By Collin Ross
Throughout his letter to the Galatians, Paul did not hold back from speaking the hard truths that we need to hear, and Galatians 4:21 is no different. “Tell me, you who want to be under the law, don’t you hear the law?” Close your eyes, be still for a moment, and let the force of that question sink in.
To some degree, we all want to be “under the law.” By that we probably do not mean the Mosaic law, but rather we want a formulaic plan to follow that will bring us to God. We are all great lawmakers, even if we’re not especially good at law keeping. We want regulations, traditions, and ceremonies because, let’s be honest, we like the idea of controlling and owning our spiritual journeys. We want to take pride in the fact that we’ve earned our spot in God’s household.
Knowing this universal desire, Paul used the illustration of Hagar and Sarah to contrast the life of law with the life of Christ. Just as Hagar’s son was born into slavery, so, too, are we enslaved to sin when we try to live under the law. Even if we wish it were different, when under the law, we are in bondage to our faults and in need of rescue. Not one of us can be justified by our works.
But of course, God has not left us in this state. Another child was born, this time to Sarah, the free woman. And this child was born not “as a result of the flesh,” but “through promise” (Galatians 4:23). And Paul goes on to say, “Now you too, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise” (v.28).
What does this all mean? It means that God’s blessing in our lives does not come about through our striving but through His promise! Our inclusion in God’s family is not justified by our keeping any kind of law and religion but by faith in the finished work of Christ. His blood has ratified a new covenant between God and humanity. The central point of Paul’s argument is this: as believers, we are no longer enslaved to sin or law. We enjoy wondrous freedom in Christ.
What would it look like to walk in the light of this truth? The first step is a prayer of relinquishment—we empty ourselves of our incessant desire for striving and earning, instead seeking security in Christ alone. What have you made into law? What have you decided to be that crucial element for God’s love to flow into your life? Take a moment today to release your hold on whatever that may be and ask the Lord to fully convince you that he has provided in Christ the firmest of foundations on which to stand. For you are a child of promise.
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