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Galatians 4:12-20
Paul had been reinforcing his teaching to the assemblies in Galatia. They had become deceived, buying
into a false doctrine that made their own works a necessary element in their salvation.
Paul made it plain that men are justified simply by trusting in Jesus and His work on the cross for them
that alone can save them. To try to add any of mans works to that be it the Law, circumcision, or
anything else is to render the work of Gods Son null and void to make it of no effect.
But how great a salvation Gods work in Christ effected for mankind! Faith is the channel through which
God can grace mankind with the manifold spiritual blessings to be had in Christ. Paul touches upon many
of them in his letter to the Galatians:
freedom from the penalty of sin, death (Gal 3:13);
freedom from the power of sin (Gal 2:20, 5:16);
freedom from the Law, for the Jews (Gal 2:19);
the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:18);
the spiritual graces, or charisma (Gal 3:5);
the life of the Spirit everlasting life (Gal 3:14, 5:25);
an intimate relationship with the Father (Gal 4:6);
a heavenly inheritance a body of glory (Gal 3:29, 4:5).
These were just some of the blessings with which God graced the man who placed his faith in Christ.
Paul also brought out that, through faith in Christ Jesus, men become sons of God. Paul then used two
different aspects of sonship to show Jewish and Gentile believers their equality and unity in Christ. The
Jew was given to see that, before he came to faith in Christ, he was like an heir who was still a young child,
without power and without rights no better than a slave, which points to the Gentiles.
And the Gentiles were given to see that, through believing into Christ, they received the Spirit of Christ,
being adopted into the family of God just as the Jews were. This gave them the opportunity to see
themselves through Gods eyes as full sons, co-heirs with Christ by virtue of their union with Him, with
all the rights and privileges of a son of God.
Within both heirship and adoption are embedded the concept of the glorified body. First, lets consider the
heir. With the heir, the glorified body is pictured in his inheritance. When does an heir receive his
inheritance? When the testator dies (Heb 9:16). The testator is the one who is in possession of, and is
bequeathing, the inheritance. So that is the basis of receiving the inheritance the death of the testator.
For the believer as the heir, who would be the testator? Christ. So at the moment in time when Christs
death is made real to a man through his faith, the man receives his inheritance a glorified body becomes
his. Of course, according to God, who operates outside of time, it has always been his (Eph 1:11), and it is
even now, reserved in heaven for him (1 Pet 1:4), but for the believer, operating under time, the Spirit is
now his guarantee of that inheritance (Eph 1:14).
The adoption as sons will also be realized in its fullness when the believer receives his glorified body, and
is conformed to the image of Gods Son (Rm 8:29). Paul would later write more of his thoughts about the
adoption to the believers in Rome, which well look at briefly in Romans chapter 8.

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[Romans 8:14-23]
v. 14 Now, to be led by the Spirit of God is not some casual following. In order to be led by the Spirit, a
man must have Him on the inside; he must have the Holy Spirit made new to his spirit (Titus 3:5). Then
the Spirit can lead him into all truth (Jn 16:13, guide). In believing, a man is born again, born of the
Spirit (Jn 3:3, 5); born into the family of God, making him a son.
v. 15 the spirit of bondage again to fear speaks specifically of the Law. Paul is writing in this part of his
letter primarily to the Jews. What is it that the Jews received which became a kind of fearful bondage to
them? The Law.
The Jews received the Law from the LORD, so that they would know that they were sinners. The Law was
intended to lead them to Christ (Gal 3:24). But the Law was perverted by men into the religion of Judaism
what Paul called the elements of the world to the Galatians (Gal 4:3).
It is religion that holds men in bondage to try to keep the Law, out of their fear of death (Heb 2:14-15); but
then, in their failure to do so, men are left in their fear.
That is not the spirit they received from the Lord. What spirit did they receive (v. 15)? The Spirit of
adoption. This is placed in contrast to the spirit of bondage again to fear. This Spirit does not bring
bondage; He brings what? Freedom. And He does not cause fear, He relieves it.
The Holy Spirit gives us confidence; not self-confidence, but Christ-confidence. Were confident in what
Christ has done for us. Through His death and resurrection, we die out of that old creation in Adam that we
were born into and are adopted into Gods family as full sons part of that new creation in Christ Jesus.
We are so assured of our position in Gods family that we can address him as Abba Father. Last week,
we came across this same term in Galatians. It speaks of the intimacy we have with the Father; it is an
assured, permanent relationship.
The next verse shows us where we receive this confidence.
v. 16-17 It is the Holy Spirit that gives us the assurance that we are children of God that we are His born
ones. Some of the assurances He gives are His love; His peace; His power over sin; His revelation of the
deep things of God.
If were born of God, we are assured of being His heirs because were His sons, by virtue of our union
with Christ, who is the heir to all things (Heb 1:2) were joint heirs, as adopted sons, with the only
begotten Son of God.
In verse 17, the word if in the NKJV, which follows joint heirs with Christ would be better translated
since we are joint heirs with Christ, since indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified
together. Indeed, we do suffer with Christ not what He suffered, but we suffer with Him, being in this
world system, but not of it. Jesus said, If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before you (Jn
15:18).
But now, Paul puts that suffering in perspective.
v. 18 Whatever it is that we may suffer here and now, it is far outweighed by the future glory which God
shall reveal in us.

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Paul explains this glorification of believers in the section that follows. Now in this passage, Paul will use
the term the creation to mean all that God has given life in the world but with mankind excepted, as a
special case. The creation here is personified by Paul as a single entity and this entity is kind of like an
expectant mother.
v. 19-22 The earnest expectation of the creation is like that of an expectant mother, who knows that life
has been conceived, and is now awaiting the birth. Now, Paul does not have a mother earth mindset
going on here. He is just looking at creation as the place where Gods will is worked out, and where His
plan unfolds and he sees that there is a picture in it.
Christ has come to the earth, and through His death has released that Life (Jn 12:24) which is the hope, not
only of men but of all creation. That was like the conception of the life, in the womb of the expectant
mother. Life has been conceived.
Currently, the gospel is going out to the ends of the earth that good seed which is bringing forth the fruit
of Life everlasting. That Life, in its fullness, will be realized when those who have believed receive their
bodies of glory. That will be the birth.
At that time, Death will be swallowed up in victory (1 Cor 15:54) and thats ultimately what the creation
is waiting for.
When mankind sinned in the garden, the LORD God cursed the ground from which he came (Gen 3:17).
This brought the curse of death upon all the living creation, which came out of the earth. Then Christ
came, and conceived His Life on the earth, so to speak; and now, the creation waits like an expectant
mother, waiting to be delivered from death.
The creation is groaning and laboring with birth pangs even now more today than ever before. When
Christ returns for His bride, the true church, the sons of God will be revealed in their bodies of glory, born
again in real-time. Then death will be banished from the earth and all creation will be delivered from
death. Thats the regeneration of the earth (Rev 21:1); the earth will begin again, in the newness of life.
v. 23 The firstfruits are the promise of a future harvest. The Holy Spirit is the firstfruits in us. He is our
guarantee that we will receive a body of glory (Eph 1:14).
Here Paul ties together our current sufferings in this world system, to our future deliverance in glorified
bodies. We are like the expectant mother here. For that mother, the pain is bearable because it has a
purpose, and a glorious end. That is true for believers, as well. Our sufferings here serve Gods purposes,
and all will be forgotten in that glorious end He has for us.
Notice here that Paul returns to his thought about the believers adoption as sons of God. In its fullness,
Paul shows that adoption to be the redemption of our bodies, when they are metamorphosed into
incorruptible, immortal bodies. Here is the fullness of a son of God, as we are now conformed to the image
of His Son (Rm 8:29). Like Father, like son.
[Return to Galatians]
Paul has made it clear to the Galatians how it is that a man is justified only by believing and that by the
works of the Law, no man is justified in Gods sight. He has caused the Galatians to think upon their own
experience, to see that their receiving of the Spirit was based on their simple faith in Christ alone.

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Paul has also reasoned with them, to show them the real purposes of the Law, which had all been fulfilled
for those who truly believed. And Paul has contrasted for the Galatians the freedom that there is in Christ,
and the bondage that religion brings whether that of the Jew or the Gentile.
Now Paul will make a personal appeal to the Galatians through his letter. This appeal is based on his
unconditional love for them. Paul will stir up their memory as to how things were when he was with them
and what happened after he left.
[Read 4:12-20]
v. 12a Paul was now addressing the assembly as a whole. What was his plea, to them? To become like
him. Paul would later write to the assembly in Corinth, Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ (1 Cor
11:1). Paul had set the example for living by the Spirit in Corinth; and he called on that assembly to follow
his example, and do likewise.
But that is not exactly what Paul meant here. We know this because of the balance of the verse Become
like me, for I [became] like you. What did Paul mean? In what way did Paul become like the Galatians?
Well, for one thing, it is likely true that when Paul lived among them, he conformed to their customs. Paul
wrote about this in a general sense to the church in Corinth. Turn to First Corinthians chapter 9. Paul was
writing about his ministry.
[First Corinthians 9:19-22]
v. 20 those under the Law refers to the Pharisees, who were strict legalists.
v. 21 those without the Law refers to the Gentiles.
v. 22 the weak refers to those who are weak-minded, who vacillate in opinion or faith. Paul didnt try to
strong-arm them, but gave them space to come to a decision on their own.
The key is in verse 19, where Paul wrote, I am free from all. Paul was free in Christ; free from all
earthly constraints, tethered only by the love of Christ, which always constrained him (2 Cor 5:14). Paul
was free to live by the Spirit.
[Return to Galatians]
Paul had become like the Galatians. Their assemblies were mostly Gentile. Paul had been a legalistic
Pharisee, scrupulously keeping the Law, until one day, he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, who freed
him from the Law. Now Paul was free to obey the Spirit of Jesus Christ within him. Paul was urging the
Galatians to become like him to be free in Christ, free from the Law, free to live by the Spirit.
The next sentence really begins the thought of what follows it.
v. 12b-14 The last sentence in verse 12 reads more literally, You have done me no wrong. Paul had
begun to reflect back on his ministry among the Galatians. They had previously done nothing but right by
him.
If you were able to read the passages in Acts that I mentioned last week, you might be inclined to think
differently that Paul had a rather mixed reception.

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The unbelieving in Pisidian Antioch Jews had Paul and Barnabas expelled from the city. The unbelieving
Jews in Iconium riled up the crowds, and almost stoned the missionaries. These Jews then followed the
missionaries to the next town, Lystra, and they were successful there in stoning Paul, leaving him for dead.
Only in Derbe was there no record of persecution against Paul and Barnabas. Paul was clearly done
wrong here.
But in this letter, Paul was specifically referring to his reception by those who came to believe his message
those in the Galatian assemblies, whom he was addressing. Paul wrote that they had done him no wrong,
meaning that they had always treated him well.
We see from Pauls letter here that there was more going on during his first missionary trip than Luke
recorded in Acts. Thats not surprising; Luke omits many, many details, for his part was to trace the spread
of the gospel, which covered several decades.
Paul indicates here that he preached the gospel to the Galatians at the first because of physical infirmity
(KJV, infirmity of the flesh). In the Greek, infirmity generally refers to weakness or sickness. In this
context, it is physical weakness resulting from illness. Paul was actually saying that this infirmity is the
reason he preached the gospel to them originally!
We find that this may also be inferred by a careful reading of the account in Acts. Turn to Acts chapter 13.
Paul, Barnabas and John-Mark had set out on their first missionary journey from Syrian Antioch, preaching
the gospel first on the island of Cyprus. From Paphos of Cyprus, they sailed to Perga in the Roman
province of Pamphylia, in Asia Minor.
Perga was a large city, and thoroughly Hellenized. This was pagan Gentile territory, which may have been
overwhelming to the young John-Mark, who left the missionaries and returned to Jerusalem. But Paul and
Barnabas pressed on.
[Acts 13:13-14] Notice that there is no record of the missionaries preaching the gospel in Perga, despite the
fact that it was a large city. Pauls usual pattern would be to preach the gospel in the main cities he came
to, as it facilitated the spread of the gospel.
In verse 14, we read that the missionaries departed from Perga. The word for depart in the Greek means
to go through. Paul and Barnabas passed through to the next location, Pisidian Antioch. This is not the
town next door; Pisidian Antioch is located in the Taurus mountains of Asia Minor, 100 miles to the north,
and 3600 feet in altitude. What Paul and Barnabas passed through, then, was a mountain range. The
Roman road known as the Via Augusta covered this course.
If we consider the accounts in Acts and Galatians together, we can see that it is likely that Paul contracted
some type of debilitating illness while in the low-lying coastal region of Perga. Because of this, the
missionaries left Perga quickly, seeking the healthy, cooler climate of the lake region to aid in Pauls
recuperation. The journey there may have taken them a week or more.
It is interesting to note that when Paul and Barnabas are on the return leg of their journey a year or so later,
the account in Acts records that they preached the word in Perga (Acts 14:25), supporting the idea that they
were unable to preach the first time they were there.

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[Return to Galatians]
Its remarkable how the Lord works circumstances to bring about His purposes. Notice that this is the way
Paul views it, now. Its not that he was ill, so he couldnt preach at Perga, and had to go to Galatia to
recuperate. Its that the gospel had to come to Galatia, so illness brought Paul there; illness was just the
vehicle in which the gospel was carried, in this case.
Paul describes this infirmity as a trial in his flesh. This may suggest an illness that was more chronic than
acute. Notice Paul says that the Galatians did not despise or reject his trial; not Paul himself. The
emphasis is on the trial, not the person of Paul. So Paul is not saying here that his appearance was so
repulsive or disfigured from some sickness that the Galatians couldnt bear to look at him, let alone listen to
him.
The fact is, both Jews and Gentiles tended to regard physical infirmity and illness as a symbol of divine
displeasure or punishment. Pauls point was that the Galatian believers did not despise or reject his
message, despite seeing that he was beset by this debilitating illness.
Once these Galatians began to hear his Good News, they gave his message full audience. They listened,
and didnt try to discount what he was saying, despite his apparent weakness. The power of the message
shone through; the Lords strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor 12:9).
Instead of despising or rejecting Pauls trial, the Galatians received Paul as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus
Himself. What does Paul mean here? The angels are Gods messengers; the Galatians listened to Paul as
well as they would to a messenger straight from heaven. And they received Paul as Christs representative,
giving him the deference and respect as they would if it were Christ Himself.
It would seem, then, that the Galatians in these assemblies had embraced the truth of the gospel. Paul
writes of the result of this.
v. 15 Literally, Paul begins, What then was your blessedness? (IL) The idea here is of satisfaction, or
joy. Paul is asking, Remember the joy you experienced when you first heard the gospel preached?
To pluck out your eyes and give them to someone is figure of speech which means to give someone what
is most precious to you; it speaks of total devotion, and great affection. Paul here is testifying that their joy
was so great that they would have done anything for him, or given him anything just for being the one to
bring them such Good News. Pauls unstated question is, Whats happened to all your joy?
v. 16 A more literal rendition of this verse would be, So then did I become your enemy speaking truth to
you? (IL) The verb tense suggests that the truth of which Paul speaks was spoken to the Galatians in the
past before the writing of this letter. This means Paul is referring to the preaching of the gospel, not the
words of this letter.
Paul had told them the truth of the gospel of Christ, the power of God unto salvation for all who believe
and only believe. The assemblies as a whole no longer considered that the truth. They were busy putting
themselves back under the bondage of religion again (Gal 4:3, 9).
The gospel, which they had embraced with such joy did they now consider it a lie? Paul, who had shared
that Good News with them did they now regard him as their enemy? Paul is showing them how foolish a
position they have chosen. It flies in the face of all that they had experienced before.

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Paul now tries to show them just what it was that the false teachers were really after.
v. 17-18 the word zealous, used three times between these two verses, means to be fervent or passionate;
to show warm interest. You can see why the translators here chose to use the phrase zealously court for
the actions of the false teachers.
Truly, they were pursuing the Galatian believers, trying to woo them with their doctrine, and wed them to a
system of works. But they were false suitors; they had dishonorable intentions, which Paul exposes. These
teachers were not interested in the welfare of the Galatians; they were not pursuing them for the Galatians
own good.
The false teachers desired to attain a following; to have the prestige of calling Pauls seeming converts their
own; to wield the power of religion over them. Far from considering the good of the Galatians, they were
seeking to delude them with their false doctrine of works. Those who had not truly believed into Christ
were susceptible to that delusion; and it would leave them powerless over sin, while also excluded from the
kingdom of God.
The zeal of these teachers was a false zeal; and the zeal that their dupes would experience would be a
misplaced zeal. But zeal in itself is not wrong; in fact, Paul indicated that the Galatians manifested, at one
time, a rightly-directed zeal. The only thing was, it had fizzled out, once Paul had left. For many of them,
their seemingly fervent love for Jesus proved to be a passing infatuation; their attention was now held by
others.
A true zeal would not have done that. A true zeal is zealous in a good thing always. Hearts that had been
warmed by the love of Christ could not now be giving Him (or Paul) the cold shoulder. But that was the
case for many in the Galatian assemblies. As Paul had said when he began his letter, they had turned away
so soon from Him who called them in the grace of Christ (Gal 1:6).
Finally, Pauls heart just overflows with his love and concern for them.
v. 19-20 What a contrast to the zealous courting of the false teachers! Where these teachers are motivated
purely out of self-interest, Pauls concern is entirely for the Galatians. Paul calls them his little children; a
term of affection used by a teacher for his disciples.
As Paul would say to the assembly in Corinth, You might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you
do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel (1 Cor 4:15). In that
sense, these were Pauls children, in Christ; and they were dear to him.
Paul took this a step further, perceiving his role not only as paternal, but maternal. Paul saw himself as
laboring in birth again with the Galatians. Clearly, Paul was thinking that not all of the members of the
assembly had truly believed into the gospel.
Paul had toiled throughout Galatia, preaching the good news of Jesus Christ, suffering persecution for the
sake of the gospel all of which was like the labor pains that a mother endures, in order to bring forth her
child. But for some in Galatia, it was just false labor; no Life had ever been conceived. Paul understands
that he must now labor in birth again as he says, until Christ is formed in you. Well return to this
phrase in a moment.

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Paul ends by expressing his wish that he could be present with the Galatians now. Im sure Paul felt that if
he could just be in their midst, he could get to the root of the problem, and correct it. Then he wouldnt
have to use such a sharp tone of reproof with them. But at this time, Paul was unable to come.
His final words, for I have doubts about you has the meaning of not knowing how to proceed. It is
difficult to correct problems with people long-distance, and in letter form. So much can be cleared up in
person; but apparently, Galatia had to wait.
I wanted to return to verse 19, where Paul says he labors in birth again with the Galatians, until Christ is
formed in you. That word formed in the Greek means to form or to fashion. It comes from the noun,
morphe, which means form or shape.
Morphe is synonymous with the Greek word for image. It is also used to describe the formation of the
embryo in the womb before birth.
What an amazing word for Paul to choose, in describing the birth required of the Galatians! He mixes
metaphors again these are Pauls children, and yet Paul must labor for the birth of the Galatians and yet
again, the embryo of Christ is to be formed in them. That is saying the Galatians will give birth, as well,
when that embryo is fully formed in them - complete.
We can surmise what Paul is meaning, here. For some in the Galatian assemblies, the preaching of the
gospel had not really penetrated the heart; it had not been believed and received. Those who merely
professed to believe were not born again of the incorruptible Seed, the Word of God (1 Pet 1:23), to bear
the fruit of Life everlasting in them a glorified body.
Christ could not be formed in them His glorious image apart from the conduit of their faith. And
without a glorified body, the natural, earthly bodies of those Galatians who did not believe would return to
dust when they died, leaving them naked (2 Cor 5:1-4); forever unfit for the presence of God. It is because
Paul so loves his little children, that he must labor in birth again for them lest they perish.
Having made this personal appeal to the Galatians, we will see that Paul next moves on to an illustration
designed to clearly define the choice that the Galatians have before them to put themselves under the
bondage of the Law, or to be free in Christ, and live by the Spirit.
Next week review Genesis 16, 17, 21.