLLOWED PAUL FROM CITY TO CITYPREACHING A NEW AND DIFFERENT GOSPEL AND PREACHING AGAINST PAUL.
Ø THEY PLANTED EVIL SEED. THEN THEY WITHDREW,CAUSING THE GALATIAN PEOPLE TO DESIRE TO KNOW MORE.
Ø THENTHE GALATIAN PEOPLE WOULD PURSUE THE TEACHING OF THE JUDAIZERS TO THEIR OWN DETRIMENT.
v READGAL 4:19-31 AN ALLEGORY
Ø PAULSPOKE VERY STRONGLY AND HARSHLY IN CHAPTERS 3 AND 4. NOW HE CHANGES HIS TONE TO ONE OFTENDERNESS.
§ THESE ARE THE TONES OF APARENT WHO AT TIMES SPEAKS HARSHLY TO HIS CHILD TO WAKE HIM UP TO THE REALITY OF HISBEHAVIOR, AND AT OTHER TIMES SPEAKS VERY LOVINGLY TO PERSUADE HIS CHILD THROUGH LOVE.
§ PAULS DESIRE IS THATCHRIST BE FORMED IN THESE BELIEVERS. (19)
· HEREFERS TO THE PROCESS OF SANCTIFICATION WHERE A BELIEVER BECOMES MORE AND MORE LIKECHRIST.
Ø INTHIS VERY TENDER TONE, PAUL USES AN ALLEGORY TO FURTHER HIS ARGUMENT AGAINST LEGALISM ANDTO SHOW US THIS PROCESS OF SANCTIFICATION.
§ WHAT IS AN ALLEGORY?
· ITIS A STORY WITH A SECONDARY DEEPER MEANING THAT PARALLELS THE STORY ITSELF.
Ø THESTORY OF HAGAR AND SARAH (FROM GEN 16 ; 17 ;18 ; 20 ; 21)
§ PAUL TELLS THESE PEOPLETHAT THEY HAVE NOT HEARD HOW THE LAW CAME TO MAN. (21) HE, THEREFORE, TELLS THEM ABOUTHAGAR AND SARAH.
· WHATDOES HAGAR REPRESENT IN PAULS ARGUMENT AGAINST LEGALISM?
¨ HAGARREPRESENTS THE BONDAGE OF THE MOSAIC LAW. SHE IS CALLED THE BONDWOMAN.
· WHATDOES SARAH REPRESENT IN PAULS ARGUMENT?
¨ SARAHREPRESENTS THE FREEDOM OF GODS GRACE THROUGH FAITH IN THE MESSIAH. SHE IS CALLED THEFREEWOMAN.
Ø REMEMBERABRAHAM IS THE FATHER OF FAITH AND SARAH REPRESENTS GRACE. BELIEVERS AREBORN AGAIN BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH.
· WHATDOES ISHMAEL AND ISAAC REPRESENT?
¨ ISHMAELREPRESENTS THE CHILD OF THE FLESH NATURE.
Ø THEBIBLE SAYS HE WAS A WILD MAN AND NO ONE COULD CONTROL HIM. (GEN 16:12)
¨ ISAACREPRESENTS THE CHILD OF THE SPIRITUAL NATURE (THE PROMISE).
| THE CHILD OF HAGAR, THE BONDWOMAN | THE CHILD OF SARAH, THE FREEWOMAN |
|
ISHMAEL WAS BORN AS A RESULT OF THE SINFUL FLESH NATURE OF MAN THAT DESIRES TO DO THINGS HIS OWN WAY. (4:23) THE CODE OF HAMMURABI THAT GOVERENED THAT TIME PERIOD SAID A SON OF A SLAVE WOMAN WAS A SLAVE. |
ISAAC WAS BORN MIRACULOUSLY AS A RESULT OF THE PROMISE OF GOD. SARAH WAS NOT A SLAVE BUT A FREE WOMAN. THEREFORE, HER SON WAS CONSIDERED FREE. (4:23) |
| HAGAR (AGAR IN GREEK) REPRESENTS MT. SINAI WHERE THE LAW WAS GIVEN TO MOSES. (24-25) | SARAH REPRESENTS THE GRACE OF GOD THAT GAVE US JESUS CHRIST. (26) |
| THE COVENANT OF LAW GIVEN TO MOSES PRODUCES BONDAGE TO ALL THAT FOLLOW IT (THE JEWS OF PAULS DAY). (24) | THE NEW COVENANT OF GRACE GIVEN TO US THROUGH CHRIST JESUS PRODUCES FREEDOM IN ALL THAT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. |
| THE SYMBOL OF BONDAGE IN PAULS DAY WAS THE EARTHLY CITY OF JERUSALEM. (25) | THE SYMBOL OF FREEDOM IN THE NEW TESTAMENT IS THE HEAVENLY CITY OF THE NEW JERUSALEM. (26) |
| THE NUMBER OF DESCENDANTS FROM ISHMAEL (ARABS) WERE FEW. (27) | THE NUMBER OF DESCENDANTS FROM ISAAC (JEWS) WERE MANY. (27) |
| THE LAW WILL PRODUCE NO BORN-AGAIN CHILDREN OF PROMISE. | THE GRACE OF GOD PROMISES TO PRODUCE MANY BORN-AGAIN CHILDREN (BELIEVERS) FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. (27-28) |
| JUST AS ISHMAEL PERSECUTED ISAAC, ARABS PERSECUTE THE JEWS AND ALWAYS HAVE. (29) | THE NON-BELIEVER, WHO IS A CHILD OF THE FLESH NATURE, PERSECUTES BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST. (29) |
| ABRAHAM TOLD HAGAR TO LEAVE HIS HOUSE WITH HER SON IN FAVOR OF ISAAC, THE SON OF THE PROMISE. (30) | THE NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVER IS TO GET RID OF LEGALISM IN FAVOR OF GRACE IN JESUS CHRIST. (30) |
| ABRAHAM COULD NOT HAVE BOTH SONS LIVING IN HIS HOUSE. ABRAHAM NEEDED TO MAKE A CHOICE. | THE BELIEVER CANNOT LIVE WITH GRACE THROUGH FAITH AND BONDAGE TO THE LAW AT THE SAME TIME. THE BELIEVER NEEDS TO MAKE A CHOICE. |
v SUMMARYAND APPLICATION:
Ø HAGARWAS NEVER MARRIED TO ANOTHER MAN AFTER SHE LEFT ABRAHAMS HOUSE. LIKEWISE, THE LAWWAS NEVER GIVEN TO ANOTHER NATION OR ANOTHER PEOPLE OTHER THAN TO ISRAEL. THE ANALOGY ISTRUE TODAY. GOD NEVER MEANT TO GIVE THE LAW TO GENTILES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
Ø PAULTELLS THE GALATIAN CHRISTIANS THAT THEY WERE DROPPING OUT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GRACEAND ENROLLING IN THE KINDERGARTEN OF LAW.
§ THE LESSONS LEARNED AT AUNIVERSITY ARE HARDER THAN THOSE LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN. THIS IS WHY SOME STUDENTS DROPOUT OF UNIVERSITY AND DONT DROP OUT OF KINDERGARTEN.
· GRACEIS HARDER (MORE DIFFICULT) THAN LAW. WHAT MAKES PEOPLE PREFER LAW?
¨ SOMEPEOPLE LIKE LEGALISM BECAUSE THEY DONT WANT TO MAKE ANY DECISIONS FOR THEMSELVES.THOSE DECISIONS ARE ALREADY MADE FOR THEM AND SET DOWN IN RULES AND REGULATIONS.
Ø THEREFORE,LEGALISM IS A LAZY MANS RELIGION.
¨ SOMEPEOPLE LIKE LEGALISM BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE MAKE THEM BELIEVE THEY ARE TOO IGNORANT TO MAKETHEIR OWN DECISIONS.
Ø THEREFORE,LEGALISM IS AN IGNORANT MANS RELIGION.
¨ SOMEPEOPLE LIKE LEGALISM BECAUSE IT GIVES THEM POWER OVER THOSE LESS KNOWLEDGEABLE.
Ø THEREFORE,LEGALISM IS A CONTROLLING MANS RELIGION.
¨ SOMEPEOPLE LIKE LEGALISM BECAUSE THEY CAN COMPARE THEIR SPIRITUALITY TO THAT OF ANOTHER PERSONINSTEAD OF COMPARING ONESELF TO THE HIGHER STANDARD OF JESUS CHRIST.
Ø THEREFORE,LEGALISM IS A PRIDEFUL MANS RELIGION.
¨ GRACEGIVES ALL THE GLORY TO GOD FOR ANY POSITIVE RESULTS, WHILE LEGALISM GIVES THE GLORY TOMAN.
Ø THREFORE,LEGALISM IS A SELF-GLORIFYING RELIGION.
¨ LEGALISMAPPEALS TO THE FLESH NATURE OF MAN AND HIS DESIRE TO APPEAR TO BE RELIGIOUS.
Ø THEREFORE,LEGALISM IS A PRETENTIOUS RELIGION.
· WHYIS GRACE MORE DIFFICULT?
¨ ITTAKES MORE FAITH TO TRUST GOD THAN TO READ A SET OF RULES.
¨ ITTAKES MORE FAITH TO BELIEVE THAT GOD IS WORKING ON THE INSIDE OF ANOTHER PERSONSLIFE THAN TO JUDGE HIS SPIRITUALITY BY OBSERVING HIS OUTWARD BEHAVIOR.
Ø THEREFORE,WE CAN SAY THAT LEGALISM IS THE SUBSTITUTION OF AN OUTWARD EVENT FOR AN INWARD EXPERIENCE.
Ø PAULSCOUNSEL TO THE GALATIAN BELIEVERS IS TO CAST OUT THE JUDAIZERS AND THEIR LEGALISM JUST ASABRAJAM CAST OUT HAGAR AND HER SON FROM HIS HOUSE.
HOMEWORK
GAL 5:1-12
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERSTO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
v APPLICATION OF GAL 4:8-31
Ø THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFEBEFORE YOU ANSWER THIS QUESTION. IS YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE MOVING MORE TOWARD LEGALISM ANDBONDAGE OR MORE TOWARD LIBERTY THROUGH GRACE? EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWER.
v PREPARATION FOR GAL 5:1-12
Ø READ GAL 5:1-12
§ WRITE YOUR DESCRIPTION OFTHE CHRISTIAN LIFE BY INCLUDING THOSE THINGS THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE PART OF THECHRISTIAN LIFE.
v MEMORY VERSE: GALATIANS 5:5
