Paul the apostle has been
employing the example of an immature heir to demonstrate the timing
for the law of God and the promise of God. Since the church members
in Galatia have been infiltrated by Judaizers who were promoting the
keeping of the law of God in addition to having faith in God, Paul
felt it necessary to be sure the Galatians knew the relationship
between them both. In our previous verse Paul explained how an heir
was under tutors and governors until maturity was accomplished, and
today in chapter four and verse three he likens us to the heirs in
training. He said,
Even so we, when we
were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
Just as
the heir is under tutors, Paul begins, “Even so we, when we were
children,...”. First let us see how Paul identifies himself
along with the group of believers in Galatia. He doesn't elevate
himself as being superior, but recognizes his own state being common
to theirs. All of them were “children” or young at one time, and
there were rules that were necessary to follow. Heirs and children
must follow guidelines to keep alive and function in immaturity.
Paul
goes on to say, “were in bondage under the elements of the
world:” When the law was given by Moses, there were many rules,
regulations, and rituals that needed to be observed by the people of
God. Often there was no reason given for keeping these rules, it was
simply understood that all should obey them. There was a “bondage”
under the law of God. Paul notes that we were under that “bondage”
as we were under the “elements of the world” or the law. The law
of God served its purpose in leading us to the knowledge of our own
propensity to break it, and it kept society from totally obliterating
itself.
In other
words, there was an appropriate time for the law to be in place. The
law of God is not forsaken, but it rather functioned in the timing of
God while we were as children. Paul's idea is to allow the Galatian
church members to know the significance of the law of God and the
timing of it. There is more to add to his words, but we shall have to
wait until our next verse to gain more clarity from Paul's thoughts.
Next time we will
look at God's timing for sending His Son, so read ahead, and let us
join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look for
the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation
to Generation” in all major
bookstore
sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to
e-books, and find it locally
at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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