We Are Children of Promise

Summary: Paul turns to those who want to live “under the Law” and challenges them to listen to what the Law itself says. He retells the story of Abraham’s two sons: one was born to the slave woman, Hagar, through ordinary human means, and the other was born to the free woman, Sarah, through God’s promise. Paul explains that these two women represent two distinct realities—two covenants and two ways of belonging. He associates Hagar with Mount Sinai and the covenant connected with it, portraying it as producing a condition like slavery. He links this to the “present Jerusalem,” describing it as in bondage along with her children. In contrast, he speaks of “the Jerusalem above” as free, presenting her as the true mother of believers. To reinforce this contrast, he draws on Scripture that celebrates a barren woman becoming unexpectedly fruitful, emphasizing that God’s promise creates life where human ability cannot. Paul then applies the story directly to his readers: he says they are like Isaac—children produced not by human effort or status, but by promise. Yet he notes that, just as the child born by ordinary means once opposed the child born through promise, so it is in the present: the life shaped by “the flesh” conflicts with the life shaped by the Spirit. Paul concludes by invoking the scriptural outcome of the story: the slave woman and her son are not to share the inheritance with the free woman’s son. On that basis, he states his final identity claim for the believers - those in Christ are not children of the slave woman, but children of the free woman, and therefore belong to the line of freedom and inheritance.   Teaching: The Word is the promise. Only when we follow Sarah according to the promise is there power, and life is changed. The world persecutes the church, and within the church, people of the Law persecute people of faith. People of faith do not persecute people of the Law. Those who grumble in the church and gossip behind others’ backs are all people who leave the promise and live according to various elementary principles and their own religiosity. It is a sad, vulgar, and unhappy life, so do not live like that. In today’s church, the people of God do not find answers in the Bible; everyone demands what is reasonable and what everyone agrees on. But Paul asks what the Scripture says. We are children of the free woman. We must be freed by the gospel of truth. If not, church life becomes difficult and we end up serving as slaves. Church life - and life - may be hard, but shouldn’t it still be joyous? Excerpt from the sermon by Pastor Lee, Mar 5, 2026 Galatians 4:21-31