Galatians 4:21 - 5:1 says,...

Today's verses are Galatians 4:21-31, 5:1, which read,

v.21-25 - Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the Law?  For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman.  But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.  This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants:  one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar.  Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem for she is in slavery with her children.

Paul goes back to an Old Testament event of Abraham's life.  God gave a covenant that he and Sarah would have a child that would be the start of this family that would number beyond the stars of sky and the sands of the seashore.  Also from the family would come "the" Seed, the Christ.  One problem is that Abraham and Sarah were both really old and past child bearing years.  So they took matters into their own hands and Abraham had relationships with Sarah's maidservant Hagar that she brought back from a trip to Egypt.  This was Sarah's idea but Abraham agree with it and the result was a son named Ishmael.  God told Abraham that this was not the son of the promise and later God did just as God said and Abraham and Sarah had a son and named him Isaac.

We have two sons - one, Ishmael, here because of man's idea of what should be done, and one, Isaac, here because of what God said and what God did.  The Galatians have two sons in front of them.  The first son is the idea that is fueled by man that you have to work your way to salvation, it all rests on you and your performance.  The second son is the promise that is fueled by God  and is that God sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins that we might receive by grace the gift of the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.  Ishmael represents works and Isaac represents grace.

v.26-31 - But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.  For it is written, "Rejoice, barren woman who does not bear; break forth and shout, you who are not in labor; for more numerous are the children of the desolate than of the one who has a husband."  And you brethren, like Isaac are children of promise.  But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.  But what does the Scripture say?  "Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman."  So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman.

Paul continues with his Old Testament illustration.  Another comparison is that "present" Jerusalem was operating as if Jesus and His coming and the cross didn't matter.  They rejected Him and His offer of grace and therefore they were still living as before.  "But the Jerusalem above is free;" is referring to heaven.  Another Jerusalem is coming, a new Jerusalem and in that city it is occupied by those who have accepted who Jesus is.  It is filled and only filled with those who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ.

For the present time, there were will persecution of those who believe by those who do not just as there was persecution from Ishmael to Isaac.  Paul is using this Old Testament event and scriptures to give the Galatians a word picture to tie the difference between working for salvation and salvation by grace.  He ends it with the conclusion, we are not children of Hagar; we are not Ishmael; we are not those who work for salvation.  We are children of Sarah; we are Isaac; we are those who are here because of God's gift of grace.

5:1 - It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not subject again to a yoke of slavery.

Here was a group of people who heard the message of Christ from Paul and first heartily accepted it.  After he left, they heard the voices of others who were saying that they didn't have enough and they needed more to "really" have salvation.  They started doing that and in essence were walking farther away from accepting Christ by faith and faith alone.  Paul hears of it and writes this letter but so wishes to be with them to say this in person.  He is calling them back to what they first heard and believed and then to stand firm on the fact that Christ has set us free.

Christians, us, we can waiver at times but God does not and it is always us coming back to what God has said and done.  We will try to do things under our own power or devise up our own plans that will take priority over God's but they will all fail.  We need the church and our brothers and sisters in Christ to see us for what and who we are and what we are saying and doing to make our fault known so we can return.  I fear for those who do not avail themselves to the body of Christ to keep themselves focused on God and God alone in this world that has so many voices screaming at us.

"Lord, thank You for the difference between what man did and what You did.  Thank you for continuing with the promise even though man tried to create a 'better' one or a 'faster' one.  You held to Your promise and continue to do so even when I waiver to something that is less than You.  May I realize that You have put 'Pauls' around me to point me back to You.  Amen."

Pastor Adam