Friday, February 10, 2017 – Delivered from Bondage
Lesson: Galatians 4:8-20
Read: Galatians 4:1-31
Galatians 4New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Sonship in Christ
4 Now I say, as long as the heir is a [a]child, he does not
differ at all from a slave although he is [b]owner of everything, 2 but he is
under guardians and [c]managers until the date set by the father. 3 So also we,
while we were children, were held in bondage under the [d]elemental things of
the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son,
born of a woman, born under [e]the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who
were under [f]the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 Because
you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying,
“Abba! Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son,
then an heir [g]through God.
8 However at that time, when you did not know God, you were
slaves to those which by nature are no gods. 9 But now that you have come to
know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to
the weak and worthless [h]elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved
all over again? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I fear
for you, that perhaps I have labored [i]over you in vain.
12 I beg of you, brethren, become as I am, for I also have
become as you are. You have done me no wrong; 13 but you know that it was
because of a [j]bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the [k]first
time; 14 and that which was a [l]trial to you in my [m]bodily condition you did
not despise or [n]loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ
Jesus Himself. 15 Where then is [o]that sense of blessing you had? For I bear
you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given
them to me. 16 So have I become your enemy by [p]telling you the truth? 17 They
eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you
will seek them. 18 But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable
[q]manner, and not only when I am present with you. 19 My children, with whom I
am again in labor until Christ is formed in you— 20 but I could wish to be
present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.
Bond and Free
21 Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen
to the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the
bondwoman and one by the free woman. 23 But the son by the bondwoman [r]was
born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.
24 [s]This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one
proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children [t]who are to be slaves; [u]she is
Hagar. 25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the
present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the
Jerusalem above is free; [v]she is our mother. 27 For it is written,
“Rejoice, barren woman who does not bear;
Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor;
For more numerous are the children of the desolate
Than of the one who has a husband.”
28 And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29
But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who
was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also. 30 But what does the
Scripture say?
“Cast out the bondwoman and her son,
For the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the
son of the free woman.”
31 So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman,
[w]but of the free woman.
