This is one of the most interesting passages in all the Bible. Today, Paul is going to turn a lot of things upside down. He tells us that the true children of Sarah are those saved by faith. The children of Hagar are those of us who are living by the Law. It doesn’t matter who your earthly parents are; what matters is who is your heavenly Father. Your earthly birth is not that important; it is your heavenly birth that matters the most. Today, we talk about the most important birth.

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Good morning. It’s great to be with you this Thursday morning as we continue our study in Galatians. If you’re watching this on YouTube, Facebook, or my blog, you’ll see that we’re back in my normal chaotic office, filled with books, coffee mugs, and a little bit of mess—just the way it should be.

Today, we’re reading Galatians 4:21 through Galatians 5:1. This passage is particularly powerful because of how Paul uses the story of Abraham’s two sons to illustrate faith versus works. I remember the first time I truly pondered this passage during a Bible study at Twin Lakes Camp in the late ’90s. It was eye-opening and remains one of the most fascinating sections of scripture to me.

Paul has been building a case throughout Galatians that we are saved by grace through faith, not by works. He repeatedly reminds the Galatians that Abraham’s story is our story. As believers, we are his spiritual descendants, not because of bloodline but because of faith. Now, Paul takes this idea even further by contrasting Abraham’s two sons, Ishmael and Isaac.

Ishmael was born to Hagar, the slave woman, as a result of Abraham and Sarah’s impatience with God’s promise. Ishmael represents human effort—works. On the other hand, Isaac was the child of promise, born to Sarah through divine intervention. Isaac represents faith. Paul flips the Jewish understanding of lineage on its head. He argues that true children of Abraham are not those who simply descend from Isaac but those who live by faith in Christ.

He goes even further by saying that Ishmael, the son born of human effort, corresponds to Mount Sinai and the old law. Meanwhile, Isaac, the child of faith, corresponds to the heavenly Jerusalem and freedom in Christ. Paul’s point is clear: It is not enough to be born into the right family or follow the right traditions. What matters is being born again through faith in Christ.

This passage reminds us that our identity in Christ is not based on our earthly lineage, background, or achievements. It doesn’t matter where we come from, what mistakes we’ve made, or how impressive our religious efforts are. What matters is that we are children of God through faith. It’s not about our first birth but our second birth—being born again in Christ.

Tomorrow, we’ll continue with another powerful theme in Galatians: Christian freedom. I look forward to exploring that with you. Have a great day!