Galatians 4:21
Memory Verse
Say to me, the ones desiring to be under law, do you not hear the law? Galatians 4:21.
In the book of Galatians, Paul is addressing an issue the saints of Galatia are having due to men who have crept in to spy out their liberty in Christ and to bring them under bondage of law (Galatians 2:4). This is not a liberty that is to be used as a cloak for doing wrong or for an opportunity for the flesh (Galatians 5:13). This liberty that the saints have is to live a life of righteousness that is not based upon obedience to the law, but out from faith in God.
When people no longer live in fear, they are difficult to manipulate through the imposition of law for the basis of righteousness. The grace believer is not under law and is therefore free to live out the righteousness he possesses in Christ apart from law (Philippians 3:9; Romans 3:21). This type of mindset and freedom presents a problem to false teachers who desire to shut up the saints to be zealous for them (Galatians 4:17).
The law gives the sin nature strength (1 Corinthians 15:56). When a Christian puts himself under law, the sin nature takes advantage of this mindset and produces all manner of wrong in the life of the believer (Romans 7:8). Therefore, living by law separates the Christian from a life of faith and grace (Romans 7:11).
Given these dangers, those who still desire to live under the law should start listening to it. Abraham had two children. One was out from faith, but the other through the flesh (Galatians 4:22–23). The one born out from the flesh relates to the law, for the law is not out from faith (Galatians 3:12). In the same manner as Ishmael persecuted Isaac, those who are born according to the flesh persecute those born according to the Spirit (Galatians 4:29). The ones born according to the flesh base their salvation upon their own works. Whether it is accepting Jesus into their hearts, making Jesus the Lord of their lives, or confessing their sins, salvation is based upon their works, their sincerity in belief, and their continued works to maintain it. In contrast, those born according to the Spirit take God at His word and simply believe that Christ died on behalf of our sins and was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). Thus, they are saved by grace through faith, not by works of righteousness which they have done (Ephesians 2:8; Titus 3:5).
Since we begin in the Spirit, can we be brought to maturity through the flesh? Those who seek to live under law desire to show God their righteousness through their works, not out from faith (Galatians 3:2). Let us not be so foolish as to think that having begun in the Spirit we can be brought to maturity by the flesh (Galatians 3:3).