Galatians 4-6 - Prayer Tents

4Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had.G1161G3004G2818G1909G3745G5550G2076G3516G1308G3762G1401G5607G2962G3956 2They have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set.G235G2076G5259G2012G2532G3623G891G4287G3962 3And that’s the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world.G2532G3779G2249G3753G2258G3516G2258G1402G5259G4747G2889 4But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.G1161G3753G4138G5550G2064G2316G1821G846G5207G1096G1537G1135G1096G5259G3551 5God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.G2443G1805G5259G3551G2443G618G5206 6And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”G1161G3754G2075G5207G2316G1821G4151G846G5207G1519G5216G2588G2896G5G3962 7Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.G5620G1488G3765G1401G235G5207G1161G1487G5207G2532G2818G2316G1223G5547

Paul’s Concern for the Galatians

8Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist.G235G5119G3303G1492G3756G2316G1398G5449G5607G3361G2316 9So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world?G1161G3568G1097G2316G1161G3123G1097G5259G2316G4459G1994G3825G1909G772G2532G4434G4747G3739G2309G3825G509G1398 10You are trying to earn favor with God by observing certain days or months or seasons or years.G3906G2250G2532G3376G2532G2540G2532G1763 11I fear for you. Perhaps all my hard work with you was for nothing.G5399G5209G3381G4458G2872G1519G5209G2872G1500 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. You did not mistreat me when I first preached to you.G80G1189G5216G1096G5613G1473G3754G2504G5613G5210G91G3165G3762 13Surely you remember that I was sick when I first brought you the Good News.G1161G1492G3754G1223G769G4561G2097G5213G4386 14But even though my condition tempted you to reject me, you did not despise me or turn me away. No, you took me in and cared for me as though I were an angel from God or even Christ Jesus himself.G2532G3450G3986G1722G3450G4561G1848G3756G3761G1609G235G1209G3165G5613G32G2316G5613G5547G2424 15Where is that joyful and grateful spirit you felt then? I am sure you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me if it had been possible.G5101G2258G3767G3108G5216G1063G3140G5213G3140G3754G1487G1415G1846G5216G3788G302G1325G3427 16Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?G1096G5620G1096G5216G2190G226G5213G226 17Those false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions are not good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you will pay attention only to them.G2206G5209G3756G2573G235G2309G1576G5209G2443G2206G846 18If someone is eager to do good things for you, that’s all right; but let them do it all the time, not just when I’m with you.G1161G2570G2206G3842G1722G2570G2532G3361G3440G1722G3165G3918G4314G5209 19Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives.G3450G5040G3739G5605G3825G891G3739G5547G3445G1722G5213 20I wish I were with you right now so I could change my tone. But at this distance I don’t know how else to help you.G1161G2309G3918G4314G5209G737G2532G236G3450G5456G3754G639G1722G5213

Abraham’s Two Children

21Tell me, you who want to live under the law, do you know what the law actually says?G3004G3427G2309G1511G5259G3551G191G3756G191G3551 22The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife.G1063G1125G3754G11G2192G1417G5207G1520G1537G3814G2532G1520G1537G1658 23The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of his promise.G235G3303G1537G3814G1080G2596G4561G1161G1537G1658G1223G1860 24These two women serve as an illustration of God’s two covenants. The first woman, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai where people received the law that enslaved them.G3748G2076G238G1063G3778G1526G1417G1242G3391G3303G575G3735G4614G1080G1519G1397G3748G2076G28 25And now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai in Arabia, because she and her children live in slavery to the law.G1063G28G2076G3735G4614G1722G688G1161G4960G2419G3588G3568G1161G1398G3326G846G5043 26But the other woman, Sarah, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. She is the free woman, and she is our mother.G1161G2419G507G2076G1658G3748G2076G3384G2257G3956 27As Isaiah said, “Rejoice, O childless woman, you who have never given birth! Break into a joyful shout, you who have never been in labor! For the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband!”G1063G1125G2165G4723G5088G3756G4486G2532G994G5605G3756G3754G2048G4183G5043G3123G2228G2192G435 28And you, dear brothers and sisters, are children of the promise, just like Isaac.G1161G2249G80G2596G2464G2596G2070G5043G1860 29But you are now being persecuted by those who want you to keep the law, just as Ishmael, the child born by human effort, persecuted Isaac, the child born by the power of the Spirit.G235G5618G5119G1080G2596G4561G1377G2596G4151G2532G3779G3568 30But what do the Scriptures say about that? “Get rid of the slave and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”G235G5101G3004G1124G1544G3814G2532G846G5207G1063G5207G3814G2816G3364G2816G3326G5207G1658 31So, dear brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman; we are children of the free woman.G686G80G2070G3756G5043G3814G235G1658

Freedom in Christ

5So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.G4739G3767G1657G3739G5547G1659G2248G1659G2532G1758G3361G1758G3825G2218G1397 2Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you.G2396G1473G3972G3004G5213G3754G1437G4059G5547G5623G5209G3762 3I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses.G1161G3143G3825G3956G444G4059G3754G2076G3781G4160G3650G3551 4For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.G5547G575G2673G3748G1344G1722G3551G1601G5485 5But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us.G1063G2249G4151G553G1680G1343G1537G4102 6For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.G1063G1722G2424G5547G3777G4061G2480G5100G3777G203G235G4102G1754G1223G26 7You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth?G5143G2573G5101G348G1465G5209G3982G3361G3982G225 8It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom.G3988G3756G1537G2564G5209 9This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough!G3398G2219G2220G3650G5445 10I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you.G1473G3982G1519G5209G1722G2962G3754G5426G3762G243G5426G1161G5015G5209G941G2917G3748G302G5600 11Dear brothers and sisters, if I were still preaching that you must be circumcised—as some say I do—why am I still being persecuted? If I were no longer preaching salvation through the cross of Christ, no one would be offended.G1161G1473G80G1487G2784G2089G2784G4061G5101G1377G2089G1377G686G2673G4625G4716G2673 12I just wish that those troublemakers who want to mutilate you by circumcision would mutilate themselves.G3785G609G2532G609G387G5209 13For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.G1063G80G5210G2564G1909G1657G3440G3361G1657G1519G874G4561G235G1223G26G1398G240 14For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”G1063G3956G3551G4137G1722G1520G3056G1722G25G4675G4139G5613G1438 15But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.G1161G1487G1143G2532G2719G240G991G335G3361G355G240G5259G240

Living by the Spirit’s Power

16So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.G3004G1161G4043G4151G2532G5055G3364G5055G1939G4561 17The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.G1063G4561G1937G2596G4151G1161G4151G2596G4561G1161G5023G480G240G2443G3363G4160G5023G3739G302G2309 18But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.G1161G1487G71G4151G2075G3756G5259G3551 19When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,G1161G2041G4561G2076G5318G3748G2076G3430G4202G167G766 20idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,G1495G5331G2189G2054G2205G2372G2052G1370G139 21envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.G5355G5408G3178G2970G2532G5125G3664G3739G4302G5213G4302G2531G4277G2532G4277G3754G4238G5108G2816G3756G2816G932G2316 22But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,G1161G2590G4151G2076G26G5479G1515G3115G5544G19G4102 23gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!G4236G1466G2596G5108G2076G3756G3551 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.G1161G3588G5547G4717G4561G4862G3804G2532G1939 25Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.G1487G2198G4151G4748G2532G4748G4151 26Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.G1096G3361G1096G2755G4292G240G5354G240

We Harvest What We Plant

6Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.G80G1437G2532G444G4301G1722G5100G3900G5210G3588G4152G2675G5108G1722G4151G4236G4648G4572G3361G4771G2532G3985 2Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.G941G240G922G2532G3779G378G3551G5547 3If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.G1063G1536G1380G1511G5100G5607G3367G5422G1438 4Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.G1161G1381G1538G1381G1438G2041G2532G5119G2192G2745G1519G1438G3441G2532G3756G1519G2087 5For we are each responsible for our own conduct.G1063G1538G941G2398G5413 6Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them.G1161G2727G3056G2841G2727G1722G3956G18 7Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.G4105G3361G4105G2316G3456G3756G3456G1063G3739G1437G444G4687G5124G2325G2532G2325 8Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.G3754G4687G1519G1438G4561G2325G1537G4561G2325G5356G1161G4687G1519G4151G2325G1537G4151G2325G2222G166 9So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.G1161G1573G3361G1573G2570G4160G1063G2398G2540G2325G1590G3361 10Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.G5613G2192G686G3767G2540G2038G18G4314G3956G1161G3122G4314G3609G4102

Paul’s Final Advice

11Notice what large letters I use as I write these closing words in my own handwriting.G1492G4080G1121G1125G5213G1699G5495 12Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don’t want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save.G3745G2309G2146G1722G4561G3778G315G5209G4059G3440G3363G1377G4716G5547 13And even those who advocate circumcision don’t keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples.G1063G3761G846G4059G5442G3551G235G2309G4059G5209G4059G2443G2744G1722G5212G4561 14As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.G1161G3361G1096G1698G2744G1508G1722G4716G2257G2962G2424G5547G1223G3739G2889G4717G1698G2504G2889 15It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation.G1063G1722G5547G2424G3777G4061G2480G5100G3777G203G235G2537G2937 16May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.G2532G3745G4748G2583G5129G2583G1515G1909G846G2532G1656G2532G1909G2474G2316 17From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus.G3064G3930G3367G3930G2873G3427G1063G1473G941G1722G3450G4983G4742G2962G2424 18Dear brothers and sisters, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.G80G5485G2257G2962G2424G5547G3326G5216G4151G281