Children of the Promise (Galatians 4:21-31)

SCRIPTURE

Galatians 4:21-31
Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written,
“Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear;
break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor!
For the children of the desolate one will be more
than those of the one who has a husband.”
Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.” So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.

COMMENT

So to those who think that salvation comes from Jesus and some other obligations, are you aware that if you are under one bit of law you are obligated to the entire law? He gives the example from the Old Testament. One child corresponds to the slavery of the law, the other to the freedom based on the promise. I'll take the promise. Christ has promised us freedom, not slavery.

This does not mean that there is not a cross to bear. Remember, Jesus bore His cross for the joy that was set before him. Unless we do the same for the same reason, I believe we are acting in vain. Jesus's joy came from His service and obedience to the Father out of His love for the Father. It was not an act of obedience for the sake of obedience. Had that been the case, I believe Satan's temptations might actually have worked.