Galatians 4
The book of Galatians is a letter. When we keep that in mind, we should not be stumbled by the chapters and verses that were placed into this letter. It is a fluid writing and when we go from chapter 3 to chapter 4 and then on to chapter 5, Paul continues speaking about a main point and that is Grace v. the Law.
In chapter 3 Paul is sure to point out that the Law brings a curse on individuals and that we are justified by faith and not by the law. He also states that the Spirit of God came to men not by the law, but by faith. Paul is combatting an issue he has seen crop up in the Galatian church and that is that they are falling back into their old ways.
In chapter 4 Paul makes two declarative statements about the believer in Jesus Christ. First, he states, “we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free” (verse 31). He also states that we are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (verse 7). The only reason one could be called this is by faith, not by following the law because we can never be perfect. James, in his letter, mentions that if we break one part of the law, we are guilty of breaking the whole thing. The reason the Galatians are children of God is because they were given grace on account of their faith.
Paul’s fear is that the Galatians are “turning again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire to be in bondage?” (verse 9). The Galatians had been known by God, experienced His grace and were in danger of referring back to their old ways. I am not one to point fingers at them because how often do we fall back into trusting in our traditions? How often do we forget that our Salvation hangs on what Jesus did on the cross? How often do we want to say that Jesus + something = salvation? Paul could very well be writing the same thing to our church here in the United States.
So, what is the takeaway? The most important thing, when it comes to our Christian doctrine, is that our salvation is by grace alone in faith alone. Jesus + nothing = everything. We don’t add good deeds to our salvation. We don’t add baptism to our salvation. We don’t add confession or penance to our salvation. We stick to Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Now I will add that good works play a role in the believer’s life by means of sanctification, but that is a completely different doctrine. The believer should be baptized and should confess and repent of their sins individually or with another believer. But we must remember that our salvation is by our turning from sin and submission to Jesus.