Chico Alliance Church
“Childbirth, a tale of two sons, falling from Grace”
Review
True freedom comes by grace through faith in Christ
I. Paul Possessed the Correct credentials 1-2
Paul taught only what he received directly from Christ Himself.
II. Paul Proclaimed the Correct Concept of Grace 2:15-4:31
Right standing before God comes only through faith in Christ apart from works.
A. The Gospel of Grace Introduced 2:15-21
B. The Gospel of Grace Argued and Illustrated 3:1-4:31
1. Faith Argued by clarifying interrogation 3:1-6
2. Genuine faith illustrated by Abraham 3:7-29
3. New life illustrated by sonship 4:1-31
a. Slavery verses sonship 4:1-11
b. Passionate Personal Appeal 4:12-21
In this next section Paul makes a passionate appeal on the basis of their personal relationship established previously. Paul has been very serious with these believers. He has fired probing questions. He has expressed deep concern. He has expressed bewilderment at their soon defection from the faith. He has rebuked their behavior. Lest these believers come to the conclusion that Paul intends to cut them off from fellowship, he dramatically shifts his tone from rebuking to embracing and passionately appeals to them on the basis of the personal relationship they once enjoyed. He calls them brethren. He addresses them as his children. He laments the shift in their perception of Him. They shifted perspective from viewing him as an angel to an adversary. He urges them to become as he is (free from the law) as he had become like they were (free from law as Gentiles). He assures them that it is not he that is offended by them but concerned about them. He has no offense. In fact he only remembers what a warm and deeply meaningful reception he had.
Past Relationship
First came to them because of some physical infirmity. Even though his affliction appeared physically repulsive, they eagerly received Paul and the message of the new freedom in Christ. There was such a joyful and close relationship established that they would have even plucked out their eyes. This was a common figure of speech to indicate great sacrifice. Their relationship was characterized by magnificent mutual blessing and joy. The Galatians met this temptation (your temptation or trail) to reject Paul based on externals with flying colors. They did not despise or loathe as an object of scorn.
“despise” to treat as of no account
“loathe” (ekptyo) to spit out
People viewed physical infirmities as a curse or punishment from God when sometimes accompanied a corresponding demonstration of that disdain. They did not however despise or spit at his physical appearance or infirmity but rather, they received as and angel of God
They received Paul as Jesus Himself. “Receive” is to accept or warmly welcome as something valuable. Messengers were to be received with the honor of the one sending them.
APPLICATION
How do we view those with outward infirmities?
Do we make value judgments based on the world’s criteria or God’s?
The Bible is clear that man looks on the outward appearance but God looks on the heart.
Do we receive others with the respect and value as an angel or Christ Himself?
How different the world would be if we all accepted one another as Christ.
Present Relationship
Paul feels like they view him as an enemy simply because he is telling them truth. Paul passionately shares the truth that sets them free and feels rejected because of it. The Judaizers tell them lies that imprison and they are eagerly sought after. These Judaizers had done the job. They had caused the believers to:
Desert the message giver.
Distort the message.
Despise the messenger.
The Agent of Change – the false teachers
False teachers drew loyalty from Paul and the message of the Gospel to themselves. They questioned Paul’s authority. They questioned Paul’s relationship with them. They questioned Paul’s teaching. Rather than seeking Paul’s friendship and pointing these young believers to Christ, these false teachers cut them off from everyone else so that they might become exclusively connected to them. They locked them out in order to lock them in. This is a sure signal of a cultish group. Exclusive loyalty to a person or group rather than to Christ and His body. These people eagerly attended to the Galatians not to give them the truth and set them free but to draw them only to themselves. Paul said it is OK to give attention to people but your motive must be right. However, as Tozer so clearly points out, we are to be signposts along the road of life clearly and jubilantly pointing the way to the source of life.
Present Passion
My longing for your maturity is again deeply painful.
Labor pains were regarded as the severest pains humans experienced, and even with skilled midwives, mothers often died in childbirth. Paul’s image of his love and sacrifice—and of their apostasy—could not be more graphic.
This childbirth is “until Christ be formed (morphed) in you.” Paul was not satisfied to see Christ indwell them. He agonized over them until Christ be formed in them. His goal was they become like Christ. The is similar to his purpose expressed to the Colossians.
28 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. 29 For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.
Paul’s relationship with them was not only painful but perplexing. “Perplexing” a poros (without a way)
to be without resources, to be in straits, to be left wanting, to be embarrassed, to be in doubt, not to know which way to turn; to be at a loss with one’s self, be in doubt; not to know how to decide or what to do, to be perplexed
I don’t know what to do. I am at a loss how to deal with the situation. Do you ever feel that way? Paul expressed his deep desire to demonstrate how much I really care about them by visiting them in person.
APPLICATION
Paul talked about being in childbirth again. This indicates that the intensity of desire to see them come to Christ the first time was like a mother in childbirth. Paul expressed this same intensity regarding their maturity in Christ. What about us?
c. Children of the flesh verses Children of the promise 4:22-31
A tale of two Sons. By the time Paul finishes his letter it will be quite evident that there is only two modes of operation.
One – walk by the Spirit by a daily faith relationship with Christ based on grace.
Two – walk by the flesh by daily ritual works based on law.
In order to continue illustrating the difference, Paul again appeals to the Old Testament picture. First he appealed to Abraham. Now he illustrates through Abraham’s two sons.
Paul addresses this section to those wanting to live by a system of rules and ritual rather than faith and relationship.
21 Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law?
The very law you wish to serve, actually severs relationship with Christ. Paul proceeds to illustrate from history why you don’t want to be under the law. A basic familiarity with the Old Testament story is helpful here. We encounter names such as Abraham, Sarah, Ishmael, Isaac, Hagar, Mt Sinai, Jerusalem. God promised Abraham a son. Abraham tried to bring about God’s promise through natural means. Ishmael was the son representing the son of the flesh and the Old Covenant.
Came about through human natural ingenuity. Stood to inherit the promise. Captured the heart of Abraham. Scorned the birth of the son of promise. Isaac was the son representing the son of the promise and the New Covenant. Came about through divine supernatural intervention. Promised the inheritance.
In this passage, which has been said to be the most difficult of the letter, Paul contrasts the two systems of operation practiced today. Man either seeks to related to God on the basis of the flesh and works or he comes to God on the basis of the promise and grace. Like Ishmael, the flesh seeks to capture our heart. The flesh wants to inherit the promise. The flesh wants to demonstrate itself superior. The flesh fights against the spirit. These Galatian believer had fallen back into ritual and rules rather than relationship and faith.
How about us? Does our relationship consist of keeping ritual and certain rules? I feel good when I keep up with my list. I judge others by my list. I feel bad when I fail to keep my list. I want to do the right thing. I attempt only those things I think I can handle. I think about only those things that seem to be within my reach or ability. I am continually either proud or humiliated by my progress.
Realize we are not under law. It is not recurrent rules but regular relationship. My relationship is not driven by doing the right thing, but being the right person. My focus in on the internal not the external. I believe God to accomplish what I cannot. I am not bound by my inability but his promise. I am continually grateful and humbled by my progress.
If you want to operated according to law you must listen to the law. Cursed is everyone who does not abide by every law.
C. The gospel of grace applied 5:1-12
Here Paul makes some very specific application to the Galatian situation.
1. We were freed to live in freedom 5:1
IT was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
All of us are yoked to something. Yoked to the harsh reality of the world, the flesh and the devil. Christ calls us to come to him and put ourselves under his yoke. Jesus said my yoke is kind and my burden is light. Paul spent the first part of his litter demonstrating the wonder of identification with God’s family and living by the new law of the spirit of life in Christ. In comparison, this life is true freedom. Freedom is not the right to do whatever we want or the flesh desires but the power and the desire to live according to how we were designed.
Without the string on the kite it is subject to the whim of every wind that comes along.
With a string it uses the wind to soar and fly and turn and twist in the wind.
Christ died that we might really live. The life that I now live, Paul said earlier, I live by faith, not works. Remember, by the works of the law shall NO flesh be justified in His sight.
When we live according to the spirit of life, we instinctively live as we were designed. When we continually submit ourselves to the indwelling Spirit of Christ, we become more and more like Him. When we become like Him we live like Him. That is the purpose of setting us free from the Law. The law can only terrorize and condemn.
The spirit transforms.
Therefore: Application
1—Keep on standing firm, Stand still
Moses to the Israelites, stand still and see the salvation of God. Stand firm in the truth of the Gospel. Keep living according to the spirit of life in Christ.
2—Stop being held fast in a yoke of slavery
Passive verb meaning to be held fast by something. Paul says don’t get trapped again by that which Christ set you free. Set free from the law of sin and death. Why?
2. Trusting law keeping, keeps you from Christ 5:2-4
Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
This passage must be understood in the context of the letter.
He is not talking about the possession of salvation but the pleasure of salvation. Paul continually calls these Galatians brethren and identifies with them as we.
He longs to lure them back to the freedom of life in the spirit. Paul asserts that if you revert to keeping the law as a means to life the only way to enjoy that is by keeping the whole law. Just being circumcised does not make up for all the other violations. If you trust keeping law as a means to life, Christ is unnecessary and you don’t need grace. The problem is that no one can keep the law.
• Christ is no benefit or value because you are not fully trusting Him.
• You have been severed from Christ.
To take out of the sphere of activity.
If you don’t walk with the Lord you aren’t in the position to experience his blessing.
• You have fallen from grace.
Fall here means to lose ones grip To walk in law demonstrates that you have lost your grip on grace.
3. The true Christian lives by faith 5:5-6
For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.
Notice the three fold foundation of Christianity Faith, hope and love. Christ is all we need.
Faith in Christ is the real issue.
4. God will judge the false teachers 5:7-12
You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.
Conclusion
Christ is our only hope for righteousness.
Christ is our only hope for standing with God.
Christ alone met the laws demands on our behalf.
Christ is the designer and developer of our faith.
Christ will complete the work he began.
Christ will make us like Him.
Nothing else profits. No one else can do the job. To add requirements outside of what Christ has done is to deny the magnificent work of grace freely lavished on all who believe.
• Repent of trying to earn what cannot be earned.
• Repent of our failure to appreciate the magnitude of the gift given us.
• Stand firm in the freedom bought at such a high price.
• Take his yoke.
• Refuse to pick up the yoke of fleshly law keeping from which we have been freed.
