Spiritual 'shortcuts' result in disaster

Spiritual ‘shortcuts’ are often conceived as the result of frustration (Gen 16:1a)

Explanation: Abram and Sarai have been in the Land for 10 years (Gen 16:3) and still had no children. While the text does not give details, it is easy to sense that Sarai is frustrated by the situation. She is aware of the promises that God has made to Abram, and possibly thinks that she may be the problem. The text does state that she “bare him no children.” Given the likelihood of her thought process, she began to consider ways to get around the problem of her barrenness and resolve her frustration.

Application: The answer to frustration is to be at peace with what God is allowing into our lives, in the time frame He is allowing it.

King James Version Chapter 4

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Spiritual ‘shortcuts’ take shape when we rationalize our sin (Gen 16:1b-2a)

Explanation: Sarai must have decided in her mind that Abram was the key figure in the promises of God. She rationalized that as long as Abram was the father, the promise would still be intact. In her way of thinking, it did not matter if she or Hagar was the mother - as long as Abram was involved it would be OK!

Illustrate: Prosperity Gospel. God wants you to be wealthy. So, if you just give some “seed money of faith” to one of the Health Wealth crowd (Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Fred Price, etc.) God will bless you ten fold (according to your faith, that is - if you don’t receive the wealth or the healing, your faith wasn’t strong enough)

Argument: Believers can just as easily rationalize sin when thinking about ‘spiritual shortcuts.’ Long before the action takes place, some thinking has been cooking. Options that were once unthinkable because they were clearly wrong do not seem as wrong as they once did. We begin to entertain thoughts of how it could end up good in the end, so then it would be ok, wouldn’t it?

Application: Right and wrong do NOT change with the passage of time. If God has declared something righteous and good, it remains good. Similarly, if He declares certain things as sin (lying, cheating, murder, etc.) they remain sin, regardless of the passage of time.

Spiritual ‘shortcuts’ mature through compromise (Gen 16:2b - 4a)

Explanation: The text reveals that “Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.” The reader is not informed as to how long it took for Sarai to convince him to go along; maybe she had to keep at him for a while, or maybe he agreed when she first made the proposal. Either way, Abram failed to protect his family when he gave in to Sarai’s plan and went in to Hagar for the purpose of producing a child. He compromised in order to appease his wife.

Illustration: We can reach more people with the Gospel if we just ease up on the repentance angle. Let’s focus on love and acceptance, and let’s make everyone feel comfortable in worship. Go easy on the blood stuff and let’s not talk about Jesus’ death being necessary to atone for the sins of humanity by satisfying the wrath of a Holy God against rebellion. Let’s just talk about how God is love and how He loves everyone just the way they are. Once we get them in the church and get them comfortable, we can share that other stuff with them.

Argument: Two wrongs will never produce a right! As believers we can never use the worldly wisdom of “the end justifies the means.”

Application: God is very much concerned about the means we employ to bring about the end that He has called us to pursue. God has commanded us to be Holy because He is Holy (Lev. 11:44; 1 Peter 1:16). God has revealed His standards in His Word and we are to live by them, not try to work around them.

Spiritual ‘shortcuts’ give birth to unintended negative consequences (Gen 16:4b)

Conclusion: When our spiritual ‘shortcuts’ fail, as they always will, the result if blame, shame, and bitterness (Gen 16:5-6). When Hagar becomes pregnant she begins to look down on Sarai. Hagar thinks she is better than Sarai because she is having Abram’s child. Hagar despises Sarai & it creates a problem (cf Prov. 30:21-23).

Amazingly, Sarai gets mad at Abram. It was her idea, and she is the one who told Abram to go in to Hagar, and she is the one who wanted Hagar to get pregnant. Sarai found out (as all schemers do) she could not control the results, especially Hagar’s response to being with child. Sarai is probably mad at herself, but she takes it out on Abram.

NOTE: This is the result of compromise. Abram knew better, but went along anyway. Now he is paying for his mistake.

Abram once again goes the route of appeasement and gives Sarai her way. Once Abram is no longer in the role of Hagar’s protector, Sarai unleashes her fury on her maidservant. Sarai treats her so harshly, Hagar makes the decision to run away.

At this point in the account let’s ask the question “who won?” Who came out ahead?

Sarai is furious at being treated poorly by her maid and she is mad with Abram because he went along with her plan.

Hagar got uppity and forgot her station in life so she was oppressed as punishment. It got so bad she went on the run even though she is pregnant.

Abram has two women mad at him and both probably consider him a failure

Not exactly what we call stellar results. Spiritual shortcuts do not work! When we take them, disaster WILL follow! This is where Grace shows up.

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