Christian Fellowship Community Group
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Galatians 4:21-31 (NLT)
21-23 “Tell me, you who want to live under the law, do you know what that law actually says? (22) The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from the slave wife and one from the free born wife. (23) The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of his promise.”
24-27 “These two women serve as an illustration of God’s two covenants. The first woman, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai where people received the law that enslaved them. (25) And now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai in Arabia, because she and her children live in slavery to the law. (26) But the other woman, Sarah, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. She is the free woman, and she is our mother. (27) As Isaiah said, ‘Rejoice, O childless woman, you who have never given birth! Break into a joyful shout, you who have never been in labor! For the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband!”
28-29 “And you, dear brothers and sisters, are children of the promise, just like Isaac. (29) But you are now being persecuted by those who want you to keep the law, just as Ishmael, the child born by human effort, persecuted Isaac, the child born by the power of the Spirit.”
30-31 “But what do the Scriptures say about that? Get rid of the slave and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the free woman’s son. (31) So, dear brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, we are children of the free woman.”
Questions to ponder taken from:
http://my-ccm.com/new-testament-questions/questions-about-the-book-of-galatians/
1) Who had two sons, one of a bondwoman and one of a freewoman? (Galatians 4:22)
2) Which of the sons of the freewoman or bondwoman was after the flesh? (Galatians 4:23)
3) Which of the sons of the freewoman or bondwoman was by promise? (Galatians 4:23)
4) Which law is represented by Hagar and her son? (Galatians 4:24)
5) According to Paul in what way are Christians like Isaac? (Galatians 4:28)
6) Which of these two women were barren but bore a son according to a promise? (Galatians 4:29)
Answer: Hagar represents the Law given on Mount Sinai, or the Law of Moses. It was a covenant of self-effort, and the Israelite's were blessed or cursed based on their behavior alone. They had to adhere to the Mosaic Law. This illustration helps us understand the difference between the two covenants. Abraham tried to produce a child by his own self-efforts through Hagar, instead of waiting on God's promise.
Answer: Isaac was a child birthed through God's promise. God promised Abraham he would have a child through Sarah that was barren. We are also God's children through the promise God made to Abraham that the Gentiles would be made righteous because of their faith in Jesus.
If we back up to Galatians 3:8-9 it says, “What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would declare the Gentiles to be righteous because of their faith. God proclaimed the good news to Abraham long ago when he said, ‘All nations will be blessed through you.’ (9) So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.”
Then later Galatians 3:26-29 tells us, "For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (27) And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. (28) There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. (29) And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you."