Galatians 4:1-20 - Known by God in Christ

Galatians 4:1-20

1 Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, 2 but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Fears for the Church

8 But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. 9 But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.

12 Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all. 13 You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. 14 And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. 15 What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

17 They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them. 18 But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you. 19 My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, 20 I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you.

We have hope and assurance because we are known by God in Christ and therefore know Him because He first knew us (1 John 4:19).  We are heirs and children of God in Him alone and not by our desire or birth.  As such children of God Israel had the Law as a teacher and guardian until the appointed time in which the Lord revealed Himself and delivered them through His Son as long promised (Genesis 39:10) to release them from the Law’s bondage (Galatians 4:9, Colossians 2:20-22) of the world which held them.  Jesus was that Messiah, a man who was born of a woman under the Law to buy back all those under the Law of works yet unable to earn salvation from sin’s consequences.  He was able to do this because He was also the divine Son of the Most-High God as well as a man born under the Law that Je might be the only one able to keep every point of the Law for us and sacrifice Himself as the unblemished Lamb of God (Exodus 12:5, 1 Peter 1:19) necessary to take away our sin (John 1:29, 1 John 3:5) and able to adopt us as sons and daughters of the King of kings and Lord of lords!  We know this for a fact because of the internal witness of His Spirit sent into our hearts that makes us cry out, “Abba, Father!” in abounding joy of life made new as the children who have been made His heirs in Christ and through His work to save us.  How than can we ever fall back into thinking we must earn our way of approval by our works as the Jews did under the Law?  By ascribing to rituals and signs with wonders to prove ourselves in Christ we do the opposite and are just falling into the slavery of bondage to works at the expense of grace which came at such a price for God’s own Son.  We are known by God!  When we hear these things we should not become enemies to those telling us the truth but should confess our sin of disbelief in seeking other ways to keep our salvation which we have not earned anyway.  Others will try to pull us away from grace into the lies that we are half-gospel or “partly saved” Christian people, but the truth is known by God that we are His (2 Timothy 2:19) and calls us to avoid such sin.  These false teachers only want to pull us away from the grave in which we stand as His children into working for approval that we already have in Christ.  Such add to the conditions of the gospel with miraculous signs and healing with earthly wealth instead of the riches we have in the finished work of Jesus Christ.  Beware of these who add to the gospel and call it full when we are already full (1 Corinthians 4:8) in Him.  We who are in Christ are known by God in Him who died for us and nothing can be added or taken away from that.  Knowing the truth sets us free, not the manmade requirements placed upon us.