Galatians 4:21-31
”Many farmers in South Alabama and South Georgia
grow peanuts. It’s one of their main crops. I heard
about a preacher who moved down there from the
north who didn’t know anything about peanuts.
One Sunday after he preached on sin, a little boy
came forward. This was a boy who ran around with
two others. He came down front crying and said,
“Preacher, oh, I have sinned. I have been throwing
peanuts into the river.” The preacher said, “That’s
okay, son, God will forgive you.” The next Sunday
he preached on sin again, and the second little kid
in the group of three came down, and said, “Oh,
preacher, I have sinned. I have been throwing
peanuts into the river.” The preacher said, “Well,
God will forgive you, son. Go back to your seat.” He
was perplexed by this thing of throwing peanuts
into the river, so the preacher asked the third little
boy, “Your two friends are really upset, and they
have confessed the sin of throwing peanuts into
the river,” and he said, “What’s so bad about that?”
The little boy said, “Well, my name is Peanuts.”
Last week we discussed Paul’s pastoral plea for the
Galatians to return to grace.
He is trying to help them see that the Judaizers are not
seeking the best interest of the Galatians, they are
seeking their own interests.
Paul, on the other hand, wants only what is best for the
Galatians. His purpose has always been for them to
follow Christ and grow in their faith.
In the closing verses of chapter 4, Paul gives an OT
example of Abraham and his two sons. That is what we
are going to be studying this morning.
Galatians 4:21-31.
If you remember from the previous verses,
Paul asked two questions of the Galatians,
What has become of the blessing you felt?
Have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?
Now, Paul asks another question in verse 21.
Galatians 4:21
Do you even know what the law of Moses says?
Paul had previously explained it in Chapter 3.
“For all who rely on works of the law are under a
curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who
does not abide by all things written in the Book of
the Law, and do them.”
Now it is evident that no one is justified before God
by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”
But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who
does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us
from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for
us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is
hanged on a tree”—” Galatians 3:10-13
The law doesn’t bring life, it brings a curse.
The law doesn’t bring freedom, it brings bondage.
The law doesn’t bring grace, only Christ Jesus brings
grace!
Galatians 4:22-23
Abraham’s Two Sons
These sons represent the difference between law and
grace.
Paul mentions that these sons were born of two different
mothers. God promised Abraham that He would give him
an heir. But God made Abraham and Sarah wait 25 years
from the time He promised to give him a son until the
time he was born.
During that time, Sarah gave her handmaid to Abraham
since:
- She was very old.
- God had not kept His promise yet.
She was trying to help God.
Paul also mentions that the two sons were born in two
different ways.
Biologically speaking the conception and birth were the
same, but what Paul means is that Ishmael was born
under normal circumstances and Isaac was born under
supernatural circumstances.
Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 when Isaac was
born.
She was past the childbearing years. She had already
experienced menopause.
The difference here is that God wanted to give Abraham a
son and He did, in His perfect timing.
Have you ever gotten tired of waiting for God and taken
matters into your own hands?
It never works out the way you thought it would, but it
never thwarts God’s plan, because nothing can thwart
God’s plan.
Previously, the Judaizers had claimed that only those who
were physical descendants of Abraham were sons of
God.
Those that were not would need to follow the law and be
circumcised in order to be counted children of Abraham.
The point Paul continues to make is that the grace of God
is sufficient to make us children of God.
God’s grace was manifested through His promise to
Abraham. Years before the law was given to Moses!
Hagar represents the law, Sarah represents grace.
Hagar represents the bondage of sin,
Sarah represents freedom in Christ.
Paul continues to describe the contrast between the two
women and the contrast between law and grace.
An Allegory of Two Covenants
Galatians 4:24-27
These two covenants represent the two religions.
Hagar represents the Mosaic covenant.
Hagar represents Judaism, which is legalism and
results in slavery.
No one can keep the law except Christ, He alone was able
to keep the law and He not only kept it, He fulfilled it so
we could be reconciled to the Father.
Hagar also represents 1st century Jerusalem, who was
enslaved to the law. Macarthur describes it this way:
“A sinner who seeks to be saved by the law is… on
a legalistic treadmill. He can be on that treadmill
his whole life, and he will get off exactly where he
got on. Ishmael is the child of the flesh, nothing
more.”
Sarah represents the Abrahamic covenant,
a covenant of grace and freedom in Christ.
Sarah represents Christianity. She also represents the
new Jerusalem that is a heavenly place that all believers
will one day be united with Christ for eternity.
Paul had preached that Jesus, who knew no sin, had
become sin on their behalf, so that in Him, they might
become the righteousness of God.
By grace alone we are saved through faith in the
completed work of Christ on the cross. It is not by our
works, so that no one can boast.
Paul goes on to quote Isaiah 54:1 to help the Galatians
understand that God will honor His promise. No matter
how long it takes. His timing is not our timing.
Now, we have seen
Two very different sons
Two very different mothers
Two very different covenants
But, God’s plan still accomplished what He desired.
Galatians 4:28-31
Application to the Galatians and us
Know Your Position In Christ
Paul calls the Galatians Children of the promise.
And all believers who have trusted the Lord for salvation
are children of the promise.
God has grafted in everyone who would believe in Him
and call upon His name into His family.
We must never forget that God saved us by sending His
only Son to die in our place to give us eternal life in
heaven.
We are His children and no one can change that.
Prepare for Persecution
Paul mentions the one born according to the flesh,
Ishmael, persecuting the one born according to the
Spirit, Isaac.
Paul is comparing the Judaizers, who were attempting to
coerce the Galatians to get circumcised, to Ishmael.
After Isaac was finished being weaned, Abraham and
Sarah threw a party to celebrate. At that party Ishmael
mocked or laughed at Isaac. He was around 14 years
older than Isaac.
You can read this in Genesis 21:9.
We should not expect our life on earth to be without
persecution. But we should be aware of where the
persecution is coming from. We may think that the world
full of unbelievers would be the only source of our
persecution. Although it can be, it may not be the only
source.
We must also be aware of wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Sadly, there are religious people that are
teaching/preaching untruth from the pulpit and the
Sunday School classrooms.
When we find that teaching/preaching in the church we
need to confront it and if it continues it has to be
removed. We can’t allow teaching that undermines the
truth of the Bible. We must be ready for church discipline
with the intention of restoration.
Put Away Legalism
Paul quotes Sarah’s request for Abraham to cast Hagar
out of their house.
The idea here is for the Galatians to cast out legalism and
return to the grace of God that Paul had taught them
when he preached the gospel to them. Grace alone
through faith alone.
The problem with legalism is that it feels right because it
is easily monitored and verified.
Remember the Pharisee who prayed thanking God that
he was not like the tax collector. He was bragging about
fasting twice a week, giving tithes. Yet, the tax collector
understood his sin and asked God to forgive him and he
is the one that went away justified.
God wants our heart and our obedience not our rote
repetition.
Our works after salvation don’t maintain our salvation.
They are only the fruit of a transformed life.
We are saved by grace through faith.