Enslaved to Non-gods

Timothy Keller Sermons Podcast by Gospel in Life

Tim Keller

Religion & Spirituality, Religion, Religion & Spirituality:christianity, Christianity, Spirituality

4.8 • 15K Ratings

🗓️ 8 July 2024

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This is a startling passage. The context is that the Galatians, who became Christians out of pagan backgrounds, are now falling under the influence of teachers who say, “It’s not enough just to believe in Jesus Christ. You also have to obey everything in the Bible.” Paul says something here which is astounding. He says that if they do that, they will fall back under what he calls the slavery of the non-gods. So we ask ourselves three questions: 1) what are the non-gods? 2) how do they enslave? and 3) how can we be free? This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on February 22, 1998. Series: Galatians: New Freedom, New Family. Scripture: Galatians 4:8-20. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Gospel in Life. The Book of Galatians isn't a very long book, just six chapters, but it holds some of the most transformative truths in scripture.
0:12.0	All month on the
0:13.4	podcast Tim Keller's teaching will be from the book of Galatians, a book that is all
0:17.5	about the power of Galatians. It's printed in your bulletin. I'm only going to read the first three verses because they are very, very pregnant and we need to have a
0:34.6	delivery and we can't get to the rest tonight. Galatians so I'm going to read Galatians
0:42.0	so I'm going to read Galatians 4, versus 8 to 11.
0:47.0	Formerly when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
1:07.2	You are observing special days and months and seasons and years. I fear for you that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.
1:17.0	I'll end the reading right there.
1:20.2	This is God's word. What we have here,
1:30.0	formerly when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods,
1:37.0	but now that you know God or rather are known by God, how is it that you were turning back to those weak and miserable principles, do you wish to be enslaved all over again?
1:45.2	This is actually one of the most, this is an amazing verse.
1:48.8	It is actually hard to interpret because a lot of people in interpreting it just don't want to admit how amazing it is and how startling it is.
1:55.0	Now when I, but it's not that easy to see on the surface.
1:59.0	In fact, when I've written some curriculum for small groups on Galatians and one very, very poor question
2:06.4	and I often write poor study questions is what is so amazing about this verse?
2:10.6	Well, you know, I understand that this just freezes small groups people stare into space for hours
2:16.1	because it doesn't give you enough information and nobody can just read that
2:20.6	on the surface and figure it out yet they they're afraid to miss it, you see.
2:23.5	And so they're just transfixed and people never go home. I understand it's just terrible.
2:28.2	And so I'm going to try to help out here. What is so startling? This tells us that Galatians who are in
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