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Pastoral ministry brings trials and disappointments as well as joys and blessings.  Among those professing to be God’s people there are those who respond positively to ministry and who grow in grace, but there are others who backslide and resist counsel and who can be a great burden and bring sorrow to a pastor.  Ministry cannot be done in a detached, dispassionate way.  Paul is our great example.  We now consider Galatians 4:8-20 Don’t turn back

1. The fear Paul experienced

Paul has set out some of the glorious blessings granted to those who believe in Christ.  We might expect that no-one would want to forsake such a position, but regarding the Galatian churches he asks, ‘how is it that you are turning back?’  That is the main reason for this letter and is a great burden on Paul’s heart.  He recalls their former state before conversion (v8), in bondage to idolatry, behind which lies the power of Satan.  Then their present state – ‘now that you know God’ – in a saving way, ‘or rather that you are known by God’ – the initiative of grace that they claim to have experienced.  Their action is perplexing – ‘how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles?’ (v9).  He gives the example of ‘observing days’ – the apparatus of the Judaism that the legalists infiltrating the church insisted was necessary for salvation.  Paul’s fear for their salvation is clear: ‘I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you’.  He cares deeply for their welfare.

2. The reception Paul received

Paul realises the Galatians are exchanging a bondage to idols for a bondage to legalism.  We hear his passion and earnestness: ‘I plead with you, become like me, for I became like you’ (v12.  Paul the observant Jew had had to abandon his dependence on obedience to the law and depend on God’s grace – so must they.  He had been brought to the point of understanding he had no righteousness of his own.  He looks back in order to drive home his appeal to the Galatians – ‘You have done me no wrong’ (v12).  He recalls his first visit – ‘it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you’, and they had accepted Paul and his message ‘as if I were Christ Jesus himself’ (v14).  Now they have abandoned the truth – ‘What has happened to all your joy?’ (v15).  He feels he is now regarded as their enemy (v16).

3. The concern Paul expressed

Paul highlights the malign influence of the Judaizers with their legalistic teaching: ‘zealous to win you over, but for no good’ (v17).  Their real motive is ‘to alienate you (‘shut you out’ ESV)’ – cut them off from Paul’s influence ‘so that you may be zealous for them’.  Building one’s own ‘empire’ is the antithesis of pastoral ministry.  Motivation is crucial: ‘we could translate v18 as ‘It is good to be zealously sought, provided the purpose is good’.   Paul desired to be sought by the Galatians for their spiritual benefit.  Note his heartfelt concern: ‘My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you’ (v19).  It is a vivid description of spiritual growth and the pastor’s role as a spiritual midwife.  The burden he feels is heavy – he is ‘perplexed’ about them – no indifference.

It is an exciting thing to discover that you are an heir, to know that someone wants you to benefit from their assets when they die.  The promised legacy may be large or small, but the fact of being an heir can be an encouraging thought and in some cases it can be life-transforming.  Such is the case with regard to the salvation of the people of God.  We now consider Galatians 3:26-4:7 Heirs of God

1. The status of believers

The conclusion of Paul’s argument – ‘You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus’ (v26).  Here is the new status that obedience to the law could never confer.  ‘Sons’ does not exclude women but indicates they have the same status spiritually as men.  Paul asserts the fundamental equality of all of God’s people – ‘all’ embraces Jews and Gentiles.  There are no ‘second class’ Christians.  All believers are united to Christ, a fact which is depicted in baptism (v27).  By faith we enter a covenant union with Christ in the Covenant of Grace – having ‘clothed yourselves with Christ’, a very vivid description.  Worldly distinctions no longer matter (v28).  They are irrelevant to our spiritual standing.  Our spiritual link to Abraham is restated in v29 – we are ‘Abraham’s seed’ united to Christ the Seed, and ‘heirs according to the promise’.  All the blessings of God’s covenant await believers.

2. The liberation of believers

            (i). Our slavery.  As Paul has stated in v23, before conversion we were ‘held prisoners by the law’.  Now he uses the illustration of an heir who is a minor and cannot yet receive his inheritance.  We were subject to ‘the basic principles of the world’ – its belief systems which offer only slavery.  Only in Christ can we be set free.

            (ii). Our redemption.  Liberation is possible ‘when the time had fully come’ (v4) – the coming of the Saviour, sharing our nature (‘born of a woman’), rendering perfect obedience to God’s law in our place, with the goal ‘to redeem those under law’ (v5).  We are redeemed – bought out of bondage – by the blood of Jesus shed for sinners (1 Corinthians 6:20).

3. The adoption of believers

Our adoption as God’s children is the supreme blessing, the highest privilege we receive:

(i). Full rights.  Though faith in Christ we have the status of adult sons, no longer minors, enjoying all the rights and privileges of belonging to the family of God.

            (ii). The Holy Spirit.  God makes rich provision for his children – he ‘sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts’ (v6).  He is ‘the Spirit of adoption’ (Romans 8:15), who enables us to enjoy God’s blessings and equips us for life in the family of ‘Abba, Father’ whom we love.

            (iii). Heirs.  The transformation wrought by grace is summed up in v7.  We are sons of God and therefore heirs.  We are ‘heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ’ (Romans 8:17).  The blessedness of Christ is shared with us, in God’s infinite love and grace.

Small children cannot be allowed to wander wherever they choose – they will get into danger and may injure themselves.  It is an act of love for a parent to set boundaries for their child, even though it may seem to be the opposite.  The idea of setting boundaries and limiting freedom provides an illustration for Paul as he considers the difficult issue of God’s law in relation to salvation.  We now consider Galatians 3:19-25 Why the law?

1. Law and sin

The legalist opponents of Paul relied on law-keeping to be right with God.  Hence the vital question – what is the significance of the law of God in his plan of salvation?  In v19 Paul asks, ‘What was the purpose of the law?’  He never questions the status of the law as God’s gift – it cannot simply be dismissed.  Paul’s replies, ‘It was added because of transgressions’ (v19) – added by God.  This indicates more than the role of the law in restraining sin.  Its main function is to expose the reality of human sin as an offence against God.  Romans 3:20 tells us that ‘through the law comes knowledge of sin’.  The law also showed up man’s guilt with the goal that people would realise their need of Christ – ‘the Seed to whom the promise referred’.  In v20 (a very difficult verse) Paul shows the superiority of the promise over the law, since the promise is entirely the work of God.  Thus he answers the legalists.

2. Law and promise 

Do the law and the promise conflict, as competing ways of salvation?  Paul is adamant – ‘Absolutely not!’ (v21).  There is a conflict only if the law is accorded a role and power that it does not possess.  There is no law that ‘could impart life’ (v21).  The law exposes sin and demands obedience but has no power to change the heart.  The law has a different purpose, related to the covenant promise – it declares that ‘the whole world is a prisoner of sin’ (v22), leaving sinners no escape from guilt and thereby driving (enlightened) sinners to Christ.  In contrast, salvation is provided in the promised Saviour – ‘so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe’ (v22).  He alone is able to give salvation.  Here is the answer to any kind of dependence on law or works.  We have the promise of a Saviour in whom we must believe.

3. Law and faith

Paul now draws the contrast between the role of law and the role of faith.  The coming of Christ and his fulfilling his redemptive ministry is crucial.  ‘Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law’ (v23).  The demands of God’s law for perfect obedience leave sinners no escape route from responsibility before God for their disobedience.  But, as Paul has been showing, the condemning role of the law has a positive purpose when God’s grace is at work.  The law ‘was put in charge’ (v24) – Paul actually uses the word ‘pedagogue’ – the slave who took the child to school.  There is in this an element of harsh discipline, yet the law has a gracious goal, namely ‘to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith’.  The law drives sinners to Christ and through him justification is received.  Then ‘we are no longer under the supervision of the law’ – we are freed for loving obedience.

Prof Robert McCollum