Galatians 4:8-11 :

However at that time, not knowing God, you were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental principles, to which you desire to be in bondage all over again? You observe days, months, seasons, and years. I am afraid for you, that I might have wasted my labor for you.

Sin is a kind of slavery because you are bound by your desire to do things that harm you. Sin harms us in the present, but especially in the future. Before we become Christians, we refuse to believe in God and we run after things that are not adequate substitutes. I notice this in those who believe in evolution. They refuse God, or in the case of those who claim to be Christians, they refuse the authority of God’s word. We have the desire to worship and so we seek something to fill that desire. Without a proper love for the God who made us, we run after other gods. They can be people, even a president of the United States. Nothing on earth, by nature, is an adequate god to fill our true need to worship. That’s why we say that the God of the Jews, the one in the Bible, is truly “worthy.” His character is exactly what we need to worship. He made all things in only six days a few thousand years ago, according to the scriptures.

As believers, we have realized the reality of God in our lives. We call Him Dear Father. God has performed a miracle in our lives and we realize that He means exactly what He says. No one can persuade us to stop believing because it has convinced us deeply in our hearts.

Mere following of rules cannot substitute for this relationship we now have in Jesus Christ. The law substitutes rules for a relationship. The rules put us in bondage to sin again because the only true desire of our bodies is to sin. When we focus on using our bodies even to do good, we end up doing evil instead. Paul understood this well (see Romans 7).

The celebrating of special days and seasons, although not wrong in itself, is a bad sign. The focus on external practices of the body were a clear indication to Paul that he was dangerously close to wasting all his efforts to bring them to Christ. That’s a pretty strong thing to say.

I happen to be writing this a few days before Christmas Day. It is clear to me that even celebrating this day could be a chance for sin to rise up in our families as we focus on physical things instead of spiritual ones. It is important that we guard against celebrating days as if they have some kind of Christian significance. We know from the Bible that there are no special day celebrations for Christians mentioned except “The Lord’s Day.” We have made all of the rest up ourselves. It’s not wrong to celebrate them, it’s just dangerous to treat them as “Christian holidays.” Paul calls these rules “weak and miserable.” Paul honestly wonders why anyone would be willing to turn back to something like this. It’s not that Christmas isn’t a real celebration, it’s just why focus on that when you could enjoy an actual relationship with Jesus Himself right now? After all, Christmas wasn’t really Jesus’ birthday. He was God and is eternal. It was just the day that He came to earth as a baby. He had already been involved in the earth before (See John 1).

Galatians 4:6-7 :

And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

These verses reveal to us that God really is our personal Father and that because we are God’s children, He sends His Holy Spirit to live in us.

We can see here that the Holy Spirit is only given to God’s children, and when you find your heart calling out to God as “Abba, Father,” it is evidence of that fact, even though you don’t actually find your heart saying the word “Abba.”

Bible scholars tell us that the word “Abba” is a personal and respectful way of saying Father that was left untranslated in our English Bibles. It means that you cry out to God as your personal and dear Father. Another important thing to keep in mind about the Holy Spirit’s presence is that if the Holy Spirit is really in your heart, your heart will act like it. When you really believe in your heart that God is your dearest Father, you will want to act like Him. That’s what it says in other places in the Bible. We treat God like our Father when we copy Him.

There is no evidence here that you need to speak in a strange language or join a particular church group to prove it, but you must have a personal relationship with God as your own Father. This relationship was made possible by God through faith in Jesus who died for our sins.

The absolutely amazing thing about this is that as children of God through our relationship with Jesus, we inherit the things of God Himself. This is not done by the work we do for God at all. This is graciously given by Him to us. We did nothing to inherit the riches of God, but we got it anyway. That is who we are. We, as Christians, are the people to whom were given all things when we deserved the exact opposite. That is what makes us His special people. We serve as a example of what happens when God shines down on a person and gives him what he didn’t deserve.

Galatians 4:1-5  :

But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a bondservant, though he is lord of all; but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed by the father. So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world. But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law, that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children.

The law is not really our parent. It is more like a guardian, and it is only a temporary one. The law held us prisoner even though we were to become God’s children. We were in a prison, but it was one that was for our own good until the time that Jesus would be revealed. It was for our own good because it taught us to recognize our sin for what it was.

Not many these days have actually tried to obey Moses’ law, but we have tried to obey some of them whether we knew that God also wrote them down or not. God wrote down that we should not steal. Most of us were told by our parents or by the cultures that we live in not to steal. Many of us have stolen anyway. The law of our culture was good at showing us that we were thieves. The same goes for lying. Many of us were told by our parents not to lie. We did anyway, so the law in that case made it clear that we were liars. The law was good at making us ready to realize that we needed to be changed so that we wouldn’t be thieves and liars anymore.

Now, Jesus was born under the strict Mosaic law and He outperformed everyone else. Jesus didn’t need any sacrifice for His own sin. God took this perfect one and put our sin on Him when He died. That paid our sin’s punishment and made us true children of God. This change was internal and by faith we would be able to actually live good lives.

In order to do this transaction, Jesus had to be born as a human and had to live without sin and finally had to die. That is how we were saved. Our own working of laws does not work. God knew that this would be happening in the future during the time the law was in charge. But when the event actually took place, the temporary system was not required to keep people in check. Faith had come and the promise was applied.

Galatians 3:28-29  :

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to promise.

God doesn’t recognize physical distinctions in the spiritual world once we become Christians. He does still recognize them in the physical world, however.

This verse is saying that God sees us all as equal once we become Christians. We are all a part of Jesus Christ. Nothing else matters in the spiritual world for us. Inside there is no difference and God will not recognize separations that mankind makes. This includes color of skin, obviously.

An equally important thing to talk about is that Paul doesn’t mean that you stop being a Jew when you become a Christian. The way that this was explained to me is that, if you are a woman, you don’t stop being a woman when you become a Christian either. In Christ, however, there is no difference. In the spiritual world, we all are the same.

This is the basis for the United States concept of equality. Everyone is the same in Christ and the United States used to be a Christian Nation that was based on the Bible. Now that the Bible has been challenged by bad science, Christianity is being challenged with bad logic and we have what we have today. In an evolutionary world, it is only natural to think that some have evolved from a different ancestor and that it is only natural to struggle to survive over another species. Jesus didn’t teach that. He taught that we all came from God and are deeply loved by Him equally.

It should also be known that the family unit of man, woman and child also are still valuable today. In Christ we are the same inside, but we have different roles as long as we are in this physical world. A man is still to be the loving leader of the house as Christ is the leader of the church and a woman is still to be in the role of following the lead. I shouldn’t have to say anything about all of the other concepts as the Bible is clear on these (Ephesians 5).

Also, skin color is not an issue at all. God never did, and doesn’t now, judge people by the color of their skin! God clearly made all of us from Adam! We are one blood! This is also something that made the United States great because of a strong belief in the Bible. Bible believers then and now continue to recognize this truth.

Lastly, if we are in Christ, then we are saved by faith alone, because Jesus was Abraham’s one seed. He is the only road to salvation. Only through faith in Jesus can we become a part of Him and receive what He was promised.

Galatians 3:26-27  :

For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Baptism is important according to the Bible. History confirms this because it became common so early in church history. It can be a confusing topic, though, because not only are there are different kinds of baptism in the Bible, people have added ideas to those concepts that aren’t in the Bible. The baptisms that we have as Christians are spiritual and physical. When Paul says that you “were baptized into Christ,” He is talking about a spiritual baptism talked about in John 1:33, Acts 11:16, and 1 Corinthians 12:13. Here’s what John the Baptist said about Jesus:

John 1:33 :

I didn’t recognize him, but he who sent me to baptize in water, he said to me, ‘On whomever you will see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’

The physical act represents the inward act. We were put into a single united body when the Holy Spirit baptized us when we believed. Some people think you have to feel something to prove baptism. I completely disagree. You must only believe and whether you feel anything or not, you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit just like the Bible clearly says (Galatians 3:2). You will be changed, however. You will not want the same things you used to want (Romans 7:21-32). That will make you feel different about things in your life. Others have tried to say that you have to become a member of the church to be baptized into Christ. This is clearly incorrect. The only way to be baptized the way Jesus wants is for it to be a spiritual baptism as John the Baptist said and the only way to get the Holy Spirit is through faith in the word of God. Here’s what we read earlier in Galatians:

Galatians 3:2 :

I just want to learn this from you. Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith?

This passage also tells us that we are all children of God when we believe the message about Jesus and His salvation. It is amazing but as Christians, we have really become children of God. That is a blessing and a responsibility as we learn more about later in this letter.

Galatians 3:22-25  :

But the Scriptures imprisoned all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, confined for the faith which should afterwards be revealed. So that the law has become our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

Paul uses two analogies to describe the law here. It is interesting, too, that he calls the law “Scriptures” here. To Paul, there wasn’t a New Testament yet. He was still writing it. The Scriptures were the Law and Prophets and Paul says here that this law was a prison for sinners. In order to be truly prepared for a Savior, you need to know that you are in need of one. That’s what the Old Testament does. It locks you up in sin by showing you your true condition.

Paul also calls the law a tutor. The law makes sure that we understand who we really are and teaches us that if we don’t get help, we will be destroyed by a righteous God.

It’s important for us to understand that God planned it this way. He didn’t expect mankind to produce a real relationship with Him by working for it. We know this because of the sacrifices that He told them they had to perform. Many of these sacrifices were for their sins. If God expected man to make it by their own righteousness, why would they need a sacrifice for their sins?

God also planned that the way that we would be justified, or made right with God, would be by faith alone. This is what it says here again. “Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.” That’s it. We are not under the law anymore! We are free from jail and have graduated from school. This is one of the biggest reasons I give praise to God. I am happy that this weight of legal requirements is now off of my back. I am really free. This alone won’t make us live righteously, however. It does free us from something that will only expose our sin, but we haven’t yet talked about what it is that makes us able to actually live like God wants us to today. I urge you to read ahead and find out more for yourself about how we are able to do good.

Galatians 3:20-21  :

Now a mediator is not between one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could make alive, most certainly righteousness would have been of the law.

I am not certain I fully grasp what Paul means to say about the mediator here, but I do know this: We needed a mediator between ourselves and God the Father. Since God is three in one, it is confusing to us. He can be a mediator and one of the two sides. This is one of the mysteries of God that we can only accept. We really don’t understand it. Jesus made the way, as God the Son between us and God the Father. That is what we must accept as Christians. There are many things like that in the Bible. To God, our understanding is like children. We can’t understand it all yet. Some of it we may never understand because God’s ways are much higher than ours.

One might be tempted to think that the law is opposed to the promises of grace. It isn’t opposed because the law simply doesn’t work. It isn’t that the law was wrong, it’s just that man is so bad that it can’t work to make anyone righteous based on their own performance.

Paul also tells us that there was never a better law in the world than the law of the Bible when he says if it would have been possible for a law to make men right with God, then that law would have been the law of the Bible from Moses. It really doesn’t make sense for people to follow any other religion other than The Law of Moses. It is the best there is according to Paul. The main problem is that religion is just not going to work, no matter which one you follow.

The other religions have problems with their laws as well as problems with their followers. The Law of Moses has no problem. It just has no capable followers. So, in a way, all legal religions are “one” in that they don’t accomplish anything for the one attempting to follow them. If there would have been a way, it would have been through The Law of Moses because it is a perfect law from God Himself.

Galatians 3:20-21  :

Now a mediator is not between one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could make alive, most certainly righteousness would have been of the law.

I am not certain I fully grasp what Paul means to say about the mediator here, but I do know this: We needed a mediator between ourselves and God the Father. Since God is three in one, it is confusing to us. He can be a mediator and one of the two sides. This is one of the mysteries of God that we can only accept. We really don’t understand it. Jesus made the way, as God the Son between us and God the Father. That is what we must accept as Christians. There are many things like that in the Bible. To God, our understanding is like children. We can’t understand it all yet. Some of it we may never understand because God’s ways are much higher than ours.

One might be tempted to think that the law is opposed to the promises of grace. It isn’t opposed because the law simply doesn’t work. It isn’t that the law was wrong, it’s just that man is so bad that it can’t work to make anyone righteous based on their own performance.

Paul also tells us that there was never a better law in the world than the law of the Bible when he says if it would have been possible for a law to make men right with God, then that law would have been the law of the Bible from Moses. It really doesn’t make sense for people to follow any other religion other than The Law of Moses. It is the best there is according to Paul. The main problem is that religion is just not going to work, no matter which one you follow.

The other religions have problems with their laws as well as problems with their followers. The Law of Moses has no problem. It just has no capable followers. So, in a way, all legal religions are “one” in that they don’t accomplish anything for the one attempting to follow them. If there would have been a way, it would have been through The Law of Moses because it is a perfect law from God Himself.