1 Sons, Not Slaves

Paul’s Letter to the Galatians

2

“Elemental Things of the World” Gal 4:9-10 how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless

elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over

again? You observe days and months and seasons and years.

Col 2:8-21 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and

empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to

the elementary principles of the world…the certificate of debt

consisting of decrees against us…let no one act as your judge

in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new

moon or a Sabbath day-- things which are a mere shadow of

what is to come…If you have died with Christ to the elementary

principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world,

do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, "Do not handle, do

not taste, do not touch!"

Heb 5:12-6:2 You have need again for someone to teach you the elementary

principles of the oracles of God…leaving the elementary

teaching about the Christ…

2 Pet 3:10-12 “The elements will be destroyed with intense heat” (AD 70?)

3

“Born of a Woman” – Not of Man

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between

your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and

you shall bruise him on the heel.

Isa 59:16 And he saw that there was no man, and was astonished that

there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought

salvation to him; and His righteousness upheld him.

Psa 80:17 Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, upon the

son of man whom you did make strong for yourself.

Rom 8:3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the

flesh, God did: sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful

flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,

4

The Adoption of Sons

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to

become children of God, even to those who believe in His

name

Rom 8:14-17 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons

of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to

fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons

by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!“ The Spirit itself bears

witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if

children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ…

Eph 1:5 He predestined us to adoption as sons…

1 John 3:1-2 See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we

should be called children of God; and such we are…Beloved,

now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet

what we shall be. We know that, when he appears, we shall be

like him, because we shall see him just as he is.

5

Doctrine Brings Obligations

4:12 I beg of you, become as I am

4:27 Rejoice! Break forth! Shout!

4:30 Cast out the bond woman

5:1 Keep standing firm

5:1 Do not be subject to a yoke of slavery

5:10 Adopt no other view

5:13 Do not turn your freedom into an opportunity

5:14 You shall love

5:16 Walk by the spirit

5:25 If we live by the spirit, walk by the spirit

5:26 Let us not become boastful

6:1 Restore such a man in a spirit of gentleness

6:2 Bear one another's burdens

6:4 Let each one examine his own work

6:6 Share all good things

6:7 Do not be deceived

6:9 Do not lose heart in doing good

6:10 Let us do good to all men

6:16 Walk by this rule

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“Become as I am”

1 Cor 4:16-17 I exhort you therefore, be imitators of me. For this reason I have

sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord,

and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I

teach everywhere in every church.

1 Cor 11:1 Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

1 Thess 1:6-7 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received

the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you

became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

Phil 3:17 Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who

walk according to the pattern you have in us.

Phil 4:9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in

me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you.

1 Tim 4:12 Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech,

conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those

who believe.

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1st Journey – Acts 13 & 14

Now Paul and his

companions put out to sea

from Paphos and came to

Perga in Pamphylia; and

John left them and

returned to Jerusalem. But

going on from Perga,

they arrived at Pisidian

Antioch, and on the

Sabbath day they went into

the synagogue and sat

down.

(Acts 13:13-14)

8

Paul’s “Illness” 2Cor 11:30;

12:5-10

I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses…to keep me from

exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger

of Satan to buffet me-- to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this

I entreated the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He has

said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in

weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my

weaknesses…

1Cor 2:3-4 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. And

my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom,

but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

2Cor 10:10 For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal

presence is unimpressive, and his speech contemptible.” (“despised” in

Gal 4:14)

Let no one therefore despise him (Timothy). (1Cor 16:11)

2Cor 11:26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers…

9

Paul – Mother and Father

1Th 2:7-11 But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother

tenderly cares for her own children. Having thus a fond

affection for you…just as you know how we were exhorting and

encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would

his own children.

1Cor 4:14-15 I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you

as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless

tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers; for in

Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.

1Tim 1:2 To Timothy, my true child in faith…

Titus 1:4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith…

Philemon 10 I appeal to you for my child, whom I have begotten in my

imprisonment, Onesimus,

10

3 Reasons to Reject Circumcision

5:2 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if

you receive circumcision, Christ

will be of no benefit to you.

• No help from Christ

• You are on your own!

5:3 And I testify again to every man

who receives circumcision, that he

is under obligation to keep the

whole Law.

• You now have to keep the entire

law!

(James 2:10-11)

5:4 You have been severed from

Christ, you who are seeking to be

justified by law; you have fallen

from grace.

• You are separate from Christ

• You no longer have access to

grace

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I would they were even cut off…

ASV I would that they that unsettle you would even go beyond

circumcision.

NASB Would that those who are troubling you would even mutilate

themselves!

RSV I wish those who unsettle you would mutilate themselves!

NIV As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and

emasculate themselves!

NET I wish those agitators would go so far as to castrate themselves!

Moffat O that those upsetting you would go get themselves castrated

NEB As for these agitators, they had better go the whole way and make

eunuchs of themselves!

Unvarnished

NT

Those people who are upsetting you about circumcision should go get

something else cut off!

Jerus. Bible Tell those who are disturbing you I would like to see the knife slip!

F.F. Bruce If only those who are upsetting you would make a complete job of this

“cutting” business; then we should have no more trouble from them!