Before the Word: Children of Promise | Galatians 4:21–31

Before the Word: Children of Promise | Galatians 4:21–31

Before the Word is a podcast series by Christ Fellowship Northwest in Greenville, SC. Before the Word episodes air weekly, and in each episode one of our pastors walks phrase by phrase through the biblical text that will be preached the following Sunday. From May 25 through August 9, these episodes will walk through the entire letter of the apostle Paul to the churches of Galatia. Resource ‘Allegory’ Might Not Mean What You Think (Carson Center) [https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/allegory-mean-you-think/] Summary Paul turns to the account of Hagar and Sarah to illustrate two fundamentally different ways of relating to God. Ishmael, born according to the flesh, represents those who seek their standing before God through the law and human effort. Isaac, the child of promise, represents those who receive God's blessing through faith in his gracious provision. Paul shows that God's true heirs are not those who rely on their own obedience but those who trust in Christ, the promised Seed through whom the covenant promises are fulfilled. Those united to Christ are the legitimate children of promise and heirs of God's kingdom. Truth Statement God's true children are born through his promise, not through human effort or law-keeping. Instruction Do not seek your identity or acceptance before God through your own performance. Rejoice that, through faith in Christ, you have been made a true heir of God's promises and belong to his family by grace.

Before the Word: From Slaves to Heirs | Galatians 4:1–20

Before the Word is a podcast series by Christ Fellowship Northwest in Greenville, SC. Before the Word episodes air weekly, and in each episode one of our pastors walks phrase by phrase through the biblical text that will be preached the following Sunday. From May 25 through August 9, these episodes will walk through the entire letter of the apostle Paul to the churches of Galatia. Resource "Adoption" (TGC Essay) by David Garner [https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/adoption/] Summary Paul explains that God's saving work does more than free sinners from condemnation—it brings them into his family. Before Christ came, God's people lived under the guardianship of the law, awaiting the fulfillment of his promises. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son to redeem those under the law so that they might receive adoption as sons. Through faith in Christ, believers are no longer slaves but heirs, and the Spirit of God's Son testifies within them that they belong to the Father. Paul concludes with a heartfelt appeal for the Galatians to remain faithful to the gospel and not return to the slavery from which Christ has delivered them. Truth Statement Through faith in Christ, God redeems sinners, adopts them as his children, and gives them his Spirit as heirs of his promises. Instruction Live as a beloved son or daughter of God. Do not return to the slavery of self-righteousness or legalism, but rest in your Father's love and walk in the freedom Christ has secured for you.

The Law and the Promise | Galatians 3:15–29

The Law and the Promise Galatians 3:15–29 Preacher: Pastor Jared Thomas Date Preached: July 12th, 2026 Paul explains that God's promise to Abraham was never replaced or revised by the giving of the Law. The covenant of promise, established by God and fulfilled in Christ, remains the foundation of our inheritance. The Law served a temporary purpose: exposing sin and guarding God's people until the promised Offspring arrived. Now that Christ has come, all who trust in him are united to God's promised Seed and receive the inheritance by faith rather than by works of the law. Clothed with Christ, believers are no longer defined by the divisions of the old covenant world but are one in him as heirs according to the promise. God's plan of redemption has always rested on his gracious promise, fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Topics: Abrahamic Covenant, Law, Promise, Jesus Christ, Justification, Faith, Union with Christ, Covenant Theology, Inheritance

Before the Word: The Law and the Promise | Galatians 3:15–29

Before the Word is a podcast series by Christ Fellowship Northwest in Greenville, SC. Before the Word episodes air weekly, and in each episode one of our pastors walks phrase by phrase through the biblical text that will be preached the following Sunday. From May 25 through August 9, these episodes will walk through the entire letter of the apostle Paul to the churches of Galatia. Summary Galatians 3:15–29 argues that the Abrahamic promise, ratified by God as an unbreakable covenant, cannot be annulled or modified by the Mosaic Law, which came 430 years later, since the inheritance comes through promise rather than through law-keeping. Paul explains that the Law was given not to provide an alternative path to righteousness but to reveal transgression and to serve as a guardian over God's people until the promised Offspring—Christ—arrived, at which point that temporary role came to an end. He then shows that faith in Christ, not the Law, is what unites believers to Christ and to the Abrahamic promise. All who are baptized into Christ have "put on Christ," and in him the old covenant distinctions of Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female no longer determine one's standing before God. All who belong to Christ are Abraham's offspring and heirs according to the promise. Resource If you would like to learn more about the biblical covenants and covenant theology, here is a good starting point. This TGC article provides a helpful summary and points to several additional resources for further study. The Biblical Covenants by Paul R. Williamson [https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/the-biblical-covenants/] Truth Statement God unfolds his unchanging plan of redemption through his covenants, progressively revealing his grace and calling his people to faith in the promised Seed, Jesus Christ. Instruction Put on Christ. Stop looking to external guides as the source of your righteousness and place your faith in him alone. Through union with Christ, the Holy Spirit dwells within you and writes God's law upon your heart, enabling you to walk in joyful obedience.

The Cursed Savior | Galatians 3:10–14

The Cursed Savior Galatians 3:10–14 Preacher: Pastoral Resident Nate Cure Date Preached: July 5th, 2026 Paul contrasts two ways of seeking righteousness before God: by the works of the law or by faith in Jesus Christ. Because God's law requires perfect obedience, all who rely on their own performance stand under its curse. The law exposes our sin, but it cannot remove our guilt or secure our justification. The good news of the gospel is that Christ became a curse for sinners by bearing the judgment they deserved on the cross. Through his redeeming work, the blessing promised to Abraham is extended to all who believe, and the promised Holy Spirit is received through faith. Our hope rests not in our ability to keep the law, but in the Savior who fulfilled it and gave himself in our place. Topics: Gospel, Justification, Atonement, Christ's Sacrifice, Abrahamic Covenant, Faith, Holy Spirit, Redemption