Gal 4:9 | TNotes | STEP | 4:9 now that you know God: Christians have a relationship with God that is like a child to a parent rather than a slave to a master (4:5-7 ). • why do you want to go back? Paul was perplexed (cp. 4:19-20 ) that Christians who had this standing would want to return to their old life of slavery. • now that God knows you: God is the agent of salvation and had taken the initiative in laying their souls bare (cp. Ps 139:1-6 , 23-24 ; Luke 2:34-35 ; Heb 4:12 ) and forgiving them freely. • By turning to circumcision, the Galatians would be returning to the same useless spiritual principles of this world that they had known under paganism. In both cases, one must work to satisfy an unyielding master.

c4:19-20►

dPs 139:1-6►

fLuke 2:34-35►

gHeb 4:12►

‏ Galatians 4:9

4:9 ^a now that you know God: Christians have a relationship with God that is like a child to a parent rather than a slave to a master (4:5-7 ^b).

• why do you want to go back? Paul was perplexed (cp. 4:19-20 ^c) that Christians who had this standing would want to return to their old life of slavery.

• now that God knows you: God is the agent of salvation and had taken the initiative in laying their souls bare (cp. Ps 139:1-6 ^d, 23-24 ^e; Luke 2:34-35 ^f; Heb 4:12 ^g) and forgiving them freely.

• By turning to circumcision, the Galatians would be returning to the same useless spiritual principles of this world that they had known under paganism. In both cases, one must work to satisfy an unyielding master.