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Galatians 4:8-31

Galatians 4:8-31. Where we have been so far …. 1:1-5 – Greeting 1:6-10 – Introduction 1:11-2:21 – Historical/Defensive section 1:11-24 – Paul did not receive his gospel from others, but directly from Christ 2:1-21 – Paul was recognized by the other apostles

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Galatians 4:8-31

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  1. Galatians 4:8-31

  2. Where we have been so far … • 1:1-5 – Greeting • 1:6-10 – Introduction • 1:11-2:21 – Historical/Defensive section • 1:11-24 – Paul did not receive his gospel from others, but directly from Christ • 2:1-21 – Paul was recognized by the other apostles • 3:1-4:31 – Doctrinal/Refuting section • 3:1-18 – Salvation not by works, but alone through faith • 3:19-4:31 – Christians are free from the law

  3. Galatians 4:8-20 • 1. Why was Paul concerned about the Galatians? Why did he fear that his efforts might have been wasted on them? (8-10) • If they would lose the gospel message, they would again be living under the law. They would lose their salvation! If that were the case, all the work Paul had done among them would have been in vain.

  4. Galatians 4:8-20 • 2. Verse 12 is a short, compact verse that summarizes Paul’s main point in this section (verses 12-16). Why does Paul plead that the Galatians become like him? What did he mean when he said he became like them? • He loved them. He wanted them to love him in return. Paul reminds the Galatians how he had humbled himself and had become their servant for the sake of the gospel. They should respond by showing him the same love he showed them.

  5. Galatians 4:8-20 • 3. The Judaizers showed a lot of zeal. They pretended to be sincerely concerned about the Galatians’ spiritual life. What were they really concerned about? (17) • They wanted their own following. They had to convince the Galatians that Paul was wrong to get the Galatians to follow their (Judaizers’) work-righteous ways.

  6. Galatians 4:8-20 • 4. How had Paul shown his zeal toward them? When he wrote this letter, how was Paul showing his zeal to the Galatians? (18-20) • Paul had preached Christ crucified, in spite of the fact that it brought a lot of suffering into his life. As he wrote this letter, he showed his zeal by rebuking the Galatians. The gospel and the Lord, whom Paul served, demanded that he do this.

  7. Galatians 4:8-20 • 5. Christians today want to be zealous for the faith. What advice does Paul give us in verse 18? • Zeal is not enough. We should be zealous for a good cause, and the only truly good cause is to glorify God e.g. serving him first, listening to his commands, spreading his gospel.

  8. Galatians 4:8-20 • 6. Christians sometimes want leaders who flatter them. What is Paul’s commentary on this? How can we encourage our spiritual leaders to imitate Paul? (verse 16) • Paul did not use flattery. The truthis the only way the Word spreads. We can encourage leaders by letting them know how much we want to hear God’s Word. • 7. How does Christ become formed in us? (19) • When we hear the gospel in all its fullness. Cf. Romans 6 and 7.

  9. Summary of Galatians 4:8-20 • Paul warned the Galatians against going back to their old ways.

  10. Galatians 4:21-31 • 1. Paul uses the picture of Abraham’s two sons. How was each born? (verse 23) Before you move on, can you guess what each son symbolized? • Ishmael was born as a result of a human plan. Isaac was a miracle, born as a result of God’s promise. • (Ishmael symbolized the plans human beings use to accomplish God’s goals. Isaac symbolized how God accomplishes his goals in his own way and at his own time.) • 2. What did the mother of each of Abraham’s sons represent? (verse 24) • Hagar represented the law. Sarah represented the gospel.

  11. Galatians 4:21-31 • 3. Why did Hagar represent the Old Covenant? Why did Sarah represent the New Covenant? (24-27) • The Old Covenant is how we human beings would fashion an agreement with God. (God used the Old Covenant to keep Israel focused on Christ. Israel used it to find peace with God.) The Old Covenant appeals to our desire to plan our salvation and work it out by our own abilities. All of this fits how Abraham and Sarah used Hagar. • However Sarah was well beyond childbearing years. It was foolish to think she would be the one through whom the Savior would come. But what is foolish in our eyes is wise in God’s eyes. Her miraculous birth of Isaac is an example of how God fulfills promises using his own power.

  12. Galatians 4:21-31 • 4. Paul quotes Isaiah 54:1. What point does this passage make? (27) • Being barren is no obstacle to God. Yet God still accomplishes what he wants, like saving us through Christ’s cross and not our own works. • 5. Paul uses another part of the story of Isaac and Ishmael to teach the Galatians something else about their current situation. What is that? (29) • Ishmael persecuted Isaac. The Judaizers in Galatia were persecuting the true believers.

  13. Galatians 4:21-31 • 6. What was the final end of each child and his mother? (30-31) • Hagar and her son were driven out. Sarah and her son will live before God. This is how it is with all who through faith endure persecution and trust only in God’s plan of salvation. • 7. In life we cannot change mothers. But in our spiritual lives we can. Explain. • By nature we are born of Hagar. Through faith we become miracle children of Sarah, born according to God’s promise.

  14. Summary of Galatians 4:21-31 • Paul used the story of Isaac and Ishmael to teach the difference between works and faith.

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