Galatians 4:31 – Reborn Free

  Galatians 4:31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free. Truth to Learn We are spiritually born free; therefore, we should live as freeborn sons and not as slaves to the law. Behind the Words The word translated “So then” is ara. Technically,...

Galatians 4:30 – Cast Out Legalism

  Galatians 4:30 Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? "Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman." Truth to Learn Get rid of your legalistic rules and practices. They have no place alongside a life...

Galatians 4:29 – Jealous Bondage

  Galatians 4:29 But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. Truth to Learn The bondage of legalism and religious acts of the flesh will not produce freedom or peace, but they may...

Galatians 4:28 – Children of Promise

  Galatians 4:28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. Truth to Learn We are the children of God through believing what He tells us in the Bible and works of the flesh add nothing to that. Behind the Words The New Testament was written in Greek,...

Galatians 4:27 – The Whole Bible

    Galatians 4:27 For it is written: "Rejoice, O barren, you who do not bear! Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor! For the desolate has many more children than she who has a husband." Truth to Learn Even in the Old Testament, God indicated that...

Galatians 4:26 – Jerusalem Free

      Galatians 4:26 but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. Truth to Learn We can choose freedom through simple faith in Christ or bondage through observance of a set of commands. Behind the Words The word translated “above” is ano, which means...

Galatians 4:25 – Jerusalem Bound

  Galatians 4:25 for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— Truth to Learn We have been set free from the slavery which is produced by trying to live by the Law, and we want to...

Galatians 4:24 – Covenant of Bondage

  Galatians 4:24 which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— Truth to Learn Living your life under a collection of spiritual rules and guidelines produces bondage. Behind the Words It was pointed out a...

Galatians 4:23 – Flesh or Promise?

      Galatians 4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, Truth to Learn Works of the flesh, like obeying man made spiritual laws and rules, do not please God. What He wants is faith. Behind...

Galatians 4:22 – Works or Faith?

  Galatians 4:22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. Truth to Learn Obedience comes from faith, which results in God’s blessing. Neither faith nor blessing comes from our own actions, even when we think they are the...

Galatians 4:21 – Determined Faith

  Galatians 4:21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? Truth to Learn Those who would please God must do so through faith, not through obeying a set of rules and regulations. Behind the Words The word translated “desire” is a...

Galatians 4:20 – Loving Doubt

    Galatians 4:20 20I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you. Truth to Learn Our message to the world needs to be concise and clear and it must be presented with the love of God. Behind the...

Galatians 4:19 – Spiritual Children

    Galatians 4:19 19My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, Truth to Learn Spiritually healthy Christians are constantly maturing to become more like Christ. Behind the Words “Little children” is from “teknia,” a diminutive form of “teknon,” the word for...

Galatians 4:18 – Good Zeal

    Galatians 4:18 18But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you. Truth to Learn We should proclaim the gospel message with zeal, but we must ensure that we only proclaim the truth. Behind the Words As...

Galatians 4:17 – Misplaced Zeal

    Galatians 4:17 17They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them. Truth to Learn Motive and method are often intertwined. We need pastors and teachers who are not only sincere and enthusiastic, but also concerned above...

Galatians 4:16 – Truth or Consequences

    Galatians 4:16 16Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth? Truth to Learn Holding to the truth of God’s Word is more important than being well liked. Behind the Words The word translated as “therefore” is “hōste,” which is best translated here as so...

Galatians 4:15 – Blessing and Honor

    Galatians 4:15 15What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. Truth to Learn The gospel message produces a blessed experience for the one receiving the truth, but all...

Galatians 4:14 – Rejection or Blessing

  Galatians 4:14 14And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Truth to Learn Do not judge a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ by his appearance or his credentials....

Galatians 4:13 – Preached Through Pain

  Galatians 4:13 13You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. Truth to Learn We tend to evaluate those who minister to us based on external factors. Instead, we should evaluate them on how close they stick to the truth and on...

Galatians 4:12 – Be Like Me

    Galatians 4:12 12Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all. Truth to Learn We need to be a living example of our faith so that, like Paul, we can say, “Be like me.” Behind the Words...

Galatians 4:11 – Hard Labor

  Galatians 4:11 11I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain. Truth to Learn Someone was faithful and diligent in preaching the gospel to you when you got saved. You should be grateful to them and to God. Behind the Words “I am afraid” is...

Galatians 4:10 – Rite is Wrong

  Galatians 4:10 10You observe days and months and seasons and years. Truth to Learn Our relationship with God is based on faith, not on the observance of special days and events. Behind the Words The word translated observe is “paratēreisthe,” which is made up of “para” meaning close or...

Galatians 4:9 – Bondage Again?

  Galatians 4:9 9But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? Truth to Learn Once you are truly saved through faith in Christ,...

Galatians 4:8 – Hollow Ritual

    Galatians 4:8 8But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. Truth to Learn Before we were saved we may have thought that we were serving God, but we weren’t. We were merely performing ritualistic practices. Behind the Words...

Galatians 4:7 – Permanent Heir

    Galatians 4:7 7Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Truth to Learn Because we have been adopted as a child of God we now have all the rights of inheritance, permanently. Review Before the...

Galatians 4:6 – Abba, Father!

    Galatians 4:6 6And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Truth to Learn Through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ we can know the most intimate fellowship with the God of all creation. Behind...

Galatians 4:5 – Adopted Heir

    Galatians 4:5 5to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Truth to Learn Through faith in Christ we have been adopted by God into His family with all the rights of inheritance. Behind the Words The word “redeem” is from...

Galatians 4:4 – Perfect Timing

    Galatians 4:4 4But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, Truth to Learn All of mankind was under the bondage of religious practices and observances until God’s exact timing for the coming of Jesus...

Galatians 4:3 – Elemental Bondage

  Galatians 4:3 3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. Truth to Learn Spiritually we have been kept in bondage by the ritualistic practices and observances from which Christ came to free us. Behind the Words The word translated “children” is...

Galatians 4:2 – Child Care

Galatians 4:2 2but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. Truth to Learn The Law of Moses served as a guardian and as a decision maker for all who were under the law until the coming of the Messiah who freed all from the confines...

Galatians 4:1 – Infants and Slaves

    Galatians 4:1 1Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, Truth to Learn As spiritual infants those who keep the law are simply performing ritualistic practices that can not...