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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.
Sons and Heirs Through Christ
Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all,
Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all,
They have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set.
but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.
Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.
But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.
to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
Paul’s Concern for the Galatians
Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist.
Fears for the Church
But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods.
But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods.
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?
But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?
You are trying to earn favor with God by observing certain days or months or seasons or years.
You observe days and months and seasons and years.
I fear for you. Perhaps all my hard work with you was for nothing.
I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.
Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all.
Surely you remember that I was sick when I first brought you the Good News.
You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first.
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.
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.
Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?
Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?
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.
They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them.
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.
But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you.
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.
My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you,
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.
I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you.
Abraham’s Two Children
Tell me, you who want to live under the law, do you know what the law actually says?
Two Covenants
Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?
Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?
For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman.
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.
But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise,
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.
for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children —
But the other woman, Sarah, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. She is the free woman, and she is our mother.
but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.
For it is written:
“Rejoice, O barren,
You who do not bear!
Break forth and shout,
You who are not in labor!
For the desolate has many more children
Than she who has a husband.”
“Rejoice, O barren,
You who do not bear!
Break forth and shout,
You who are not in labor!
For the desolate has many more children
Than she who has a husband.”
And you, dear brothers and sisters, are children of the promise, just like Isaac.
Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.
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.
But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.
Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.”