Study/Discussion Outline for Galatians 4:21-31
Fairlawn Mennonite Church, Sept. 7, 2014
Scriptures are from the NIV unless otherwise noted
May be read online from
Gal.4:21-31, Chap.9, “Grace to the Barren” in “Galatians for You”
This is a fascinating passage and one that has some treasures that might not be immediately obvious.
Sarah and Hagar
The Judaizers thought they were children of Abraham because they kept the law, but Paul points out that Abraham had two sons - one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. The son of the slave woman was of the flesh and the son of the free woman was through the promise.
He goes on to liken them to the children of Hagar, and says that those who follow Christ through faith are like the children of Sarah. Hagar, as Keller points out (p120) was young and of child bearing age, and was likely to have children. Sarah was well past that and herHagar-plan made a lot of sense. At that stage of life for Abraham and her it seemed like the only logical thing to doto help fulfill God’s promise to them.
Gaining God’s approval by good works, obeying the rules, having “correct doctrine” or “being a good Mennonite” (for example) seems to make a lot of sense too. But salvation by grace through faith is by promise. It is of God.
Obviously there was Abraham and Sarah’s part in their having a child but the result of that was altogether an act of God. He made it happen. They couldn’t have done it alone.
Similarly, our salvation by grace through faith is altogether dependent on God’s provision of salvation through the work of Jesus, but our part is to believe in Him; confess our sins; and repent of our sinfulness. At that point we receive the promised gift of eternal life. He comes into our heart and we are born again. It is a profoundly spiritual and faith/trust-based event and we must continue in the same spirit.
The Sarah and Hagar story can help us understand the tension within us as we struggle to receive God’s gift of salvation. To simply believe Him and refuse to somehow try to earn or deserve eternal life. Certainly good works follow as evidence of our salvation but they have nothing to do with our receiving it!
1) Do you sense within yourself the tension between receiving eternal life in a rational way versus that which is simply by grace through faith in Christ?
2) Does your Christian community tempt you to trust in the rational pattern of good works of some kind, or does it call you to abandon such efforts and inspire you to fully trust God for your salvation?
Ishmael and Isaac
There was conflict between Ishmael and Isaac(Gen. 21:9), and in v29 Paul writes, “At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now.”Wow - that is profound even if it isn’t something we’d like to acknowledge or talk about.
On p129 Keller quotes John Stott, “The persecution of the true church … is not always by the world, who are strangers … but by our half-brothers, religious people, the nominal church. The greatest enemies of evangelical faith today are not unbelievers … but the church, the establishment, the hierarchy. Isaac is always mocked and persecuted by Ishmael.” (The Message of Galatians, page 127)
Few honest Christians would argue that we truly represent God in our world. That we love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength - and our neighbor as ourselves as in Mk. 12:30-31.That we take seriously the lifestyle of Mt. 6:19-24. Andthat others know we are Christians by our love. Few would insist that we have the John 7:37-39 “rivers of living water” running out of us in response to spiritual, emotional and physical needs around us.
Our comfortable American life is being shaken as we become more and more a “new Sodom.” Those who are truly children of promise will increasingly give themselves to the call of Jesus to follow Him in a way that radically alters their life. Money and possessions will take on new meaning.Generosity will replace accumulating. “Church” will be re-defined as it becomes more relationally and serviced based instead of being so institutionally and “serve me” driven.
A big problem is that we often want to be different but we are unwilling to change in order to be different! Some will, and there will be a price to pay.
3)Agree/disagree? “The thought that fully authentic Christianity is radically different from today’sAmerican Christian churchis offensive to many.”
4) What small steps are you willing to take to become a more fully authentic follower of Jesus?
5) In v31 Paul writes, “Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.” Are you a child of the free woman?
Prepared by Ken Stoltzfus, your fellow pilgrim and bondservant of Jesus.