Ralph Porter

© 2003

    In his brief commentary on Galatians, Charles Erdman makes the statement that "Ritualism is baptized heathenism." What do you suppose he meant by that affirmation? In reality, legalism is just another version of old-fashioned pagan religion, dressed in Christian clothing! When we try to live by law, we subject ourselves again to the same old principles of all the world religions. It's another way of saying, "I'd rather do it myself!"

    The Judaizers, and the Galatian Christians that were influenced by them didn't understand the purpose of the law. They didn't understand that the law was given to protect children until we grow up! It was a substitute until we get big enough to take care of ourselves. The goal is to grow up! In the meantime, the law is for children and being under the law is like being a child.

    Several years ago one of the young men from our church came to me in the midst of a time of frustration. He was married and they had their first child. He was doing doctoral studies at the local university. But he was frustrated because, though he was already an adult, he was still living under someone else's agenda. He didn't feel fulfilled. He had no meaning to life. His professors thought he should feel fulfilled, because he was doing what was on their agenda for his life. Their thinking was typically, "The U. loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life!"

    They thought he should be fine, as long as he keeps attaining their goals in his doctoral program. However, he isn't going to feel fulfilled, from his own perspective, until he "grows up"--until he gets out from under their agenda and onto his own. In the meantime, he is just fulfilling prerequisites until he grows up and can set his own agenda--or discover God's agenda for his life. He has to "grow up" before he can be free!

    Paul has been trying to show the Galatians that the most privileged child is little different than a slave until he grows up and receives independent rights to make his own decisions. Maturity frees us from the supervision of others--of the slave-drivers, who want to control our lives.

    People who are in Christ are no longer slaves. We are mature sons and daughters of God. We enjoy adult prerogatives!

    After being liberated from slavery, they want to go back to that slavery of immature children again! Paul questions why we would ever want to go back to that!

THE CHANGE IN US   4:7-9a

    To demonstrate how foolish their desire is, Paul points to five contrasts between our previous status and our present status. Some of these contrasts are implied by the choice of words Paul uses in making the comparison of our past to the present. He compares our former pagan condition to our present position in Christ.

1. Our status   4:7, 9b

    Paul summarizes what he has been trying to say throughout this entire passage. Our status has changed! Before we were slaves. Now we are adult sons. At last we're free adults! Why would we want to go back to the dependent, slave-like conditions of childhood?

2. Our worship   4:8-9

    Before like most pagans, they worshiped unreal gods--gods that really weren't gods at all. They were nothing in themselves. They were just figments of people's imagination and products of their hands. They were man-made gods. But now, we worship the one true God--the only real One--the Maker of heaven and earth, the God of the universe! Why would we want to go back to the old system, based on human imagination?

3. Our ability to know God

    Before we didn't know God. In fact, we couldn't know God. But now, we know God the true God. Previously, because of our disobedience and sinful human nature, we weren't able to know God. Our intellect was fallen, like the rest of God's image in us, and we were unable to know God. But now in Christ, we can know Him! Why would we want to go back to our old ignorant state, separated from God and unable to know Him?

4. Different kind of knowledge

    In the midst of demonstrating that previously we were unable to know God, Paul changes verbs. The use of two different verbs indicates that he is describing two different kinds of knowledge. Before we didn't even know about God--not even intellectually, in the head. We had no intellectual concept of the true God. But now that we are in Christ, not only are we able to know about God, now we know God personally. We have a personal relationship with Him. He's a personal acquaintance, a friend. Why would we want to go back to old state, isolated from God, and considering Him an adversary?

5. Different level of knowledge

    The final contrast Paul introduces has to do with the direction of that knowledge. Before I didn't know God. But now, not only do I know Him, now God knows me personally! We are known by Him! This contrast in personal relationships brings to mind a basic principle concerning important people.

    There are some "important" people that I have the privilege of knowing personally. Among these I would include Dwight Pentecost and Charles Ryrie. These are world renowned Bible teachers. Most Christians have heard their names mentioned at one time or another. Many have read some of their books. These men have been personal friends of mine for years. If you meet them and greet them for me, they would ask about Helen and perhaps even ask about some of our kids by name.

    There are other famous people that I have known also. I have met Carl Henry and Chuck Swindoll. They are famous teachers that are acquaintances of mine. Carl Henry has had lunch in my house. I knew Chuck's mom and dad, and his sister Lucy. We've shaken hands and talked a bit in a small church reception; we have many mutual friends. However, neither of these great men would be likely to remember me. If you mention my name to either of them, they would probably give you a blank stare. They wouldn't even remember having met.

    Many other famous people, like Billy Graham, that I have never even met. We're brothers, but I don't know them and they don't know me. Other famous people I wouldn't recognize if we saw each other on the street. Where important people are concerned, we might know them, but they probably don't know us.

    What's incredible to think about is that we have an intimate relationship, like close personal friends, with the true God of the universe! Why would I want to return to the old "stranger" status?

OUR RESPONSE TO THE CHANGE   4:9b-11

    After concluding the description of the change in us, the apostle raises that logical question: "Why would we ever go back?" In the midst of that question, Paul introduces four negative characteristics of the law which would cause us to reconsider that desire.

1. The law is weak

    First he suggests that the law has no power. It can define sin, but it can't free us from sin's power. It can diagnose, but it can't cure. It's of no value to cure what ails us!

2. The law is worthless

    Literally, Paul's second description of the law is that it is "poor." The law doesn't have the resources to "buy" us anything we need. It has about as much ability to provide us with spiritual benefits as a bankrupt company!

3. The law is elemental

    The law follows the basic principles the world lives by. In once sense it represents the "ABC's" of the spiritual life. It's what a small child learns in first grade. According to Galatians 4:3, the law introduces the "basic principles" of the world. It's fundamental concepts are those the world follows. It says: "Just tell me what to do, and I'll do it!" "I can do it!" Like a small child, we just want to know the rules.

    There's nothing wrong with this level, but it's childish. We need to grow up to become mature adults. That's more than just obeying rules. We need to learn an ethical system based on love for God and for neighbor, not just on playing by the rules.

4. The law is enslaving

    Finally, Paul tells us that the law makes us slaves again. It robs us of adult privileges and submits us to children's rules. The rules are for kids! Now they want to go back. They want to be enslaved again. Why would you ever want to go back to that?

    Sometimes we cross paths with Junior Highers who say: "I don't want to grow up." They prefer the security of rules, without responsibility of making adult decisions. They may be afraid to get too independent. The same thing sometimes happens with prisoners who are freed from jail. Sometimes they commit another crime to get back inside so they don't have to handle all the responsibility that comes with freedom.

    In personal individual growth, living under the rules is an infant stage. Rules are for children, not for mature adults. Rules are for those who don't know any better (1 Tim. 1:8). You don't become mature by obeying a few rules. Maturity is achieved by evaluating the circumstances and making responsible decisions.

    Consider the changes God has made in us by means of Christ's work on the cross. How should this transformation affect our attitude and our daily life? In the light of all that Christ has done for us by His grace, through faith, who would ever want to volunteer for slavery? WE would! It's illogical. No one in their right mind would want to. Yet, most Christians try to all the time! We prefer the security of the rules to the scary feeling of walking by faith and trusting God to guide us moment by moment! We're afraid we might slip and fall!

    In order to understand the relationship between Paul and the Galatian believers, we have to consider how Paul responds to people who fall into doctrinal error? He sets an example for us by the way he treats the Galatian believers when he tries to return them to the way of truth.

    As he deals with these believers, Paul makes a distinction between the false teachers, and their followers, who are led astray by them (1:7-8). He doesn't attack people influenced by the teachers the same way he handles false teachers!

    When we deal with people like the Galatians we have a tendency to want to argue and criticize. Paul shows same tendency, especially when he wants to present the defense of truth. However, he doesn't end with that tone. He demonstrates a loving, pastoral, caring interest in them. That's what you see surface in this part of his discussion; Paul's love and care for them personally.

THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARD HIM   4:12-16

    Paul approaches them on the basis of the way they received him the first time he visited them. The reception they gave him demonstrates that they had no doubt concerning his person nor his message. He reminds them of the affliction he suffered when he first went there. He came to them sick (4:12b-13). However, in spite of his illness, they didn't reject him with contempt (4:14). In spite of his condition, they welcomed him as a messenger from God. They welcomed him enthusiastically, as if he were Christ Himself! So now Paul wants to know, who changed?

    They were willing to sacrifice their own eyes for him, if doing so would have been helpful (4:15). After watching the way they responded to him, he wouldn't have deceived them (4:16). He loved them. So what's happened now? Where is the "good fortune" they had then? Previously they thought of his visit as a great privilege. What happened? He hasn't changed. Why have they changed their attitude towards him when all he's done is to keep telling them the truth? The problem is that the truth hurts, so they want to escape it.

HIS ATTITUDE TOWARD THEM   4:17-20

    The contrast between his attitude toward them, and that of the Judaizers, demonstrates what each of them is really after. His genuine desire to repay them for their kindness to Him is compared to their desire to get something for themselves. They want to make the Galatians dependent on them. Their looking for "scalps" they can count up as trophies of their powerful influence.

    Paul is trying to affirm their liberty, while the Judaizers want to enslave them. The Judaizers try to win them over, but only until they have succeeded in getting them on their side. Then they lose interest.

    They're acting like the young man who tries to take a woman away from her husband or boy friend, but only until he wins her over. It's the challenge of the conquest! Then he loses interest in her. That's what the Judaizers were up to. They offered them the world, but in bad faith. Their real desire it to make them dependent slaves (4:17).

    Paul is jealous for them also, but from pure motives, seeking their welfare. His only interest is to see Christ manifested in them (4:18-19). Paul's example shows us how we ought to treat the sheep God gives us when they're being controlled by other groups.

    Some lessons Paul teaches us by his personal example of ministry with the Galatians. We ought to learn to minister this way also:

    1.     Paul has invested hard work on their behalf (4:11).

    2.     Paul has identified with them, without barriers and without a superior attitude (4:12a). He asks them to reciprocate. These two examples, consistently applied, give Paul a basis to go on fighting now. He hasn't waited to start acting this way until he fears he is about to lose them.

    3.     He tells them the truth, even when they don't want to hear it (16).

    4.     He is seeking their welfare (17-18).

    5.     He loves them as ideal parents, who love their own children and seek their best interests (19a).

    6.     He suffers in order to see Christ's life formed in them (4:19b). He is concerned to see their life transformed by the indwelling Christ, living out His life in them. He uses figure of labor pains as an illustration of his concern for them. Like a mother who suffers terrible pain in order to see the fruit of her labor, Paul too works hard and suffers greatly.

    Paul changes the figure midway because the result of the pain isn't going to be a new life. They already have that. He wants to see a transformed life so that the nature of Christ will be seen in them. His jealousy--his personal interest in them--makes him willing to suffer the pain of going on struggling, in order to see the desired result in them.

    7.     In spite of the pain, he wants to be with them (4:20). He is sure that his personal presence with them could turn the problem around. He's desperate, from a human perspective, to do something to stop this. He isn't sure what to do. He is seeking some solution to keep from losing them.

    His attitude is the same as that of the Good Shepherd, the true One, revealed in him. He's willing to pay the price for the lost sheep. His faithful representatives ought to display the same attitude toward lost sheep. How then should we show our love for one another?

    Paul's priority is to help us understand, that WE'RE FREE! He spares no effort to be sure we understand the importance of this concept! Do we?!! Christ died on the cross to free us from bondage to sin and to the law. Those who trust Him can enjoy the certainty of eternal life, but we are also free to enjoy an abundant, satisfying life that is pleasing to God now! Are you enjoying your new life in Christ? Are you enjoying the freedom of walking by the power of the Spirit in a way that pleases Him?