"Tell them that it's human nature"--A study of Galatians (Three Explanations)

 

Paul has told this group of believers many times that they seemed to have believed in Christ and the salvation He offers.  But they are also trying to add their spin to it, going back to "do" some of the elementary teachings of the law.  If they were Jewish believers, it would be hard to set aside what they'd always been taught.  If they were Gentile believers, it probably seemed like Paul was speaking a foreign language.  He very thoroughly explains to them in three different scenarios what this means.  

"The Scripture imprisoned everything under sin's power, so that the promise might be given on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed.  The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith.  But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for through faith you are all sons of God in Christ Jesus."  Galatians 3:22-25

In Galatians 3:10-29, Paul compares and contrasts Law and Promise.  The Jewish Galatians would have known the law.  They may have been in a small way complicit in leading their Gentile brothers and sisters to "do" certain things to add to their new walk with Christ.  When I think of the law, I think of it being given first, and then everything else follows.  But as we learned earlier, that's not the case.  There were 430 years between the covenant God made with Abraham, the promise of many offspring and One Offspring., and the giving of the law.  God has provided a rescue plan, Jesus, who rescues us from this present evil age.  So no actions we  "do" could help us earn this.  Paul uses a human illustration--a will that can't be added to or subtracted from after it's been witnessed and validated.  The word that's been said is the final word.  This covenant (will) was witnessed by Abraham and validated by God, the Promise Maker and Promise Always Keeper!  But why the law?  The word for "guardian" in verse 24 means a nanny, a schoolmaster, a disciplinarian, a trainer.  Humanity was entrusted to the law, to curb our human nature, our bent to wander.  Some would try to complete every law until their dying day; some would half-heartedly try; and some would disregard it altogether.  Humanity could NOT live up to the standard, but this wasn't a horrible trick on those born before Christ.  The law was meant to point out our lack, and it was always meant to make us long for the One coming...Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.  (I love these verses in The Message, I hope you'll look it up!!)

"Now I say that as long as the heir is a child, he differs in no way from a slave, though he is the owner of everything.  Instead, he is under guardians and trustees until the time set by his father." Galatians 4:1-2

In Galatians 4:1-7,  Paul analyzes the difference between sons and heirs.  We should think of this less as the progression of an actual child to adult, but as early humanity (Old Testament believers) to more recent humanity (New Testament believers--from the death, burial, resurrection, ascension of Jesus Christ and beyond.)  The "child" is under the guardianship of the law.  The law is regent, guiding the minor child to make decisions based on his inheritance.  The inheritance is actually already his, but he is too young and immature to make kingdom-worthy decisions.  Because of this, he technically has no more rights than a slave.  Then, Paul switches the narrative to the life of a New Testament believer.  This believer is one who was born into the same slavery of sin, yet is able to grow because God sent His Son at just the right time.  He was born of a woman with the same human nature, He was born under the guardianship of the law.  But He "grew up" for us, something we were never able to do because we couldn't complete the tasks.  He used His inheritance as the Son of God to redeem us, to pay the price we could never, ever afford.  And through Him, the Galatians and we are no longer slaves to the law, we are sons.  And because we are sons ("children", we aren't talking gender-specifics), the Spirit of His Son has entered our hearts and cries out on our behalf, "Abba, Father!!" Through the Spirit, we CAN make kingdom-worthy decisions, and that is ALL Paul has ever wanted for these people he loves so much.  

"For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and the other by a free woman.  But the one by the slave was born as a result of the flesh, while the one by the free woman was born through promise." Galatians 4:22-23

Galatians 4:21-31 is our final explanation. Abraham and Hagar.  Abraham and Sarah.  I'm pretty sure we all know the story, but you can find it in Genesis 16 and Genesis 21  God went to great lengths to convince Abraham that he would have a son, a promised child that God would provide to the elderly Abraham and his wife, Sarah.  Reminiscent of Eve in the Garden of Eden, Sarah takes matters into her own hands concerning the promises and requirements of God.  She gives her servant girl, Hagar, to Abraham.  He conceives a child with her and the son is named Ishmael.  But he is NOT the one God promised; the son God promised would be a legitimate son, given within marriage.  Paul takes this explanation into a figurative sense--comparing them as law and promise, sons and heirs, two covenants. Hagar--the slave girl--is Mount Sinai in this scenario.  The mountain where Moses received the law.  She also corresponds to earthly Jerusalem, which is the city of God, but also home to earth dwellers, human nature plagued sinners.  But in Jerusalem above--the heavenly kingdom of God--there is freedom, and in that way, figuratively, Sarah is our mother.  As children of God,  heirs with Jesus, we are like Isaac.  The children of promise.  Smooth sailing right?  Unfortunately, in this world, no.  Because God loved Abraham, he grew Ishmael into a mighty people.  But because Ishmael's birth was a result of sin, that's not been a good thing.  The ones who have been leading the Galatians astray?  They are just as children born as a result of sin, persecuting the ones born under promise.  So all this to say, "DRIVE THEM OUT!!!  THEY CAN'T TAKE YOUR INHERITANCE AND YOU DON'T WANT THEIRS!!!" 

Human nature.  It is exhausting.  If only Adam and Eve had done it God's Way.  If only Abraham and Sarah had done it God's Way.  If only we would do it God's way.  We are not under the law, there is nothing we can add to or subtract from the promise God made because the promise is a Person.  He is plan A from the beginning of time, with no need for a plan B.  He is our brother, the true Heir of all God owns.  And He shares it with us.  What could we possibly add?  What could possibly measure up? 

"I throw up my hands and praise You again and again.  Because all that I have is a Hallelujah.  Hallelujah! And I know it's not much, but I've nothing else fit for a King. Except for a heart singing hallelujah.  Hallelujah!"  Praise Him.