Galatians Chapter Four Galatians 4:19-20 My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you-- but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

Verse 17 The Legalist’s Scheming: 1. To accomplish their ends they had to win the Galatians' confidence by building them up as something really special 2. Then eliminate grace orientation. This is the excluding they did. Once they got rid of grace, these believers had nothing to turn to 3. Once grace was gone, the legalists were there to offer their brand of spirituality, Judaist legalism. 4. PRINCIPLE: That same evil process which was working in Galatia is working today with man centered religions, churches and cults

Paul contrasts himself as a good teacher with the Judiazers who are the false teachers: 1. False Teachers will lavish attention on the student or the sheep 2. True Teachers will lavish attention on the object of our faith, the Lord Jesus Christ Principle: A good teacher will seek after his students that they may have the highest and the best that the plan of God has to offer.

Until Christ is formed in you: 1. FORMED is the aorist, passive, subjunctive of MORFON morfon, the outward resemblance of an inner reality 2. He is addressing believers. He already gave birth to them once, now is have labor pains a second time 3. Paul wants them to move on in grace, to a time when they will have the outward appearance of the inner reality of their salvation

Until Christ is formed in you: PRINCIPLE #1: Developing the character of Christ is a process which demands spiritual growth. PRINCIPLE #2: The aorist tense point is time is the believer’s status of maturity which comes as a result of spiritual growth PRINCIPLE #3: Not all believers will have the reality of this potential. The subjunctive mood

Until Christ is formed in you: 4. This word is only used in one other place in the Pauline writings. Philippians 2:5-8 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God The Application Christ took on the form of man (Philippians 2:6) so that we could fulfill Galatians 4:19 and take on the form of Christ

In having Christ formed in us we do three things No reputation: Grace orientation Humility: Orientation to God’s Authority Obedient: To the Word of God by faith Christ did three things in taking on the form of man Made Himself of no reputation He humbled himself Became obedient

Even Perplexed, Paul continues to Teach Truth: 1. He will continue to teach them 2. Paul realizes the battle is the Lord's, including the battle against legalism 3. If he was there with them his tactic might have been different, but he was not so all he can do is present the truth

PRINCIPLE: Paul can't solve there problem PRINCIPLE: Paul can't solve there problem. He can only present the truth that will allow them to deal with / solve their problem: As a communicator he tells the truth As listeners they must welcome the truth And in making decisions they must seek the truth

NOAH SHEM EBER TERAH ABRAHAM NAHOR HARAN ISAAC ISHMAEL LOT JACOB ESAU ARABS MOAB AMMON EDOM ARABS ISRAELITES (Jews)

Genesis 15 God makes an unconditional promise to Abraham to provide a son Genesis 16:1-6 Man's attempt to fulfill God's promise by his own schemes

Hagar = Mt. Sinai (Law) = Jerusalem (Legalist) THE POINT: Just as Hagar was on the wrong side of the Abrahamic covenant of promise, so are the Judiazers. PRINCIPLE: Hagar being a slave could only produce a slave and the Legalist are salves and they can only produce slaves Compare Galatians 3:10 For as many are of the works of the Law are under a curse.

Philippians 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; The spiritual descendants of Abraham through Sarah are all who have put faith in Christ Galatians 3:29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.