Galatians 3–4: Sonship, Promise, and the Spirit

In Galatians 3 and 4, Paul teaches that believers are justified not by works of the Law, but by faith in Christ. He shows that the Law served a temporary purpose, but now that Christ has come, believers are no longer under it. Instead, they are full-grown heirs, sons of God, born of the Spirit, and recipients of the promise made to Abraham. Through powerful illustrations, Paul contrasts slavery and freedom, flesh and Spirit, and children and sons to emphasize the centrality of Christ and the believer’s new identity in Him.

1. Justification by Faith, Not by the Law

Paul begins Galatians 3 by appealing to the Galatians’ own experience: they received the Spirit by faith, not by works. He then points to Abraham as the model of faith, showing that the promise came before the Law.

• Galatians 3:2–3 – “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”
• Galatians 3:6–9 – “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.”
• Genesis 15:6 – “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.”
• Habakkuk 2:4 – “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.”
• Romans 4:1–5 – “What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”
• Romans 3:20–22 – “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.”

Paul warns that to rely on the Law brings a curse because no one can perfectly keep it. The Law cannot justify; it can only condemn.

• Galatians 3:10 – “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.”
• Deuteronomy 27:26 – “Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.”
• Galatians 3:13 – “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.”
• Psalm 109:8 – “Let his days be few; and let another take his office.”

2. The Promise Came Before the Law

The covenant with Abraham was a promise, given by God, not conditioned on obedience to the Law. It was about grace, not performance. The Law came later, not to replace the promise, but to expose sin and prepare the way for Christ.

• Galatians 3:17–18 – “And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.”
• Galatians 3:19 – “Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.”
• Genesis 12:1–3 – “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
• Romans 5:20 – “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.”
• Hebrews 8:6–7 – “But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry... For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.”
• Jeremiah 31:31–34 – “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant... I will put my law in their inward parts...”

Thus, the Law served a purpose: it was not contrary to the promise, but it was temporary and preparatory. It revealed sin and pointed to Christ.

3. The Law as a Guardian Until Christ

Paul uses a powerful image from Greco-Roman society: a paidagōgos, or guardian, who watched over a child until the time of maturity. The Law was like that guardian—it could not give life or inheritance, but it restrained and tutored until Christ.

• Galatians 3:24–25 – “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.”
• 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; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.”
• Proverbs 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
• Romans 7:1–4 – “Ye are become dead to the law by the body of Christ... that ye should bring forth fruit unto God.”

Believers are no longer children under the Law but are mature sons who belong to Christ and share in His inheritance.

4. Full Adoption and the Spirit of the Son

God sent His Son to redeem those under the Law and sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts. This Spirit testifies to our new identity and relationship with God—as sons, not slaves. We share in Christ’s Sonship and cry, “Abba, Father.”

• Galatians 4:4–6 – “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son... And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”
• Romans 8:15–16 – “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption... The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”
• John 14:20 – “At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.”
• 1 John 1:3 – “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you... that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”
• Psalm 68:5–6 – “A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. God setteth the solitary in families...”

This is the blessing of the Gospel: not merely forgiveness, but sonship and union with God. We are heirs, not based on Law, but on promise and grace.

5. Heirs According to Promise, Not Flesh

Paul teaches that believers are not children of the bondwoman (the Law or flesh) but of the freewoman (grace and promise). This emphasizes the supernatural nature of the Christian life — birthed by the Spirit, not human effort. Just as Isaac was born by promise, so are all who are born again in Christ.

• Galatians 4:28 – “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.”
• Galatians 3:14 – “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”
• Romans 4:19–21 – “And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead... He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith...”
• Genesis 21:1–7 – “The LORD visited Sarah as he had said... Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age... And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.”
• John 3:6 – “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

In contrast to self-effort and law-keeping (the way of Ishmael), those who are in Christ walk according to promise, trusting in God's ability to bring life where there is none.

6. The Allegory of Hagar and Sarah

Paul uses the story of Abraham’s two sons — Ishmael and Isaac — as an allegory for two covenants: Law and Grace, flesh and Spirit. Hagar represents Mount Sinai and bondage; Sarah represents the heavenly Jerusalem and freedom. The message is clear: believers belong to the covenant of grace and are to reject any return to the Law.

• Galatians 4:22–24 – “For it is written, that Abraham had two sons... But he of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.”
• Galatians 4:26 – “But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.”
• Isaiah 54:1 – “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud... For the children of the desolate shall be more than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.”
• Hebrews 12:22 – “Ye are come... to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels.”
• Genesis 16 – Hagar, Sarah’s handmaid, bore Ishmael by human effort.
• Genesis 17 – God's covenant with Abraham, promising Isaac through Sarah.
• Genesis 21 – Isaac's miraculous birth fulfilled God's promise.
• Exodus 19–20 – The Law given on Mount Sinai, representing bondage.

Hagar’s son persecuted Isaac — and so too, the religious flesh opposes the life of the Spirit. Paul commands: “Cast out the bondwoman and her son.” This is a call to reject all confidence in religious self-effort.

• Galatians 4:29–31 – “But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Cast out the bondwoman and her son... so then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.”
• Philippians 3:3 – “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”

7. Living as Sons, Not Slaves

Paul emphasizes that believers are no longer children or slaves, but full-grown sons. Though growth in understanding is needed (1 Cor 2:6), the position God gives is that of a mature heir. This is not something to work for, but to receive by faith.

• 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; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.”
• Galatians 4:7 – “Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”
• Romans 8:17 – “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.”
• 1 Corinthians 3:21–23 – “All things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death... and ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.”

Believers are treated not as spiritual infants but as sons placed into full legal standing. The Greek word huiothesia (“adoption”) implies being placed as an adult son with full rights. Though immature in experience, they are counted as complete in Christ.

• Galatians 4:4–5 – “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son... to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”
• Colossians 2:10 – “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.”
• Hebrews 10:14 – “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”

Thus, the Christian life is not a gradual climb to qualification, but a life lived from a place of fullness and inheritance in Christ.

Summary

Galatians 3–4 gives a sweeping view of the Gospel's power to make believers full heirs of God's promise through faith in Christ. The Law was a guardian, not a giver of life. Christ is the true Seed of Abraham, and all who are in Him are recipients of the Spirit, adopted as sons, and full inheritors of every spiritual blessing. The Christian life is not lived by striving, but by trusting — not according to flesh, but by the Spirit. The believer’s identity is not that of a slave or child of the Law, but of a mature heir of grace, born from the heavenly Jerusalem.

Additional Bible References

• Ephesians 1:3–6 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings... Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself...”
• Romans 4:16 – “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed.”
• Hebrews 6:15 – “And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.”
• John 15:5 – “Without me ye can do nothing.”
• 2 Corinthians 4:13 – “I believed, and therefore have I spoken.”

Comparisons in Galatians: Spirit vs. Flesh

Begun in the Spirit vs. Made Perfect by the Flesh

Galatians Comparison — Faith, Promise, and Freedom vs. Law, Works, and Bondage

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