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Galatians Lesson 6 (2010)

WHO IS YOUR MOTHER?
(Children of the Free Woman)

“Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of
the free woman.”

When the Galatian Christians accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ, they also received the Holy Spirit. But they lost their joy and freedom in Christ because of the infiltration of legalism by false teachers. What Apostle Paul was mainly perplexed about in regards to the Galatian Christians was not that they were turning to paganism but that they were turning to a counterfeit gospel, which was not the gospel at all (1:7). We may call it “Christian legalism” or “legalistic Christianity.” The word “legalism” is not found in the Bible. It is a term Christians use to describe the idea or the doctrine that emphasizes a system of rules and regulations for achieving both salvation and spiritual growth. The tricky thing about legalism is that it’s so easy for any sincere believer to fall into it. As a matter of fact, there are many legalistic Christians who are bound by certain rules and regulations in their day to day lives. As a result, they cannot live by the Holy Spirit, which is the core of Christian life.

In the previous passage, 4:1-11, Apostle Paul reminded the Galatian Christians that those who are washed by the blood of Jesus Christ also received the Holy Spirit, by whom they call God “Abba, Father.” They are no longer slaves but sons, and heirs of God. (4:6,7) In today’s passage, 4:12-31, Apostle Paul explains why Christian faith cannot be mixed with any form of legalism. He uses the examples of Abraham’s two sons, Ishmael and Isaac, and their mothers, Hagar and Sarah. The passage, especially the second part – 4:21-31 – is very hard to understand. In fact, many Bible commentators regard this passage as the most difficult passage in the book of Galatians. Even though we are familiar with the stories of Ishmael, Isaac, Hagar and Sarah, the way Apostle Paul explained them sounds very strange and does not seem to make any sense to us in our first reading. For example, verses 24-25 read, “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.” Do you understand what this passage means? Some of us probably said, “So what?” Additionally, the vocabulary Paul uses here is not familiar to most of us. We are tempted to skip this part and move on to the next chapter, especially to the part about the fruit of the Holy Spirit in 5:22-23. But we shouldn’t skip it because there is a profound truth of the gospel in this section that Apostle Paul really wants us to know. Let’s see what it is that he really wants to share with us.

Look at verse 12. “I plead with you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you.” When Apostle Paul told the Galatian Christians to become like him, he was pleading with them to have the same freedom in Christ that he had. Having been delivered from the bondage of the law and the power of sin and death, Apostle Paul experienced freedom in Christ. He was no longer a prisoner of sin or legalism when he remained in Christ Jesus, just as he said in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” He constantly struggled to remain in Jesus Christ. Because of his freedom in Christ, he could say, with great confidence, to the Galatians: “I plead with you, brothers, become like me!” We Christians should be able to say something like this, especially to our unbelieving friends and family members. Are we truly free in Christ so that we can say to others, “Become like me”?

Paul told the Galatian Christians to become like him also because he became like them. How did Paul become like them? When Apostle Paul came to Galatia, he did not try to keep a distance between him and the Galatians due to racial prejudice, religious or cultural differences. Instead, he put himself in their place and identified himself with them. Even though he was a Jew, he became like one of them in every possible way. He stated this principle in 1 Corinthians 9:20-22, “To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.” He could become everything to everyone because he had freedom in Christ. This kind of freedom in Christ is something that we Christians should be able to enjoy and practice since we are called to be free. (5:13) But it’s not easy to do so when we are spiritually immature or bound by legalism.

In verses 13-16, Apostle Paul reminded the Galatian Christians of the beautiful love relationship he had with them. Look at verses 13-16. “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?” Despite Paul’s severe illness, the Galatian Christians dearly loved and respected Apostle Paul. It seems that their attitude toward Apostle Paul was too good. But all of a sudden, they began to treat him as their enemy. One time, they said, “Paul, we love and respect you. You are awesome.” And now they said, “We hate you, a liar!” They were so changeable, from one extreme to another.

Why had their attitude toward him changed so drastically? It was mainly because of the work of the devil through false teachers – mainly Judaizers or Christian legalists. Look at verses 17 and 18. “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.” Apparently these false teachers spoke against Paul and his teachings and indoctrinated the body of believers with their version of the gospel, which is Christian legalism. The tricky part is that they didn’t deny that Jesus is the Messiah. They simply added something to supplement the gospel that Paul preached. At first, it didn’t appear to be a big deal. As a matter of fact, adding some rules and regulations seems to be a positive move to make Christianity much more effective and inclusive. But Paul didn’t think so. He knew it was the work of the devil, trying to corrupt the gospel. Now, the Galatian Christians not only began to follow these false teachers and their teachings but also turned against Apostle Paul, treating him as their enemy.

How do you handle it when you are totally rejected by someone you love? I am sure Apostle Paul could have felt betrayed and hurt. He could have fallen into deep sorrow and even despair. He could have accused them for their whimsical and capricious behavior or, at best, he could have just walked away from them, shaking the dust from his feet, and saying “It’s all your fault. I am not responsible.” (Mt 10:14). But we see that instead of showing animosity or indifference toward them, Paul had deep compassion for them. Look at verses 19-20. “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!” Sometimes, we don’t know what to do with someone who shows his or her weaknesses and, as a result, seems to be quite hopeless. It’s easy to give up. Saint Paul was afraid that he might have wasted all of his efforts on them since they not only went back to Jewish legalism but also stood against him. Yet, he didn’t give up on them. Why not? It’s because he treated them like his own children. Because he was aware of the fact that they were attacked by savage wolves, he made a firm decision to rescue them from these savage wolves or false teachers. He also made a firm decision to endure the pains of childbirth again for these ignorant people until Christ was formed in them.

I don’t think Apostle Paul knew exactly what it meant to deliver a child since he was a man. But through his life as a missionary and shepherd for so many people, he came to know the pains of childbirth, which was totally one-sided sacrifice and hard labor. Paul’s primary concern was not getting people’s approval. His primary concern was somehow to restore their faith in Christ and engrave Christ-like characters in them, no matter what sacrifices he had to make. He was ready to suffer for them like a compassionate mother. Here, we learn that we are to preach the gospel to many people and should be willing to suffer for those who have accepted Christ until Christ is formed in them.

In verses 21-31, Apostle Paul explains again why we should not mix Christian faith with Jewish legalism. His explanation is based on a story of two women, Hagar and Sarah, in Genesis. Read verses 21-23. “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.” When God called Abraham to leave his homeland with the promise of many blessings, he was 75 and his wife Sarah was 65, and they had no children. Over the course of time they obeyed God’s command and stayed in the land of promise. But God didn’t give them a son, even after 10 years had passed. At that time, Abraham was 85 and Sarah 75. Abraham and Sarah figured that they should take matters into their own hands and help God out by getting a son through Hagar, a slave woman from Egypt. Although it was a decision that was made based on the custom of the times, it was also a decision that was made because of their unbelief and impatience. In truth, it was a huge mistake, which they could not undo. Yet, surprisingly enough, God did not cancel His promise with this sneaky old couple. Fourteen years later, when Abraham was 99 and Sarah was 89, God visited them and announced the birth of Isaac through Sarah. At the time, Sarah’s body was as good as dead, meaning it was biologically impossible for her to conceive. However, God revived her body, and Isaac was born in God’s due time.

Now, we see that Ishmael was born in the ordinary way and Isaac was born as the result of God’s promise. Ishmael was born a slave because his mother was a slave, whereas Isaac was born free because his mother was a free woman. Most of us already know this about the Biblical stories of Hagar, Ishmael, Sarah and Isaac. But what Paul really wanted to say to the Galatians is in the following verses, verses 24-31. Look at verses 24-27. “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.’” Apostle Paul was a great Bible scholar. By using the historical events of these people, especially the story of these two women, Apostle Paul explains a deep truth of the gospel. He sees a huge difference between Sarah and Hagar.

According to Paul’s analogy, Hagar and Sarah, the mothers of Abraham’s two sons, stand for two covenants of the Bible, the old and new covenants. A covenant is a solemn agreement between God and men, by which God makes them His people and promises to be their God. God established the old covenant with Moses and the new covenant through Christ Jesus, whose blood sealed it. The old covenant was based on law, but the new covenant is based on God’s promises, foreshadowed through Abraham and foretold through Jeremiah. Through the law God laid the responsibility on men and said “You shall…, you shall not…” But through the promise God keeps the responsibility Himself and says “I will… I will…”

In this passage, not only two covenants, but also two Jerusalems, are mentioned: the present city of Jerusalem and the Jerusalem above. The present city of Jerusalem represents the old covenant people of God, the Jews, whereas the Jerusalem above represents the new covenant people, the Christians. Thus, the two women, Hagar and Sarah, the mothers of Abraham’s two sons, stand for the two covenants, the old and the new, and the two Jerusalems, the earthly and the heavenly. In other words, Paul is saying that Sarah is in the line of faith and Hagar is in the line of works. And all humanity is either in one line or the other. There is no “third line” you can choose. Sarah presents Grace and Hagar represents Law. If we are born of Hagar, the slave woman, we have no freedom. We are slaves no matter how hard we struggle. If we are born of Sarah, the free woman, we have freedom.

Verse 27 is a quotation from Isaiah 54:1. “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.” Here, barren woman stands for the Jews who broke God’s covenant and were sent into exile in Babylon. At that time, the Jews were like a desolate woman, abandoned by her husband. But the Lord prophesied through Isaiah that there would be more children of Abraham after their return to their homeland than before, when they went into exile. Was he talking merely about the increase of children of slavery, the children of the law? No. He was talking about the increase of children of promise – children of grace and freedom, the children of the new covenant. Both Jews and Christians are Abraham’s descendants, but the question is not “who is your father?” The real question is, “Who is your mother?” “Is your mother free or a slave?” “Are you a child born into the old covenant – slavery to the law – or into the new covenant – freedom in Christ Jesus?”

Look at verses 28-31. “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.” Here, Apostle Paul says twice that we who believe in Jesus are the children of promise, the descendants of Abraham through Isaac, not through Ishmael. (28, 31) Here, we learn a few important lessons.

First, we will be persecuted because of our faith. Look at verse 29 again. “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.” This verse reminds us of Genesis 21, in which we learn that Ishmael mocked young Isaac, trying to humiliate him. What Apostle Paul was saying here is that as Ishmael mocked young Isaac, those who stand for the truth that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ and that he is the only way to heaven, will be hated and persecuted by religious people. Therefore, when we are persecuted by those who depend on their human effort, either in secular or religious circles, we shouldn’t be surprised.

Second, we must not compromise. Look at verse 30. “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.’” Actually it was Sarah who told Abraham to throw Hagar and Ishmael out of the house. Although what Sarah said and did appear to be cruel, inhumane and unfair, she knew what she was doing. She knew that if Hagar and Ishmael stayed in the family, there would be unending strife. Someone had to go. If you let Ishmael live with Isaac, there will be nothing but trouble. Of course, we Christians should be open minded in order to embrace all kinds of people in these postmodern times. Yet, we should not compromise the basic truths of the gospel, such as the Bible as the Word of God, Jesus as the Son of God, his virgin birth, his blood atonement, his second coming, the holy Trinity, salvation by faith in God’s grace alone, the resurrection of the dead, the forgiveness of sins, the final judgment, the universal church of Christ and communion of the Saints.
Third, we will inherit all the promises of God. Those who believe in Christ Jesus are true heirs of God, the gift of salvation, the Holy Spirit and eternal life, along with all spiritual blessings in the kingdom of heaven, such as freedom, love, joy, peace, etc. Therefore, Christians have no reason to envy anyone. No one is as free as we are. No one has peace as we do. No one has such wonderful spiritual assets as God has given us. Some unbelievers may excel in business and rise to the top of the entertainment world, while many of us will not be super-rich and will often be poorer than our friends who do not know God. Regardless, we have no reason to envy them. Those who don’t know Jesus are enslaved, like Hagar and Ishmael. Their happiness is only temporary. Our joy is eternal. We are forgiven, redeemed, justified, accepted, adopted, reconciled, empowered, filled, called, gifted, sanctified, and commissioned. So we have no real reason to whine or complain. If any of us has been doing that, he should stop. One of the marks of slavery is complaints.

In conclusion, Apostle Paul says in verse 31. “Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.” By nature, we were slaves to our sinful nature. No matter how hard we may have struggled, we were bound to the basic elements and principles of the world. But we were born again into the family of the living God through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. We are no longer subjected to the bondage. We are called to be free in Christ. Therefore, we should defend our freedom no matter what cost we have to pay. All we need is to accept Jesus Christ and remain in him. Life in this world is hard. Sometimes temptations are overwhelming. But we can have freedom and ultimate victory as we dwell in Jesus Christ.

How can we dwell in Jesus? First of all, we should know who we are. We are no longer slaves but sons and daughters of God through Jesus Christ. We are free only when we are in Christ Jesus. How can we dwell in Jesus? As God’s children, we need to stop complaining, as if we were slaves. Instead, we should learn to be joyful always, pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances, trusting in God’s unchanging love for us and acknowledging that God is sovereign over all things. We must learn to let go of everything in order to remain in Jesus Christ. If we don’t, we remain as slaves, not free in Christ.