Galatians 4:8-20

If you’re like me, you tend to view pagan idolatry and traditional Judaism as opposite ends of the religious spectrum. Pagan idolatry seems irreligious, but traditional Judaism seems very religious. While this assessment is accurate in some ways, Paul shows us how paganism and Judaism can be similar, too.

Meet Nadin Balakrishnan, who practices the Hindu religion.

To deepen his connection to God, he worships idols – though technically he worships the god who inhabits the idol since he believes God is in everything everywhere.

• 2-3 times a day he approaches a small, decorated, wooden platform or shelf in his home with a picture or statue of the god or goddess his family has chosen to worship.
• He lights a small oil lamp and some incense sticks to place in front of the statue, then hangs a garland of flowers around the statue’s neck.
• He sits before the statue to recite religious chants and prayers.
• He sings certain Hindu prayer songs.
• He offers the idol sweet food, like ladoo, a ball made from sugar, flour, and shortening.

Nadin also visits nearby Hindu temples whenever he faces the following situations:

• A major family event
• A major purchase
• The start of a new business or major project
• A successful childbirth
• A disease or physical injury
• A desire for deeper mental peace and concentration

Before going in, he washes his clothes and bathes, rings a bell, places his hands over his head, clears out bad thoughts at a flagpole, and removes his shoes.

Nadin has practiced these habits and rituals since childhood to improve his spiritual standing with God and to achieve inner peace.

Paul refers to idolatrous practices like this when he says, “But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods” (Gal 4:8). This is what so many of the Galatian church members had done when they had worshipped Greek, Roman, and local nature and animal deities before Paul introduced them to Christ.

Meet Isaac Goldstein, who practices traditional orthodox Judaism.

To prove his loyalty and ensure his standing before God, he observes Jewish holy days and festivals like clockwork. In addition to stopping all work on Saturday, he also:

• Observes Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread in Apr/Mar
• Observes Pentecost seven weeks later in May/Jun
• Observes the Feast of Trumpets in Sep/Oct
• Observes the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles in Sep/Oct

Each time, he follows strict rules for how to clean himself and what to eat, say, and do.

Paul speaks about this when he says, “You observe days and months and seasons and years” (Gal 4:10). This is what Paul used to do as a Jew and Pharisee before he believed on Christ, and it’s also what certain Jewish teachers were trying to get the Galatian believers to do after they believed on Christ.

So, what does Paul say about this new trend in their lives? He makes a surprising claim.

Paganism is like legalism.

But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?

Galatians 4:9

By beginning to observe the Old Testament (OT) holiday and sabbath calendar, the Galatian Christians were “turning again,” an emphatic way of saying they were “going back” to their old pagan lifestyle. They thought they were embracing something better, but they were actually going back to the way they lived before they believed on Christ.

They had stopped observing pagan holidays, so why start observing Jewish ones?

To clarify, Paul is not forbidding the practice of holidays. He teaches elsewhere that we can observe holidays “to the Lord” (cf. Rom 14:6). So here he is correcting the mistaken idea that we must observe certain holidays to receive God’s favor.

• Pagan idol worshippers observe their holidays to receive favor from their gods.
• Legalistic Jews observe their holidays to receive favor from God.

Though pagans worship pretend gods and Jews worship the true God, both sets of people are trying to exchange their religious behavior for the favor and blessing from God.

My good friend, Pastor Ken Burkett, says, “In the context of Galatians, paganism is treated as a form of legalism: it's just legalistic about things that supposedly please the gods and avoiding the taboos that displease them. The Galatians were in danger of merely trading one form of legalism (paganism) for another form of legalism (Judaizing).”

Being governed by a particular religious calendar to secure blessing and favor from (1) false gods or (2) the true God is a form of religious slavery. If you’re going to observe a holiday, do it in a way that honors Christ and is not being done as a legalistic requirement or a means of improving your status with God.

God is no less pleased with you, Christian or not, whether or not you observe the Passover – and the same may be said about Christmas.

Paul tells believers that our God, the true God, doesn’t save or bless anyone because they’ve earned his favor through any kind of performance. Instead, we come to know him because he chose to have a relationship with us in the first place. We “have known God,” but only because we have been “known by God” first of all. As John also said, “We love him because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.

Galatians 4:11

Paul felt grave concern. He was “afraid for” them because they were going back to the same mentality towards God that they had before they turned to Christ. If they bought into the legalistic practices that false teachers were pressuring them to follow, then all Paul’s time of sacrificial mentorship and teaching in their lives would be for nothing.

Have you ever worked hard for something only to have it ruined or taken away from you in the end? That’s a painful experience for sure, only here Paul was more concerned “for them” than for himself. He was more concerned that they end up having never been saved in the first place – having never actually believed on Christ alone.

Is anyone nervous about the genuineness of your faith and why?

Key Question

Paul had rescued them from paganism. (Gal 4:12-18)

Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all.

Galatians 4:12

Until this place in the letter, Paul builds his case against legalism, both for salvation and for living the Christian life. Now with the statement, “become like me,” he gives his first words of instruction that call the believers to action.

How did Paul want them to become like him? In the same way, he had become like them. As pagans, they hadn’t followed the OT law to earn favor with God, but as a Pharisee, Paul had practiced the law rigorously. To believe on Christ alone for salvation, he had to abandon his legalistic lifestyle. Now he was urging these professing believers to also abandon their drift towards a legalistic lifestyle as well.

“You have not injured me” assures the believers they have not offended Paul or hurt his feelings in a ‘grudge’ sort of way. He was not upset at them for letting him down or damaging his reputation. He was simply afraid that they were not believing in Christ alone. He was concerned for their spiritual relationship with God, not their relationship with him.

When people you love and have served in the church struggle spiritually, do you take that as a personal let down and offense, or are you genuinely concerned for their spiritual condition?

Key Question

You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first.

Galatians 4:13

Paul reminds the believers in Galatia why he came to them in the first place. He hadn’t traveled to their cities to evangelize them, for he was doing that in a southern location instead. Yet God changed his plans by allowing a “physical infirmity.”

We don’t know what this physical infirmity was or even if it was the “thorn in the flesh” that he described to the church at Corinth (2 Cor 12:7-10). What we do know is that because of this illness or injury, he had traveled farther north – perhaps for treatment – and ended up evangelizing the people with whom he came into contact on this medical detour.

When you experience physical illness or injury, do you view that as a setback or do you find new ways to spread the gospel through your suffering?

Key Question

And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

Galatians 4:14

When Paul arrived in their community, these people who would become believers did not look down on him or reject him due to his illness, though they may easily have done so.

• Why listen to a guy who claims to have a message from God but suffers so greatly?
• Wouldn’t his illness or injury mark him as a man whom God (or the gods) had cursed?
• How can he be a spiritual teacher who showed them how to receive favor from God?

In fact, they did more than accept him. They received him with the greatest respect. They treated him as a messenger from God, just as they may have received Christ himself.

Do you look down on other believers who exhibit more suffering than success – or who are just not appealing to look at?

Key Question

What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me.

Galatians 4:15

They were so happy (or “blessed”) by Paul’s exemplary life and teaching ministry that they would have removed their own eyes if he had needed them to do so. What friendship!

Perhaps Paul suffered from a repulsive eye condition that made him uncomfortable look at. We don’t know for sure. It’s also possible he is simply describing a close friendship.

Bruce says, “There’s no sacrifice…which one will not make for a friend. There’s a story “of Scythian friends Dandamis and Amizoces in which Dandamis sacrificed his eyes to ransom Amizoces from captivity, and when Amizoces was then set free he blinded himself because he couldn’t bear to see his friend’s blindness” who sacrificed to rescue him.”^[1]

By teaching the pagan, idol-worshiping people in Galatia about salvation by faith in Christ alone, he had been that friend who rescued them from spiritual bondage and emptiness. As a result, they would have done anything to meet his material and physical needs.

How deep are your Christian relationships? Would “being willing to pluck out your own eyes and give them” describe the depth of your friendships in the church?

Key Question

Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

Galatians 4:16

They had developed such a special relationship of love and respect for Paul less than a year before, so what had changed? Was he a messenger from God, or wasn’t he? Either he was telling them the truth or lying to them!

Here’s the irony – how could Paul become the closest of friends for bringing them the gospel, then months later become their enemy for telling them the same truth as before?

This isn’t the most theological argument Paul offers, but it’s an effective point from an emotional, logical, and relationship standpoint.

Now they were being recruited by legalism. (Gal 4:17-18)

Legalism recruits us, but the gospel rescues us. Legalism, no matter how conscientiously, rigorously, or sincerely observed, has never rescued anyone from sins or given anyone a right or closer relationship with God.

Here Paul contrasts the way he first reached the Galatian believers with the gospel to the way legalistic teachers were now reaching them in his absence. Paul wanted to rescue them from their sins, but these teachers were hoping to recruit them to their group instead.

• “They zealously court you, but for no good” (Gal 4:17). These teachers were aggressive and highly motivated, but not for a good reason. What was their goal?
• “Yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them” (Gal 4:17). They wanted these people whom Paul had reached with the gospel to become their exclusive (“to exclude you”) and devoted (“be zealous for them”) followers.

Rather than point people to Christ, as Paul did, legalism recruits us to a false alternative – a set of religious patterns, practices, and preferences exclusive to them which they believe make them more acceptable to God than others who claim to follow Christ.

Are you so loyal to any Christian group that you cannot simply say what Christ also said, “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister” (Mk 3:35).

Key Question

But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you.

Galatians 4:18

Paul clarifies that it’s good to be enthusiastic about your Christian beliefs. We should not take a passive, laissez-faire approach. Zeal and passion for our mission and values as Christians should be real. A serious Christian is a zealous Christian, not a careless one.

Yet we must first be sure that what we’re zealous about is “good” and doesn’t:

• Contradict the gospel of salvation and acceptance by God through faith in Christ alone
• Cause exclusive loyalty to a group of people besides Christ and his church

Paul also points out a tendency in new followers of Christ to follow whichever persuasive teacher captures their attention next. The Galatian believers had developed a close relationship with Paul when he was with them, but when he moved elsewhere about a year later, they quickly shifted their attention to legalistic teachers instead.

Which word describes how you live out your faith in Christ: casual or passionate?

Key Question

Paul emphasized the need for continued growth in Christlikeness.

My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you.

Galatians 4:19

Paul calls these believers, not followers, students, or recruits, but “my little children.”

• As children, he emphasizes his close parent-child relationship with them.
• As little children, he also emphasizes the newness of their relationship with Christ.

Then surprisingly he describes his relationship with them not as a father but as a mother:

“He [speaks] in terms of the embryo being formed in the mother’s womb until it reaches maturity and is ready to be born….The birth involves birth-pangs, but it is Paul himself who endures them on his converts’ behalf. He is enduring them, in fact, for a second time; the first time was when he preached the gospel to them and they came to faith in Christ.”[2]

Only a mother can fully understand what Paul is saying here. (I guess that makes me wonder whether Paul even understood 😊).

• He describes what he had gone through to bring these people to Christ as carrying and giving birth to a child.
• He also describes his effort for Christ to become more fully lived out in their lives using the same analogy.

So, Paul tells us that it takes just as much effort to let go of legalism to come to Christ for salvation as it does to stay focused and dependent on him in our daily Christian life afterward. It’s just as difficult to leave legalism before Christ as it is to resist it after Christ.

Who are you “going through childbirth” for right now whether to bring them to faith in Christ or to increase their maturity in Christ?

Key Question

Is anyone “going through childbirth” for you?

Key Question

I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you.

Galatians 4:20

We’re often concerned about framing our email and text messages just right so that the recipient doesn’t misunderstand our tone. Paul was concerned that the Galatian believers would misinterpret his tone as being angry, hurt, jealous, or offended by their spiritual struggles. For this reason, he wished he could talk to them face to face and express his thoughts and feelings with the right facial expressions and voice inflections so they would accurately understand his loving, parental concern for their spiritual success.

Why was Paul concerned for these believers? He was concerned that their new fascination with legalism was revealing that they had never understood true faith in Christ alone at all. Had they misunderstood his teaching? Had they been loyal to him as an influential teacher but not to Christ? Had they really been saved?

Have you genuinely believed in Christ alone for salvation, or have you only gone through the motions for some other reason, such as wanting to please a person close to you who loves you?

Key Question

If you have not yet trusted in Christ alone for salvation but are still attempting to secure salvation and favor with God through your religious performance, then I urge you to leave legalism behind and put your trust in Christ alone for your salvation.

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^[1] Bruce, 211.

2 Bruce, 212.