Galatians 4 - The Pains of Childbirth!

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4 What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces[a] of the world. 4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

Paul distinguishes between an underage heir and a slave with a son who has been set free. The slave is  symbolic of the Law, which can't set us free from anything. The only thing the Law can do is to point out how we fall short. It shows us how we are powerless to set ourselves free. There is no power in the law.  

Jesus came to earth, as one born under the law. He was born of a woman, so that he could redeem those who were under the law. God chose Jesus to come down and free us from slavery by adopting us as his sons and daughters. When a baby gets adopted, they had no rights before this. But because of the choice of the parents, they were given all the rights of being in their new family. 

We have been adopted into God's family through the choice God made to send His son into the world. As part of that adoption, we were given the Spirit of the Son. And it is the Spirit that cries out, "Abba Father". The word Abba is a word that was used of a baby's cry to their parent in the Jewish culture. It is the equivalent of "daddy" in our culture today. 

This is how our relationship with God has been transformed as we have been adopted by the Father through the Son and then given the Holy Spirit! 

How do you see your relationship with God? Could you call out to him saying, "Abba Father"? What confidence does it give you to know you are a child of God with all the privileges that come with being an heir?

Paul’s Concern for the Galatians

8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces[d]? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? 10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! 11 I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.

Paul's next question is why after receiving their freedom and inheritance as God's children, would they go back to slavery again. Was their life in bondage to sin so much better than the freedom they have in Christ? Part of their legalism had to do with observing special days and months of the year, as if one day were holier than the next. Legalism always asks one to do more to somehow earn God's favor. 

When and how are you tempted to go back to the miserable principles of the Law? Where do you think the church needs to be careful in not making our new life in Christ about certain rituals or practices that make someone holier than the next person? 

12 I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong. 13 As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you, 14 and 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. 15 Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

Paul contrasts how the Galatians first received him, with the treatment he was now receiving. When he brought them the gospel, he was treated almost like he was an angel of God. They revered him because of the life changing message he brought to them. 

But now as some bad actors had wormed their way into the church and perverted the true gospel, it spilled over into their questioning of him. After all, he was the one who preached the gospel to the Gentiles and brought them into the fold. He didn't even require them to be circumcised. As Paul confronted the legalism that had crept into the church in Galatia, some did not take too kindly to it. 

Do you remember who preached the gospel to you? Have you ever shared with them the blessings you have received in it? Pray for your pastors and encourage them if you can. The enemy is always trying to take out those who preach and teach the gospel. 

17 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 have zeal for them. 18 It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you. 19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, 20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!

Paul makes a famous statement. He says, "My dear children, for whom I am in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you." Galatians 4:19

Here we see Paul's true heart as a pastor. He not only wanted them to come to faith in Christ but to also "be formed in Christ".  This is simiilar to when Paul said in Galatians, "I have been crucified in Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me." 

When Christ is formed in us, we begin to say and do the things Jesus would if he were us. Paul could only describe how important this was to him by saying he was in the pains of childbirth. Though he never experienced that kind of pain, he was obviously familiar with it. Because of what was happening in the church, Paul's desire for them to be changed into Christ-likeness was being sabotaged. 

Hagar and Sarah

21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.

24 These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written:

“Be glad, barren woman,

    you who never bore a child;

shout for joy and cry aloud,

    you who were never in labor;

because more are the children of the desolate woman

    than of her who has a husband.”

Paul continues to use the metaphor of slavery vs. freedom. Abraham had two sons. Ishmael was born from Hagar, the maidservant. Since Sarah was not trusting in the promise, this child this child was born figuratively under the law. 

28 Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 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. 30 But what does 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.”[f] 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

But Sarah and Abraham realized their sin in going to the maidservant Hagar for their son, so they waited in faith for their  promised son to be born. Issac was born of faith. He was born from above. He was the child of the promise.  When we as God's children believe in the promised child, Jesus, we become children of the free woman. 

The first contrast Paul draws between real Christianity and legalism is the contrast between freedom and slavery. One son of Abraham was born by a freewoman, and one was born by a bondwoman. The real Christian life is marked by freedom. - Guzik

 In the Bible, a covenant is a “contract” that sets the rules for our relationship with God. Paul brought it right down to the issues confronting the Galatian Christians. The legalists wanted them to relate to God under one set of rules, and Paul wanted them to relate to God under the “rules” presented by the gospel. - Guzik

Are you living in the freedom Jesus has given you, or are you returning to bondage? It is for freedom that Christ set you free, so do not return to the spirit of bondage? (Galatians 5:1) This also means not choosing the desires of the flesh which you were bound to. Jesus Christ set you free to live the life you've always wanted. 

Jesus said in John 10:10, "I have come to give you life and life to the full!"