By Pastor Chinedu Emmanuel

Galatians 4:10-12 “You are trying to earn favor with God by observing certain days or months or seasons or years. 11I fear for you. Perhaps all my hard work with you was for nothing. 12Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles—free from those laws.”

In the latter part of Chapter three, Paul introduced an analogy that he continued in Chapter four. His analogy compares the role of the law before and after the availability of faith in Christ. He explains that prior to faith, the law acted as a guardian, protecting and keeping people in custody. However, with the arrival of Christ, the way of faith was revealed, rendering the law was no longer necessary. Through faith in Christ, people can now be made right with God (Galatians 3:23-25)

With the arrival of Christ and the revelation of faith in Him, the need for the guardians and tutors represented by the law is no longer necessary. We can now directly access God’s blessings through faith in Christ Jesus, just as a child who has come of age can access their inheritance without the consent of guardians. Keeping the law is no longer a requirement to enjoy God’s blessings. Instead, we simply need to put our faith in Christ Jesus and embrace the promises of God, similar to how Abraham believed in God’s promises and experienced the birth of Isaac in his old age. Paul introduces this chapter with a captivating analogy, illustrating the transition from being under the law to the age of inheritance.(Galatians 4:1-7)

Paul expressed his concern for the Galatians who were attempting to earn God’s favor through their own efforts, despite the fact that it is freely given only to those who believe. In Galatians 4:10, he observes that they were trying to gain favor with God by observing certain religious practices based on specific days, months, seasons, or years. Paul fears that his hard work with them might have been in vain. In verse 12, he passionately urges them to live in the freedom he has found, no longer bound by such laws. Reflecting on this, consider how many things you may have done in an attempt to earn God’s favor. Did it truly work? Can we truly earn favor if it is, by definition, an act of graciousness? How much could we possibly pay for a single day of life or any of God’s blessings? And how much could we possibly pay to have our sins washed away?

Paul provides a powerful illustration that God’s favor and blessings can never be earned. Instead, they are received by faith as a fulfilled promise, bestowed by the work of the Holy Spirit who both promises and provides, not through the efforts of human flesh.

In Galatians 4:22-28, Paul uses the story of Abraham’s two sons, Ishmael and Isaac, as an illustration of God’s two covenants. Ishmael was born through human effort to fulfill God’s promise, while Isaac was born as the direct fulfillment of God’s promise. Hagar represents the covenant at Mount Sinai, which brought slavery through the law, while Sarah represents the heavenly Jerusalem, symbolizing freedom.

The lesson here is that human efforts cannot produce God’s promised blessings. Only God, who made the promise, can fulfill it. Just as Isaac was the child of promise and part of the covenant, the blessings of God come through trusting and having faith in Him. In Christ, all the promises are fulfilled, and we can accept and experience them by faith, rather than relying on our own efforts.

Furthermore, Paul highlights the contrast between Sarah and Hagar in terms of fertility. Despite Sarah being initially barren, she ultimately had more children than Hagar. This emphasizes that the power of the Holy Spirit, not natural means or resources, brings forth God’s promised blessings. Through faith in Christ, all who believe become children of Abraham and Sarah, experiencing the abundance of blessings that the Holy Spirit provides.

Therefore, we cannot earn God’s blessings; they are freely given to us in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Our role is to trust in God’s promises and rely on His provision, rather than relying on our own human efforts and plans.

Some people argue that since grace is freely given, they can live however they want, indulging in sin and still enjoy its benefits. However, this is strongly refuted. In Romans 6:1-2, it is made clear that as believers who are dead to sin, we should not continue living in it. Christ living within us is the light that produces only what is good, right, and true. Our faith in Christ results in a transformed life and bears fruit that reflects His character. Those who claim to live in God should live as Jesus did.

Being led by the Spirit of God, we are no longer controlled by our fleshly desires. However, there are fake believers who profess to know God but deny Him through their actions. They are condemned, for their hearts are far from Him. In Jude, it is emphasized that some ungodly individuals have infiltrated the church, promoting immoral living under the guise of God’s grace. Their condemnation was foretold long ago, as they have denied Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord.

In essence, the argument that one can live however they want and still benefit from God’s grace is firmly rejected. Genuine faith in Christ leads to a transformed life, characterized by righteousness and obedience. Those who promote immoral living are already condemned and have denied the true essence of our faith.

Pastor Chinedu Emmanuel is the Senior Pastor of Fountain Of The Living Word Church, New Jersey.