December 25
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HEIR OF THE FREE WOMAN
27 For it is written:
“REJOICE, INFERTILE ONE, YOU WHO DO NOT GIVE BIRTH;
BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR;
FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE ONE ARE MORE NUMEROUS
THAN THOSE OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND.”
28 And you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But as at that time the son who was born according to the flesh persecuted the one who was born according to the Spirit, so it is even now. 30 But what does the Scripture say?
“DRIVE OUT THE SLAVE WOMAN AND HER SON,
FOR THE SON OF THE SLAVE WOMAN SHALL NOT BE AN HEIR WITH THE SON OF THE FREE WOMAN.”
31 So then, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave woman, but of the free woman. -Galatians 4:27-31
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According to a commentary, Paul wanted it understood that he used pictures from the Old Testament. His reference to Hagar and Ishmael were pictures, meant to illustrate his point. Now he would bring in another picture. In the Bible, a covenant is a “contract” that sets the rules for our relationship with God. Paul brought it right down to the issues confronting the Galatian Christians. The legalists wanted them to relate to God under one set of rules, and Paul wanted them to relate to God under the “rules” presented by the gospel. Since it is all about what we must do for God to be accepted by Him, it doesn’t set us free. It puts us on a perpetual treadmill of having to prove ourselves and earn our way before God. This covenant is associated with Hagar, the “surrogate mother” who gave birth to Ishmael. It is therefore (if used wrongly) a covenant according to the flesh (Galatians 4:23).
It is a valid point that Paul presents in this letter to the Galatians. Those who associate themselves with the slave woman Hagar are not free and those who associate themselves with Sara, are free. What a great analogy by the great apostle Paul! Those who live under the law will always be bound by religion and those who live free lives are under the grace that comes from the freedom that Christ has already given to those who will believe Him.
As believers, we ought to be mindful that we are not following religion but the gospel that Christ has already died for us and the work of the flesh is finished by his sacrifice.
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REFLECTION
• How can we free ourselves from religion and its tendency to enslave us?