We
Are Sons And Daughters Of God
What
I am saying is that as long as the Heir is a child,
He
is no different from a Slave,
Although
he owns the Whole Estate.
2
He is subject to Guardians and Trustees
Until
the time set by his father.
3
So also when we were children,
WE
WERE IN SLAVERY TO THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE WORLD.
4
But when the time had Fully Come,
GOD
SENT HIS SON, BORN OF A WOMAN,
Born
under the law,
5
TO REDEEM THOSE UNDER LAW,
THAT
WE MIGHT RECEIVE THE FULL RIGHTS OF SONS.
6
BECAUSE YOU ARE SONS,
GOD
SENT THE SPIRIT OF HIS SON INTO OUR HEARTS,
THE
SPIRIT WHO CALLS OUT “ABBA, FATHER.”
7
So you are no longer a Slave, but a son;
And
since you are a son,
God
has made you also an Heir.
Paul's
Concern For The Galatians
8
Formerly, when you did not Know God,
YOU
WERE SLAVES
TO
THOSE WHO BY NATURE ARE NOT GODS.
9
But now that you Know God--
OR
RATHER ARE KNOWN BY GOD--
How
is it that you are turning back
To
those Weak and Miserable Principles?
DO
YOU WISH TO BE ENSLAVED BY THEM ALL OVER AGAIN?
10
You are observing special days
And
months and season and years!
11
I FEAR FOR YOU,
THAT
SOME HOW I HAVE WASTED MY EFFORTS ON YOU.
12
I PLEAD WITH YOU, BROTHERS,
Become
like me, for I became like you.
Your
have done me no wrong.
13
As you know, it was because of an illness
That
I first preached the Gospel to you.
14
Even though my illness was a Trial to you,
You
did not treat me with Contempt or Scorn.
Instead,
you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God,
AS
IF I WERE CHRIST JESUS HIMSELF.
15
WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ALL YOUR JOY?
I
can testify that, if you could have done so,
You
would have torn out your own eyes
And
given them to me.
16
HAVE I NOW BECOME YOUR ENEMY
BY
TELLING YOU THE TRUTH?
17
Those people are Zealous to win you over,
But
for no good.
What
they want is to Alienate you from us,
So
that you may be Zealous for them.
18
It is fine to be Zealous, provided the Purpose is Good,
And
to be so always
And
not just when I am with you.
19
My dear children,
FOR
WHOM I AM AGAIN IN THE PAINS OF CHILDBIRTH
UNTIL
CHRIST IS FORMED IN YOU.
20
How I I wish I could be with you now
And
change my tone,
Because
I am Perplexed about you!
Hagar
And Sarah
21
Tell me, you who want to be Under the Law,
Are
you not aware of what the Law says?
22
For it is written that Abraham had two sons,
One
by the slave woman
And
another by the free woman.
23
His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way;
But
his son by the free woman
WAS
BORN AS THE RESULT OF A PROMISE.
24
These things may be taken Figuratively,
FOR
THE WOMEN REPRESENT TWO COVENANTS.
One
Covenant is from Mount Sinai
And
bears children who are to be Slaves;
This
is Hagar.
25
Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia
AND
CORRESPONDS TO THE PRESENT CITY OF JERUSALEM,
BECAUSE
SHE IS IN SLAVERY WITH HER CHILDREN.
26
BUT THE JERUSALEM THAT IS ABOVE IS FREE
AND
SHE IS OUR MOTHER.
27
For it is written:
'Be
glad, O barren woman, who bears no children;
Break
forth and cry aloud,
You
who have No Labor Pains;
Because
more are the children of the desolate woman
Than
of her who has a husband.' [Isa. 54:1]
28
Now you, brothers, like Isaac,
ARE
CHILDREN OF PROMISE.
29
At that time the son born in the Ordinary Way
PERSECUTED
THE SON BORN BY THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT.
IT
IS THE SAME WAY NOW.
30
But what does the Scripture say?
'GET
RID OF THE SLAVE WOMAN AND HER SON,
For
the Slave woman's son
WILL
NEVER SHARE IN THE INHERITANCE
WITH
THE FREE WOMAN'S SON.'
31
Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the Slave woman,
BUT
OF THE FREE WOMAN.
(Galatians
4)
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