Galatians 4
THE GIFT OF ADOPTION: (3:26-4:6) God’s children are empowered by grace to desire the wisdom of His law: living with our nature in harmony with His, is what we were made for.
THE SOUL CRUSHING PROBLEM OF LEGALISM: (4:9,21) The belief that God’s acceptance hinges on our obedience to His law makes us, not Christ, our saviour. This leads to a life of anxious religious activity because we are never doing ‘enough’. The gospel of grace is the power that leads to liberty & produces maturity. (Rom 1:16, Titus 2:11-14)
THE LIBERATION OF LIVING INTO THE GOSPEL NARRATIVE: (4:21-31)
Sarah & Hagar are used symbolically to illustrate God’s two covenants: law & grace.
Abraham’s two sons represent two narratives from which the church must choose to live into:
Ishmael – symbolic of the futility of trusting in our work to contribute or secure salvation
Isaac – symbolic of the Son of Promise whose sacrificial work single-handedly secured salvation.