The Book Of Galatians – Chapter 4:21–29 - Message 16 – The Argument Of Contrasts: Which Woman Are You Following? Series

THE BOOK OF GALATIANS – CHAPTER 4:21–29 - MESSAGE 16 – THE ARGUMENT OF CONTRASTS: WHICH WOMAN ARE YOU FOLLOWING?

Part 1 – Galatians 4 verses 21 – 23

We come now to the latter part of chapter 3 and the continuing evidence why Christians are not under Law but walk by grace through the promises given to Abraham. In the fourth chapter of Romans Paul sets out the great faith of the man of faith, that is, Abraham. Paul has adopted various arguments in order to convince the Galatians of their error and now he turns to the bondwoman and the freewoman.

We continue, beginning at verse 21 and will work through this section carefully.

[A]. VERSE 21 – THE CHALLENGE IS THROWN OUT

{{Galatians 4:21 “Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law?”}}

His first statement is to challenge the Galatians to listen, meaning to take note and accept what God says. They wanted to keep the Law, now he tells them to listen to the Law. There comes a time when we need to be direct. We may hedge around the fringes hoping the message will be understood but like wafting smoke it passes overhead making no entry into a person’s understanding.

There is reticence on people’s part to be frank about situations because of shyness or concern the other person might take offence (which often happens) but that creates a problem, because if we are going to be honest with God, we must be true to His message, not compromise it even a little. I love the way the Old Testament prophets thundered, “This says the LORD.” Even though the application stated in Isaiah related to the nation of the Jews and their future restoration, there is still a principle in the following verses for us – {{Isaiah 55:10-11 “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth. IT SHALL NOT RETURN TO ME EMPTY without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”}}. Sometimes the word is sent for comfort; sometimes for challenge; sometimes for reprimand; and sometimes for assurance and hope.

Paul returns now to being direct as he was earlier in the letter to them – {{Galatians 3:1-3 “YOU FOOLISH GALATIANS, WHO HAS BEWITCHED YOU, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? ARE YOU SO FOOLISH? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”}} Questions, strategically used, often are arrows that enter the understand in the person to begin that awareness it was designed for.

So then, you Galatians, you who are wanting to place yourselves under the bondage of the Law, do you know what the Law is really saying? Are you that stupid?

[B]. VERSES 22-23 – ABRAHAM’S TWO SONS ARE TWO DESTINIES

{{Galatians 4:22 “for IT IS WRITTEN that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman,

Galatians 4:23 but the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.”}}

In dealing with the matters of God, authority is essential, and for his authority Paul appeals to the scriptures that he described in another place this way – {{2 Timothy 3:15-17 “and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ALL SCRIPTURE IS INSPIRED BY GOD and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”}} IT IS WRITTEN. The Lord set the example here for when He was tempted by Satan. Three times He used that expression. Satan hates it. To appeal to the authority of scripture is what Satan hates.

There are certain gripes I have and one of them is a preacher who rolls out story after story in the message. Some people think it is entertaining and enjoy it, but it is very lean pickings if the word of God is not preached and only incidentally referred to. I have said it from time to time that the best preaching is expositional preaching where the word of God is opened and a string of stories does not appear. The bible has its own example of that. Expounding the scripture is what the teacher of God does.