Lesson 4a
REDEEMED FROM THE BONDAGE OF THE LAW
Galatians 4:1-31
Memory Verse: 4:4
Introduction:
“Law and grace are an impossible mixture, for salvation is wholly by faith in Christ and our sonship is immediately testified to in the heart by the incoming of the Holy Spirit, upon the basis of Christ’s finished work as the full satisfaction of the law. Let us not, therefore, fall again in bondage to the legality of the law, which is merely an element of salvation to reveal to us the inveterate [deep rooted] sinfulness of our nature and the impossibility of saving ourselves.” —Keith L. Brooks
Before beginning this lesson it would be well to understand the meaning of being a legalist and being guilty of legalism. When we contend for standards among God’s people, this is not legalism. When we preach proper dress, proper conduct and what the bible says about it, this is not legalism. Webster’s Dictionary says of legalism, “in theology, [is] the doctrine of salvation by good works.” This was what the Judaizers did when they came to Antioch and declared their false doctrine, Acts 15:1, “And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.” They also said they must keep the Law of Moses, Acts 15:5, “… saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”
I. REDEEMED AND MADE SONS vv. 1-7
A. Servants under Bondage, vv. 1-3.
1. A child had no more freedom than servants, v. 1; 1 Corinthians 14:20, “Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.”
2. A child was under tutors and governors, v. 2.
a. An overseer, “‘To commit, to entrust.’ So either an overseer or one in charge of children as here. It is common as the guardian of an orphan minor,” Matthew 20:8, “So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.” —A. T. Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament.
b. A tutor, the “one who has the care and tutelage of children, either where the father is dead (a guardian of minors), or where the father is still alive.”
c. The child could not enjoy the wealth of his father. “The young man, though he is free, though he is lord of all his father’s family, still resembles a slave; for he is under the government of tutors.” —Barnes Notes on NT
3. The Jews under the law were like children under the elements of the world. v. 3; Colossians 2:8, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” “Elements” or “rudiments” meant the elementary things, such as we might speak of the ABCs.
4. Legalism is not a step toward maturity, but a move back to childhood, Galatians 3:3, “Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”
B. Sons under Redemption, vv. 4-7.
1. The great event of the ages, God sends forth His PREEXISTING Son, v. 4; Philippians 2:6, “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:”
a. At the right time, “the fulness of time.”
1) The time appointed by the Father, v. 2, “But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.”
2) It was the “set time,” Psalms 102:13, “Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.”
b. The right source, “God sent forth,” Zechariah 2:10, “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.”
c. The right person, “his son.” John 3:17, “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
d. The right channel, “made of a woman,” Philippians 2:6-7, “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:”
e. The right place, “under the law,” Matthew 5:17, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”
2. The great purpose of the ages, v. 5; Galatians 3:13, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:”
a. To REDEEM those under the law. Redeem is “exagorazo,” meaning “To BUY a slave OUT OF” the market place.
b. So they might receive ADOPTION AS SONS, Romans 8:15, 23, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”
Note:The adoption here does not mean this is how we became sons, but it means placed as an adult son.
3. The great Godhead of the ages, v. 6.
a. Notice the Holy Trinity in this verse.
1) The Spirit of His Son, Romans 8:9, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”
2) The Spirit of Jesus Christ, Philippians 1:19, “For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,”
3) The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and from the Son, John 15:26, “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:”
–Lesson by E. L. Bynum; Revision by Art Davison