Gospel for Life: a study in Galatians

Promise of freedom

Galatians 4:21-31

Christians are not in law bondage but are free through God’s promise in Christ

1) If you want to be saved by law-keeping, you need to heed what the law itself says, 4:21.

2) The law says that Abraham had a son by a slave woman and a son by a free woman, 4:22.

3) Abraham’s son born by human effort contrasts with his son born by promise, 4:23.

4) The story of Abraham’s sons has corresponding new covenant patterns, 4:24-27.

Contrasts in 4:21-31 “allegory” patterns

Slave woman-Hagar                Free woman-Sarah

Ishmael, son of slavery            Isaac, son of freedom

Birth according to the flesh     Birth through promise

Old (Sinai) covenant                 New covenant

Present Jerusalem                  Jerusalem above

5) Children of promise are opposed by those who seek to be saved by human effort, 4:28-29.

6) Those who live in law bondage have no part with those who live in gospel freedom, 4:30.

7) Christians are not children of bondage under law but of the promise of freedom, 4:31.

5:1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.