Apr 16
11
ALLEGORY OF LAW AND GRACE
Galatians 4: 21-30; 5:1
Many who profess faith in Christ also believe that they must do their part by adding their law keeping to Christ’s work. Those who were bewitching the Galatians were teaching just that. They were not openly denying that salvation is by Christ Jesus, they were doing so by adding to the finished work of Christ by claiming it was necessary for the Galatians believers to be under the law. Yet, God only receives those that he has made righteous through faith in his Son who fulfilled the law for them. God declares this through Paul by using an allegory. An allegory is a story in which the characters symbolize other things.
Two Wives Represent Two Covenants
Abraham’s two wives represent the two covenants. (Gal 4: 22-26) A covenant is a contract between two or more parties in which certain promises are made if certain conditions are fulfilled. God only deals with sinners upon the basis of covenant. The two covenants in scripture are the covenant of works and the everlasting covenant of grace.
Sara represents the everlasting covenant of grace. Before making the world, God entered into covenant between the three persons in the Godhead. The covenant of grace is not dependent upon the sinner. The work of fulfilling the law for an elect people, the work of redeeming them from the curse of the law by justifying them from their sins through his death, was put in the hands of Christ before the world was made. God the Father promised to glorify Christ and give him a name above every name as well as give him those for whom he died by Holy Spirit regeneration. Sara was Abraham’s first wife like the everlasting covenant was the first covenant; Sara was the freewoman like the everlasting covenant is a covenant of free grace. God promised a seed, Isaac, through Sara, picturing Christ the promised Seed who came through the covenant of grace (Gal 3: 16; Heb 7:22) This better covenant is the covenant wherein God wrote the names of all his elect in the Lamb’s book of life, wherein Christ became the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world by becoming Surety for his people, wherein God’s elect we were blessed with all spiritual blessings. (Rev 13:8; Eph 1: 3-4; Rom 8: 29-34) This covenant is made to the child of grace when the Holy Spirit regenerates them and gives them faith in Christ.
Hagar represents the covenant of works. (v24) The covenant of works is the covenant God made with the children of Israel at Mt. Sinai. It said, “This do and live.” Therefore, the covenant of works genders to bondage. When taught of God, it shows God’s true children the magnitude of our sins in Adam’s one transgression in the garden and pronounces us guilty. (Rom 5: 20; 3: 19-20) Just as Sara remained Abraham’s first wife even though Hagar entered in, so the everlasting covenant of grace stood ordered and sure in Christ, even when the covenant of works entered in. (Gal 3: 15-18) Just as Hagar was a handmaid serving Sara, the covenant of works was a handmaid to the covenant of grace to bring God’s true children to see our sin and need of grace, to shut us up to faith in Christ. After God gives us that faith we are no longer under the law but under grace. (Gal 3: 13-14; 21-29; 4: 3-5)
Two Wives Represent Two Kinds of Religion
Hagar represents works religion. (v25) Sinners are not justified, sanctified, preserved, or entitled to heaven on the basis of law. Just as Mount Sinai in Arabia is outside the land of promise so works religion is a religion outside the true church of God. Like Paul says that those in earthly Jerusalem are still serving earthly, dead-letter religion so is works religion. It claims faith in Christ yet tries to add law-keeping and good works to Christ’s finished work. Works religion is in bondage to sin, satan, law and death.
Sara represents the true church of God which is the mother of all true believers (v26) Jerusalem which is above is true, heavenly Jerusalem, which is the church of the Firstborn written in heaven. (Heb 12: 18-29)
Two Sons Represent Two Kinds of People in Religion
Ishmael represents a person only born of flesh who is trusting in his will and his works. He was born by a bondmaid, after the flesh. This is the way all sinners are born into this world the first time: of the flesh, in the bondage of sin and unbelief. Ishmael represents the dead fruit produced by the religious works of men’s hands. He was the fruit of Abraham looking to his wisdom and work rather than believing God.
Isaac represents the true believer born again of the Holy Spirit. He was born of the freewoman, by promise. This is the way God’s sons of promise are born a second time, of the Spirit, into freedom. (Gal 4: 6-11; 2 Thess 2:13-14)
Ishmael mocked and persecuted Isaac. (Gal 4: 29) Likewise, those who trust in their works persecute the true children of God. (Gal 6: 12-16) But Hagar was cast out, as well as her son. So shall it be for those who attempt to come to God by their law-keeping or their good works. Those who think they are justified or sanctified by the law are yet under the curse. Believers, worship God in Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh. (Phil 3:3) We are motivated, not by law, but by the grace of God and the love of Christ. (Rom 10: 4) We are free because we have been saved by free grace and shall never be forsaken. (Is 54: 1; Gal 4: 27; Is 54: 4-5, 17)
If you have been born of God and trust that Christ is your only righteousness then stand fast in that liberty. Be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. If you attempt to come to God by even one law then you are a debtor to keep the whole law and Christ is become of no effect unto you. Believers, through the Spirit, wait for the hope of righteous through faith. The rule we are under is, not law, but faith which works by love, just as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who never even had the law of Mt. Sinai. (Gal 5: 1-6) Clay Curtis
What’s the Difference?
1 Cor. 4:7
A gospel preacher friend of mine was asked a few years ago, “What’s the difference between what you preach and what is being preached in churches that preach another message? — and, if what you’re preaching is true, how do I know that it’s true?” My friend’s response was a good one because he said, “but for the grace of God, you won’t know the difference. You will find some churches preaching a message that sounds good to you, and you may settle down there, but unless God Almighty by His Holy Spirit delivers you from going down into the pit, you’ll die in that church.” This was not a man’s haughty statement trying to bring some attention to himself, but one based solely upon the revealed word of God. God has clearly set forth the Gospel in His word, and we must preach that gospel. We are bound to declare the truth. Woe unto us if we preach not the gospel. This message is the message of hope (Rom. 1:16). Men must hear this message for this is the message that will be blessed by God’s Spirit to the calling out of His elect (John 10:4-5).
It is an amazing fact that all denominations think they are preaching the truth, so we must look to the holy scriptures for a foundation for any hope of salvation. These things are set forth in the scripture and must be proclaimed in true Gospel preaching:
1.Who God is. God is the eternal Sovereign of the universe. The first verse in the Bible sets the foundation of His existence: “In the beginning, God …”. He is revealed as the great “I AM” (Exo. 3:14), the God of all creation. Scripture declares God to be One Who has mercy upon whom He will have mercy, and Who is gracious to whom He will be gracious (Exo. 33:19). If He shows love, kindness, and compassion to any fallen child of Adam, it is because He is a merciful God, and has the power and the right to do so. If He passes by, or leaves a man to himself, it is because He is a just God Who will not clear the guilty. God Almighty does save sinners, but never at the expense of His holy justice. The death of our Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary clearly shows God to be one who will punish sin, for He sacrificed His own Son because of our sin laid on Him. God is holy in all that He does.
2.Who man is. The second thing clearly revealed when the Gospel is preached is who man is. Scripture establishes a man’s position before God: “… the whole head is sick, and the whole heart is faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.” (Isaiah 1:5-6) While man thinks that he can somehow reconcile himself to God, scripture says that he cannot. Since man is dead spiritually, he cannot accomplish anything that can stand up under the judgment of God’s Law. When Adam sinned against God in the garden, judgment passed upon all mankind, that is, spiritual death. Spiritual death renders Man unable to love God, to lift himself out of his fallen nature, or to even realize the plight (that is, his lost condition). Man is conceived in sin, comes forth from his mother’s womb speaking lies, and has but one end if left in that condition — eternal death. The Word proclaims, “there is none righteous, no not one; there is none that understandeth; there is none that seek after God.” (Isaiah 1:5-6)
3.How God saves sinners. The third thing that is declared when the Gospel is preached is how God saves sinners. Job asked the question, “how should man be just with God?” (Job 9:2) How does man find himself justified before a holy God Who will in no wise clear the guilty? In most churches today, men are declaring that a man can be saved by giving his heart to Jesus. Men are told to exercise their free will, but the scriptures do not support this kind of talk. The Word reveals that men are born “not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:6) The word of God says that salvation is “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” (Titus 3:5) Men are saved on purpose, but not by their purpose. It is by the purpose of God Almighty that men are called out of spiritual darkness into His marvelous light. Salvation is totally of the Lord. God the Father chose a people that He everlastingly loved unto salvation. These elect were chosen in Christ that they should be holy and without blame before Him in love. This election of grace was not according to any good found within the sinner, for there would be none (Psalm 14:2-3), but God chose a people unto salvation based totally upon the good pleasure of His will, and did this to the praise of the glory of His grace. All that the Father chose unto salvation, Christ redeemed. He redeemed this chosen people because they are His (Isaiah. 43:1). As the Surety of His sheep, the Lord Jesus Christ “made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2:7). “He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:8) for His elect. The Lord Jesus, as a man, obeyed God’s law as the representative for His elect. He was made to be sin (by divine imputation, for He knew no sin) for His people that His people might be made the righteous in Him (2 Cor. 5:21). All that the Father chose, the Lord Jesus Christ redeems, and the Holy Ghost shall surely call unto salvation (John 6:37). God’s Spirit quickens unto life by irresistable sovereign power. The sheep are willing in the day of God’s power — willing to come, willing to bow, willing to seek, willing to love, and willing to believe (which is the mark of salvation) the report given from above.
Yes, there is a difference in what we preach. The difference is that we preach God to be God Almighty, Sovereign in all things. We preach that man is totally depraved and without strength to reconcile himself to God, a hopeless and helpless sinner against the God of all creation, and we preach that salvation is of the Lord from beginning to end.
Marvin Stanaker
Circumcision; Necessary or Sufficient?
One of the biggest issues in the New Testament was the issue of circumcision. There was a large group of people who professed to believe the Gospel of Christ. But they also believed it was needful to be circumcised (Acts. 15:1-11, Galatians 5:1-6). They did not deny the necessity of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Indeed, they professed that salvation could not be possible without it. However, they did deny the sufficiency of Christ. They believed there was something that needed to be done along with the person and work of Christ. They did not deny the necessity of Christ’s atonement. But they did deny its sufficiency! They did not deny salvation by grace. But they did deny salvation by grace alone! They did not deny that salvation comes through faith in Christ. But they did deny faith alone! That was the issue then. And it is the issue in our day. The message preached by “the circumcision” in our day is, “Christ died for all, but there is something you need to do to make this blood work for you.” Faith is looked upon as a work the sinner performs in order to make the blood of Christ effectual. But the answer to this is still the same. “If ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing” (Galatians 5:2). Pastor Todd Nibert