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