NT, Part 18. Part 11 in our discussion of Galatians.

“So then, the law was our guardian UNTIL CHRIST CAME, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for IN CHRIST JESUS you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized INTO CHRIST have PUT ON CHRIST. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise” (Galatians 3:24-29 ESV).

Paul makes it clear that what people needed before Christ came — the Law, the ceremonial rituals, the sacrifices, the food restrictions — are no longer needed. The Law was our guardian temporarily, only UNTIL CHRIST CAME. Messiah lived, died, rose, and ascended to heaven. When we turn to him, he places his Spirit within each one of us.

And thus, believers in Christ are now “sons,” both male and female. We are “heirs,” Abraham’s offspring. This was addressed in the previous post (click the arrow at the bottom of the page to go back). We are members of God’s household, his heirs, his sons, both male and female. Examine Galatians 3:28 below. All who believe are equally Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise given to Abraham that his seed, his offspring (singular), Jesus Christ, would bring salvation to the world.

Who are Sons? The original word is huiós, meaning here specifically, sons of God. Those whom God loves and cherishes as a father — Christians (Rom. 8:14, 19; 2 Cor. 6:18; Gal. 3:26; 4:6, 7; Heb. 12:6; Rev. 21:7). Both Christian men and women are cherished by God the Father. Consider the following passage again.

“But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:25-28 ESV).

What are heirs? The original word is klēronómos. It applies to the heirs of the heavenly Canaan (Rom. 4:13, 14; 8:17; Gal. 3:29; 4:1, 7; Titus 3:7; Heb. 1:2; 6:17; James 2:5) and to Christ who is appointed heir and possessor, the Lord of all things (Matt. 21:38; Heb. 1:2). Hence Galatians 3:29.

“And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise“ (Galatians 3:29 ESV).

These are great and precious promises, realities that are true because we are in Christ Jesus. Moving onward through the letter, we uncover even more of these blessings found through salvation in Messiah Jesus.

"And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise" (Galatians 3:29 ESV). These are great and precious promises, realities that are true in Christ Jesus. #Salvation #Faith Click To Tweet

“I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. 3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles[elemental spirits] of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5  to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoptions as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God” (Galatians 4:1-7 ESV).

There’s so much here to be thankful for, to rejoice over, to praise the Lord!

When an heir is a child (above), according to the original language, he is a nḗpios; “One who cannot speak, hence, an infant, child, baby without any definite limitation of age. Nḗpios is used for either masc. or fem. By implication, this is a minor, one not yet of age (Gal. 4:1).”1.

What were we like when we were children, infants in the faith? According to this passage, “In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved by the elementary principles of the world” (Galatians 4:3 ESV).

Using the definition of “elementary principles” below, Paul now labels the ceremonial ordinances of the Mosaic Law as “worldly elements“ to which they were enslaved. He later says the same thing in Colossians 2:8, 20-21.

“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits[elemental principles] of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8 ESV).

“If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch?” (Colossians 2:20-21 ESV).

What exactly are “the elementary principles” of the world? To what were we enslaved when we were immature children, before we came to know and to grow in Jesus? Maybe we still allow these principles to enslave us through wrong thinking and habitually damaged and despondent thought patterns.

The term for these ancient or elementary principles appears in several places in the Bible. Here in the letter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul states that the ceremonial ordinances of the Mosaic Law, the cleanliness laws, and the food restrictions, etc., have now been moved to this same category, SINCE CHRIST HAS COME. There is no need for meaningless rituals any longer. Christ has made us clean.

“Elementary principles” are called stoicheia in Koine Greek. They are the basic parts, rudiments, elements, or components of something. Among the ancient Greek philosophers, stoicheia designated the four basic and essential elements of which the universe consisted, namely, earth, water, air, and fire. In 2 Pet. 3:10, 12 the word carries this meaning.

Figuratively stoicheia also refers to the elements or first principles of the Christian doctrine (Heb. 5:12). Using this word, Paul labels the ceremonial ordinances of the Mosaic Law as “worldly elements” (Gal. 4:3; Col. 2:8, 20, see above). In Gal. 4:9 he calls them “weak and poor elements” when contrasted with the great realities to which they were designed to lead. These elements contain the rudiments of the knowledge of Christ. The Law, as a schoolmaster, was to bring the Jews to this knowledge (Gal. 3:24).

Psalm 1:2 (ESV) informs us, “Blessed is the one whose “delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.” Through this meditation, one alive before Christ learned right from wrong, and one learned about the absolute holiness of God. These brought repentance. And yet now, because of the work of Christ on the cross and the Holy Spirit Who convicts us and empowers our growth, Paul writes:

“But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?” (Galatians 4:9 ESV). The elemental principles are rituals that do not cleanse and offerings that do not atone for sin.

The word “worthless” in the original language is πτωχός ptōchós, (III) Figuratively, of things beggarly, poor, imperfect (Gal. 4:9).2. Thus, Paul, the former Pharisee, labels the Law, since Christ has come and fulfilled the Law.

There is now no need for dietary restrictions or ritualistic sacrifices, because Christ has fulfilled the Law for all who believe in him. Ceremonial precepts dealing with forms of worshipping God and with ritual cleanness and judicial precepts (such as those in Exodus 21) informed the Jewish seeker through the Law of Moses and were only temporary.

There is no more need for these laws and restrictions and sacrifices. Why?

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 TO REDEEM THOSE WHO WERE UNDER THE LAW, so that we might receive adoptions as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God” (Galatians 4:4-7 ESV).

The Lord “redeemed” us, in the original language ἐξαγοράζω exagorázō, from ek (1537), out or from, and agorázō (59), to buy. To buy out of, redeem from. Used of our redemption by Christ from the curse and yoke of the Law (Gal. 3:13; 4:5).5. And, because he has made us his children, sons and heirs, we are may call Father God by the most intimate of terms — Abba.

Abba, ἀββᾶ abbá; transliterated from the Aramaic ʾAbbaʾ (2). “Father, my father. In the NT, it is always used to address God and is followed immediately by the translation (Mark 14:36; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6). This double expression was common in the early church.6.

We can cry out to God with this most intimate of terms — Father, my Father — every time we need his comfort, or crave his ear attending to our prayers. Why? Because believers are now sons, and if sons, heirs through God. The Savior did this for us, making it possible us to be God’s children. We are no longer slaves to sin, but we are sons. Sons are heirs, and that is what we are. We are incredibly blessed.

Jesus came to be born of a virgin, to redeem us by offering his own life through crucifixion. We are adopted by God as his children, his sons, his heirs. God even sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. #Faith Click To Tweet

Jesus came at just the right time to be born of a virgin into a Jewish home, and to redeem us by offering his own life through crucifixion. Because he did, we are adopted by God as his children, his sons, his heirs. God even sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts.

We are no longer slaves to sin, but rather we are his offspring, his heirs, with the ability to cry to him as we would to an attentive and loving father, “Abba! Father!”

We are no longer slaves to sin, but rather we are his offspring, his heirs, with the ability to cry to him as we would to an attentive and loving father, "Abba! Father!" #Salvation #Faith Click To Tweet

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your sacrifice on the cross, taking all of our sins upon you, so that we might come to you in repentance and spend an eternity with you in glory!

  1. Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, Strong’s #3516.
  2.  Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, Strong’s #4434
  3. Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, Strong’s #1805.
  4.  Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, Strong’s #5.