Galatians 4: 1-2 “…Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; 2 but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.”
All my years of being a Christain , this verses were always linked to spiritual maturity but when you read it in context, you will find out that the tutors and governor refers to th law.
Notice that the opening sentence in this construction begins with, Now I say…” This means what I am saying is, or he is trying to continue or emphasise what he had said, in other words he is trying to show you the implication of what he had said.
Now to find out what he had said, let us back up to the preceding chapter.
Galatians 3 opens up with Paul`s rebuke. Paul was livid at the Galatian church and called them stupid or unintelligent twice and alluded that they had been tricked from believing the truth “… O foolish or stupid or unintelligent Galatians, who has bewitched or tricked you, that you should not obey the truth” (Galatians 3:1) and concludes by informing us that we are Abraham`s seed or descendant and heirs according to the promise.(Glatians3 :29)
The issue with the church at Galatia was that they were living a mixed life, meaning, simultaneously living under the law from which they had being delivered from and living under grace.
This is problem with many churches, today. They are mixing law and grace; this is tantamount to practising wrong doctrine.
They aver that they are trying to balance grace, but what man calls balance, God calls mixture and Paul reactions, shows that God frowns at wrong doctrines.
A wrong doctrine creates wrong belief system. When you believe wrong, you will live wrong, but when you believe right, you will live right.
You see, living under the law means living under a curse or living under a circumstance that empowers you to fail or not to succeed or thrive, which infers that you are doomed to disappointment and destruction. Galatians 3:10)
On the other hand, living under grace is tantamount to living under a blessing, or living under a circumstance that empowers you to succeed, thrive or make progress, since everyone who believe as Abraham believed are blessed just as Abraham was. “ (Galatians 3:9).
Under grace, you belong to Christ, which makes you Abraham`s offspring (seed) and heirs according to the promise. But as long as you are still living like a child, by returning to Law or child minder which is meant for children, you will find it difficult to approriate the blessings of God.
Galatian 3:23-25 “… But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.”
You see, the law had its purpose, and it has served its purpose. As Christian people, we are no longer under the law, the law was given to expose your sin, show you how sinful you are, condemn you and bring you to the end of yourself, so that in your hopelessness you will see that you need a savior.
The Law served as your schoolmaster, trainer or guardian. It was your guide to Christ or was meant to lead you to Christ by exposing your flaws. Now that that Christ the savior, whom the law was to guide you to, has come, you no longer need a schoolmaster, trainer or child minder.
You see, schoolmaster or child minder or tutor is the guardian of your childhood or is meant for children, thus living under the law is mark of spiritual immaturity.
The child has a right to inherit ten beautiful cars, but he cant drive them until he quits being a child. Even though he owns them.
You see, the law is a schoolmaster,tutor, child minder, and an heir as long as he is a child is placed under tutors, child minders An heir that is a child is an heir that is till being tutored under the law.
So living life under the law is what makes you a child. Trying to be righteous by your works is what makes you a child. Trying to perform and measure up to get God to bless you is what makes you a child.
You can’t trust a child with all of his inheritance, though he has a right to all the inheritance, as long as he still under the tutors and governors, he can’t have the inheritance.
You see tutors and governors, speaks of the law, and as long as you are still under tutors and governors you are still a child and not different from a servant.
The law gives glory to man because it is based on man’s accomplishment or man’s effort or self – effort. It points to you man and gives man something to boast about. But grace points you to God, gives all the glory to God.
Many preachers are afraid to speak or teach about grace because it points the pew to Jesus and makes them loose control. Such preacher revel in the pew looking to them, and statistics shows that when such leaders are not in church, member’s stay away from church in droves.
To learn more, you can call or write to order my teachings on the Abrahamic covenant of grace.
Pastor Emmanuel Emeke Asiwe, Joint Heirs International, #441 Cresecent, Brockton MA 02302 : Worship Hours: Sunday 10a.m, Wednesday 7p.m, Saturday 6a.m : Phone: 508-510-5540: Email: info@jointheirsint.org
