Galatians 4:8-11

Summary retelling of Galatians 4:8-11

Paul then reminds the Galatians that before they knew God, they were enslaved under beliefs and desires that by definition are not God.  However, now that they have come to be known by God what reason do they have for turning back to those things that are not God?  What reason do they have for going back to the traditions of mankind?  Paul then genuine expresses fear that his work with them was in vain.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

It is good for people to be reminded of the way that they were before they knew God.  We should stop and pay attention to the fact that without God we are inherently evil.  Our nature is sinful and our flesh is corrupt.  We are inherently sinful without God as a part of our life.  When we remember the things that we pursued before we pursued God, it should drive us to pursue God with a renewed vigor.

Why should looking at our past ways of pursuing things other than God push us to pursue God even more in the present?

Second Thought:

Paul asks a hard question.  Why do the Galatians now turn back to the traditions that they followed before they new God through the Holy Spirit.  Paul is speaking symbolically.  What Paul is really accusing the Galatians of doing is putting their faith in things like circumcision, kosher laws, and ritual cleanliness.  Instead of putting their faith in Christ and being flexible, the Galatians are return to rigidity without Christ.

What are some examples of things that people make too big of a deal about in the modern church?  What are some things that instead of uniting us tend to separate us?

Third Thought:

Paul says to the Galatians that he is afraid that he has worked in vain.  In other words, Paul is afraid that they might just be losing what claim to salvation of which Galatians once could boast.  Paul isn’t really talking about losing salvation here as much as he is talking about the idea that perhaps the Galatians never really had it in the first place.  Paul is worried that although he thought they had transitioned to faith in Christ that it might not have actually been real.

Does this passage cause you any concern?  How does this warning by Paul make you stop and consider the seriousness of your own faith?

Passage for Tomorrow: Galatians 4:12-16