Galatians 4:21-31: a reflection

21Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, don’t you listen to the law? 22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant, and one by the free woman. 23However, the son by the servant was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise. 24These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar. 25For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children. 26But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27For it is written, “Rejoice, you barren who don’t bear. Break out and shout, you who don’t travail. For the desolate women have more children than her who has a husband.” 28Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 29But as then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. 30However, what does the Scripture say? “Throw out the servant and her son, for the son of the servant will not inherit with the son of the free woman.” 31So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant, but of the free woman.

Paul draws an illustration from the story of Abraham's two sons: Ishmael, born of the slave woman Hagar, and Isaac, born of the free woman Sarah through God's promise. These, Paul says, picture two ways of relating to God: one of slavery, tied to law-keeping and earning, and one of freedom, tied to promise and grace. And he declares which we are: we, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise; we are not children of the slave but of the free woman. Those who belong to Christ are children of freedom, born by God's promise, not slaves striving to earn their standing.

Notice the identity Paul gives us: children of the free woman, children of promise. We do not relate to God as slaves, anxiously trying to earn his acceptance by our law-keeping and performance, always insecure about our standing. We relate to him as free children, whose standing rests on his promise and grace, received as a gift. Our sonship is not earned but given; we are children of promise, born to freedom.

That identity is meant to set us free. Many of us relate to God as though we were slaves, striving anxiously to earn his favor, insecure, burdened, always trying to be good enough. Paul says: you are not a slave but a free child, a child of promise. Your standing rests not on your performance but on God's promise and grace. Live, then, in the freedom of that identity. Do not return to the bondage of trying to earn what God has given freely. You are a child of the free woman, born to freedom by God's promise; live as the free and beloved child you are, resting in grace rather than striving in slavery.

Lord, Paul reminds me that I am not a child of the slave woman but of the free, a child of promise like Isaac, born to freedom by your grace, not a slave striving to earn my standing. Set me free by that identity. So often I relate to you as a slave, anxiously trying to earn your acceptance, insecure and burdened, always trying to be good enough. Help me remember that my standing rests not on my performance but on your promise and grace, received as a gift. Let me live in the freedom of being your free and beloved child, and keep me from returning to the bondage of trying to earn what you have given freely. I am a child of promise; help me rest in your grace rather than strive in slavery. Thank you for making me free.