Useful Bible Studies > Galatians Commentary > chapter 4

Christians who want to obey rules

Galatians 4:8-11

Christ makes people free

Paul has explained how the *Jews obeyed God’s rules. By those rules, the *Jews learned about God. And by Christ, God made *Jews free. But most Christians in Galatia had not been *Jews. Because they were not *Jews, they did not know God then. But they were still like slaves. It was not God’s rules that they had to obey. Something that was worse ruled their lives. They obeyed false gods then. They were the slaves of those false gods.

But now, they knew God. Or, it was better to say that God knew them. God had chosen them. God had saved them. God had changed their lives. God had made them free, and they had become his sons and his daughters.

Rules can seem more important than Christ is

But now the Christians in Galatia want to obey very many rules again. Paul is surprised and sad. They like the rules about special days, special months, and special years. They like all the rules that the *Jews have. And so the Christians in Galatia want to become like slaves.

Paul feels afraid. He had taught these people about Christ. And Christ had made them free. But now, Christ did not seem important to them. They wanted rules now!

Next part: The love of a Christian leader

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