Christ Forming In You (Galatians 4:11-31)
How many of us with kids have had a moment of shame? Sometimes we, as parents, slack off on the training. We excuse little things until they build up to be big things. Or maybe they go a long period without their obedience being tested. Suddenly, they are placed in a stressful environment that they aren’t used to and don’t do what we trained them to do. As embarrassing as having your child meltdown in Walmart or act crazy to keep from falling asleep, we need to see past the embarrassment. Contrary to the world’s wisdom, something needs to be correct. There is a training we must do again.
Did you know Paul felt like that? Don’t get me wrong, Paul was never married, and he had no biological children. But he felt as though those he taught were his responsibility. They were like children to him.
Galatians 4:11 (ESV) --- 11 I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.
Galatians 4:19 (ESV) --- 19 my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!
Paul felt responsible for training those he taught the gospel. Notice here that he is upset because they are not doing what he trained them to do.
What are they doing?
It’s not so much what they are doing as what they are failing to do. Verse 19 says that they are not living like Christ as Paul expects them to. Earlier, Paul describes what the life of Christ looks like.
Galatians 4:11--16 (ESV) --- 11 I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain. 12 Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong. 13 You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, 14 and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. 15 What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?
Paul says that he has become like them. He humbled himself when coming to Galatia and tried to relate to them by setting aside his Jewish traditions. He asks them to become as he is by living sacrificially like Christ. They were humble towards him at first. His weakness did not keep them from submitting to him. They looked beyond the appearance of weakness and received Paul as an angel of God. They showed tremendous love toward him.
Now, something has changed. They don’t treat Paul as a messenger from God anymore. We get the sense that he has gone from the one they immensely love to being like an enemy to them. What has Paul done to provoke this outcry? He told them the truth. He tried to help them understand the truth so that they could grow.
Why have they changed?
Galatians 4:17 (ESV) --- 17 They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them.
They have changed because men have crept in to spy out their freedom in Christ. These men have said things that flattered them. They have persuaded the Galatians to submit to the law for salvation, and now they are building them up for their obedience. But Paul says they are making much of them for no good purpose. They haven’t accomplished anything good by obeying the OT law. These men are deceiving and trying to win them over to have their own little group of followers.
Galatians 4:18--20 (ESV) --- 18 It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, 19 my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! 20 I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.
Then, he continues saying that he can’t talk much about them because they have gone backward. They are not drawing closer to the image of Christ. He feels like he has to start all over with them.
Can you imagine a humbled tax collector becoming a self-righteous Pharisee? That is what is going on here. Paul is trying to help these Christians get back to living like Christ and leave the religious elitism they have grown accustomed to.
What Needs To Happen?
The rest of this Chapter tells us what Paul wants the Galatians to do, but he doesn’t just tell them what to do. By pointing to scriptures, he wants to convince them that this is what God wants them to do. What has happened to them is something that God knew would happen to Christians, and he prepared for it by giving us an allegory.
Galatians 4:21--31 (ESV) --- 21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. 23 But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. 24 Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written, “Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than those of the one who has a husband.” 28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.” 31 So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.
Now, I know that this is a lot to take in. So, let’s break this down. In verse 22, he explains the difference between Christians and those trying to be Jewish Christians using the two sons of Abraham. If you remember, Abraham was promised a son in Genesis 12, and after waiting a decade, he and his wife thought it would be a good idea to “help God” by letting Abraham marry Sarah’s slave Hagar. Ishmael was born, but God did not want to bring the promises through Ishmael. He would give Sarah a child at 90 years old, Isaac. After 25 years went by, the child of Hagar started persecuting the child of Sarah. As a result, Ishmael and Hagar were told to leave, and God even agreed with that decision.
All of this story is bizarre, but Paul points to the current situation and says that the story represents what is happening. Those who are sons of slavery (the Jews) have started persecuting those who are the sons of freedom (Christians). Their covenant with God was a covenant of slavery. But the covenant of God in Christ is a covenant of promise. Christians are not enslaved to the law for righteousness. They must cast out the ways of slavery and live as free men and women in Christ.
The main point I think Paul wants to hit home for these Christians is found in verse 30. He says, “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.” This means that the Jews and Jerusalem will be destroyed, just as Jesus foretold. It also means that Christians who turn back to a life of slavery will not inherit with Christians who pursue the promise by faith.
What Do We Learn?
As we study this two thousand years later, what could we learn? We learn the Pitfall of Conformity.
First, notice that these Christians believed the truth but were persuaded to conform to Jewish brethren. How many of us have decided to change based on the appearance of righteousness?
The text says that these men convinced them to change, and then they started patting them on the back and flattering them for their decision. They made them feel good about doing something against God’s will, not for it.
We need to be careful about what we teach and how we choose to believe. Our goal is not to look like the most righteous person we know. Our goal is to be conformed to the image of Christ.
In saying that, I recognize that Paul himself said, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ.” He says, “Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am.” He says that because he has become a servant of others, not because he demonstrates good law-keeping. I know many brethren who demonstrate tremendous law keeping, but they don’t live as servants of others and Christ. They want to be made much of, which is at the root of the pitfall of conformity. When we care more about the will of man than God, we are enslaving ourselves and will ultimately lose our inheritance.
What Should We Do?
If we try to be like Christ by submitting to the thoughts and ways of men, we may go back to a law-keeping system. The result of a law-keeping system is slavery, not an inheritance.
Christians Should Cast Out Slavery
Isn’t it easy to change because something sounds good to us? This text teaches us to let go of our ways and thoughts.
Isaiah 55:6--9 (ESV) --- 6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
God wants us to abandon our self-centered ways to become humble servants. We are not called to be proud slaves. We are called to be humble sons and daughters. We are children of promise! We have an inheritance that is “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for us.” God blessed us beyond what we deserve, and now we ought to rejoice in our freedom.
We are even promised that we can give God a gift by becoming like Christ and serving others sacrificially. Don’t you want to do that? God’s grace must not have touched your heart if you don't. He takes pleasure in us when we joyfully magnify his name and put on the attributes of Christ.
Conclusion
Has Christ been formed in you?