Central Truth

Except to confess Christ as our Lord and Savior, we don’t have to “do” or comply with anything else to be members of Christ’s family—Christ has already done it.

Reflections

Have you heard tales of slaves who wouldn’t leave their masters when given freedom? Of long-term prisoners who couldn’t leave the penitentiary when their time was up? Today’s scripture has that kind of twist.

Those Judaizers! They just kept following Paul around. Here in Galatia, they denied that the new Christians were given their freedom, that they’d been released from the bondage of the law—from legalism. Paul had personally turned the key, opened their cell door and beckoned them “Come out into a world—a universe—where you are free.” But much more than that, he said, “You are now adopted heirs of all the riches of the King!” As are we, friends in Christ.

Paul used the story of Abraham’s sons Ishmael and Isaac to show the Galatians how huge is this freedom. Firstborn Ishmael was the son of a slave and, under the law, he always would be. He wouldn’t inherit his father’s wealth and blessing. But Isaac! He was God’s promise; Abraham and Sarah’s impatience to do it their way didn’t change Isaac’s position as future owner of the estate and patriarch, after Abraham, of offspring more numerous than the stars.

What does Paul’s allegory mean to the Galatians and to us? It means we don’t need the law—the commandments—anymore. We don’t need to bind ourselves by legalistic rules, codes and standards to make us be “good enough” for God. Jesus said essentially that when he told a Jewish legal expert that there is no commandment greater than “[L]ove the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” and “[L]ove your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31 NIV)

Think of this! If we all—everyone—loved fully as in Mark 12:29-31, there would be no need for any other law: No Federal, state or municipal criminal, civil, business, tax, or estate law. Instead, in our love for God, we would always treat our neighbor as if our own personal best interests were at stake.

Discussion Questions

1. Do you feel more comfortable with rules or freedom? Why?
2. Why might a Christ follower have trouble fully embracing the truth that God's love is unconditional? How can we help one another experience this reality? 
3. What's one thing you could do this week to love your neighbor as yourself?