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Text: Galatians 4: 8-9

MSITN VITAL DOCTRINES – SALVATION

“But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?”

Galatians 4:8-9

ADDRESSING THE GENTILE BELIEVERS

1. That Paul was addressing the Gentiles was obvious.

a. There was a time they did not know God.

i. This would never be used to describe the Jews.

ii. They were exposed to the knowledge of God from a very young age.

b. Serving those which are not gods.

i. This is a subtle reference to idol worship.

ii. The Gentiles worshipped Roman and Greek deities.

2. Knowing God

a. The Gentiles had been introduced to God.

i. Through the Gospel.

ii. Through growing knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

b. They had found faith in the Lord Jesus.

i. They had turned away from idolatry.

ii. They had become children of God.

3. God knows us.

a. It is not wrong to say “we know God”.

b. But it is profound to say, “God knows us”.

i. He grants justification.

ii. He makes us His children.

iii. This is a privilege.

iv. This faith-relationship with God is to be guarded and treasured.

4. The danger of returning to bondage.

a. This was a real danger.

b. This danger, however, is a subtle one.

5. What kind of bondage?

a. Paul was referring to those who were influencing the Gentile Christians to keep Jewish laws and traditions.

b. These traditions were man-made laws.

i. These were added on to the Biblical laws.

ii. They were passed on as necessary things to keep.

6. Paul’s view of these man-made laws.

a. He called them “weak and beggarly elements”.

b. Paul was comparing them to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

c. Nothing could be compared with the peerless Gospel.

我夜间的歌曲 – 重要教义：救恩
经文：加拉太书4

“但从前你们不认识神的时候，是给那些本来不是神的做奴仆。现在你们既然认识神，更可说是被神所认识的，怎么还要归回那懦弱无用的小学，情愿再给他做奴仆呢？”

《加拉太书 4：8-9》

对外邦信徒进行评论

1. 很明显地，保罗是在与外邦信徒说话

a. 之前，他们还不认识上帝

i. 这绝不会被用来形容犹太人

ii. 因为犹太人从年幼时就接触到有关上帝的知识

b. 他们所侍奉的不是上帝

i. 这指的是偶像崇拜

ii. 外邦人崇拜罗马和希腊神

2. 认识上帝

a. 外邦人认识上帝

i. 通过福音

ii. 通过对主耶稣基督的认识的增长

b. 他们在主耶稣里找到信心

i. 他们已远离偶像崇拜

ii. 他们因信已经成为上帝的儿女

3. 上帝认识我们

a. 我们认识上帝”确实没错

b. 但“被神所认识”更是深奥

i. 祂使我们称义

ii. 祂使我们成为祂的儿女

iii. 这是一种特权

iv. 我们必须珍惜和保守我们与上帝的信心关系

4. 重返律法的奴役危机

a. 这是个真实的危机

b. 然而，这危机看似很微妙

5. 这是什么奴役呢？

a. 保罗指的是那些要外邦信徒遵守犹太律法和习俗的人

b. 这些是人所制定的习俗

i. 他们将这些习俗加入圣经的律法

ii. 这些习俗也被视为必要谨守的律法

6. 保罗对于人所制定的律法的观点

a. 他称他们为“那懦弱无用的小学”

b. 保罗将他们的律法与主耶稣的福音作相比

c. 世上没有任何的律法或教义能与主耶稣的福音相比