Freedom or Slavery
Pastor Bill Nichols - October 18, 2009Introduction
Slavery. The word conjures up all kinds of negative thoughts and emotions. Slavery is a practice that has been around for a very long time, and is still in existence in some parts of the world. It was first mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 37 when Joseph's brothers sold him to some Midianite merchants, and they in turn sold him to an Egyptian official named Potiphar. It was often a practice in the Old Testament that when one nation conquered another, the people became slaves of the conquering nation. And it became a practice in the Hebrew nation that a person could become a slave for a period of time in order to pay off a debt. There have been many different types and degrees of slavery throughout history, and in some cultures, including our's during the early years of our nation, slavery was a socially acceptable practice. And yet, just because something is at times socially accepted, that does not make it right. The Apostle Paul, although not addressing the issue of slavery directly in Galatians 3:28 said concerning believers,
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
Paul in effect elevates all who are in Christ to a higher level of acceptance among one another than the world does. It's a sad statement about the condition of humanity that it took a civil war in our nation to end the practice of slavery, and yet even sadder that still today, some people look at people of different skin color or ethnic backgrounds as someone to be despised or looked down upon.
That aside, as we come to Galatians chapter four, we find that Paul again addresses the topic of slavery. This time it is in relation to the Law of Moses. Paul uses three examples to show us that freedom in Christ is superior to slavery to the law.
I. The Example of a Child Who is an Heir. Galatians 4:1-7
The first example that Paul gives us is that of a minor child who is heir to his father's estate. The Greek word translated child here refers to a child who cannot yet talk, or an infant. Even though this child is legal heir to his father's estate, he is not yet able to administrate it because he is not mature enough to handles its affairs. So his father wisely appoints guardians and trustees over the child to handle the estate until a specified date. In that sense, the child was no different than a slave. But once the child reaches the established age set by the father, the guardians and trustees are dismissed and he then will be responsible for the estate.
Paul says that the Law of Moses was given to act as a guardian or trustee over men, (here referring to the Jews) and that the basic principles of the world acted as a guardian or trustee over Gentiles, until such time that they might receive full rights as sons through faith in Jesus Christ.
When Paul says; "When the time had fully come"
, he understands that at that very moment in history, all the conditions were right for the Christ to come into the world. Religiously, culturally, and politically, everything was perfect. Religiously, the Jews were finally practicing monotheism. As they were dispersed throughout the world by conquering nations, they established synagogues as places of worship everywhere they had settled. These synagogues became the early evangelistic centers for the church. Culturally, Alexander the great had Hellenized the entire civilized world so Greek was the common language spoken by everyone everywhere. So there was not a language barrier to the preaching of the Gospel in the first century. Politically, the world was at peace because of the Roman Empire, and the paved roads throughout the Roman Empire along with the freedom to travel made the spreading of the gospel pretty easy. So, at the perfect time in history, God sent His Son, born of a woman (Christ's human connection) born under the law (which He came to fulfill) to redeem (pay the penalty) those under the law (all of mankind) that we all might become heirs. In verse seven Paul writes,
"You are no longer a slave, but a son, and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir."
I like that. I am no longer a slave, a slave to the power and penalty of the law, or the power and penalty of sin. I am a free man in Christ. I now have the Holy Spirit abiding in my heart, and it is He who is a law unto me because it is He who convicts me of sin. My relationship with God is that of a son, and the Spirit who lives in me calls out to God, Abba, Father. You too are an heir if you have Jesus as Lord of your life.
II. The Former Way Verses The New Way.
The second comparison Paul makes is a contrast between the Galatians former lives without God, and their new lives in Christ. Please read Galatians 4:8-20
"Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.
"I plead with you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong. As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
"Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them. It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you. My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!"
Before they knew God, the Gentiles were slaves to false gods. They lived by the weak and miserable principles of the world. Paul came to them and preached Jesus crucified, buried and resurrected and they found freedom. But now they had allowed themselves to be enslaved once again by the new teachings concerning the Law of Moses by these false teachers.
Paul reminds them that when he came to them, he did not come as a Jew, rather he became as one of them. Even though Paul was a Jew, he did not subject himself to the law when he visited with them. Instead he lived with them and ministered to them as though he were a Gentile. Now he pleads with them to become like him, free from the yoke of the Law of Moses that the false teachers had enslaved them to.
Paul also reminds them that when he first came and preached to them, he was sick. And though his illness was a trial to them they did not reject him then. They had loved him and welcomed him as though he were an angel of God or Christ Jesus himself. Why now were they were looking at him with contempt? What had changed their hearts and caused them to hate him, the very one who brought them salvation in the first place?
This passage reminds me of some congregations that I have heard about. A pastor pours his life into a congregation. He brings in many new members and grows the church, and then, one of the new ones that comes in does not like the pastor, turning the whole church against him. Pretty soon, he is asked to step down, or he simply gets tired of the nonsense and leaves. That is just not right.
In verse 17 Paul states that those who were stirring up trouble were zealous to win them over to them, but for no good. Their goal was to alienate them from the one who preached the true gospel. I have found that those who stir up trouble in churches usually are like these false teachers. They are self seeking and not Christ promoting individuals. I feel just like Paul about such people, and it is absolutely perplexing that Christians would turn from the truth and follow such leadership.
III. Hagar and Sarah
Paul's third comparison shows the superiority of being in Christ to that of being under the law by comparing Hagar the slave woman to Sarah the free woman.
Galatians 4:21-31
"Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise.
"These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written:
"Be glad, O barren woman,
who bears no children;
break forth and cry aloud,
you who have no labor pains;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband."
"Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. But what does the Scripture say? "Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son." Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman."
Abraham had two sons who were born to two different women in two different manners. Ishmael, the first son was born the ordinary way. When Sarah couldn't conceive, she suggested that Abraham have a child with their slave woman Hagar. Hagar conceived through ordinary means, and Ishamael, though he was a son of Abraham, was also the son of the slave woman Hagar.
God had promised Abraham a son with Sarah. Sarah was a free woman and Isaac was the son of a promise, given by miraculous means. Miraculous because Sarah was past child bearing age when she conceived Isaac, and so it was not an ordinary birth, but a birth that was a direct result of God's promise to Abraham.
Paul uses these two women figuratively to represent two covenants. Ishmael, and Hagar represent the old covenant that was given on Mount Sinai, the Law of Moses. He says that the children under that covenant are slaves and that the present Jerusalem, which represented Judaism, is in slavery.
The second woman Sarah and her son Isaac represent the New Jerusalem. It is above, from heaven and it is free, (not under the law).
Then Paul reminds the Galatians that they, like Isaac, are children of promise, and as such that they should expect to be persecuted by those under the yoke of slavery just as Isaac was persecuted by Ishmael. What was the solution in Isaac's case? Get rid of Hagar and Ishmael. So Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away. Likewise, if the Galatian believers were to free themselves from the yoke of slavery under the law, it had to be done away with, and the false teachers sent packing.
Conclusion
What Paul is trying very hard to do is to convince the Galatian Christians that they have been deceived and that true freedom is found in Christ and Christ alone. Over and over he gives them examples to help them understand, and he reminds them of his love and concern for them.
This morning I would want you to understand that I have a deep love and concern for your spiritual welfare. I want you to know that if you are trusting in anything besides the grace that Christ offers, then you are like the Galatians, and you are chasing after the former things and not trusting in the truth of the Gospel.
Through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, the law has been sent away and you have been set free from anything that would hinder your becoming a Christian and living a life that is pleasing to God. By faith you can become a Christian, and by faith can you live your life in a manner pleasing to God. It's when we try to live by the flesh that we begin to slip back into or former way of life and become like the Galatians, chasing after a false gospel.