Your Birthright-Law or Grace

Beginning-Genesis

The most difficult portion of Galatians. It presupposes a knowledge of the O.T.. references to Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, Isaac, Mt. Sinai, Jerusalem. It is also technical in a way that is familiar to Jewish rabbinical schools-he uses an allegorical illustration-”that is, to have another meaning besides the literal one.” that is, have another besides the literal meaning.

C.H. Spurgeon said this “There cannot be a greater difference in the world between two things than there is between law and grace....even when blessed by the Spirit....one of the most difficult things in the world is to discriminate properly between law and grace.”

Who?

you who desire to be under the law-Not just Jews...speaking about something in the heart of the person not in the physical descent.

Professing Christians can and very often do turn the gospel into Law-their relationship to God is dependent on a strict adherence to rules and church traditions even ceremonies. They seek to mix the law and grace when God has clearly separated them.

Your actions reveal the desire of your heart. We need Jesus to manifest pure desires.

Do You Hear? what the law says

The Law you seek to follow will be your judge—-it will condemn you. Jesus as judge, I fall on the mercy of my Savior.

three parts to the argument Paul is making. Historical, Allegorical, Personal application.

Historical

“It is written” Genesis ch 16&21 Abraham had two sons. two sons...one born outside of God’s promise through a scheme of man to make God’s promise happen.

Eve gave to Adam the forbidden fruit and he ate... the result is slavery to the flesh and persecution from satan.

Centuries later God comes to Abraham with a promise of the land of Canaan and a people as numerous as the stars. COVENANT promise between God and man-because the Jews were physical descendants they believed they were eternally secure. John the Baptist confronts this in Mat 3:9

Matthew 3:9 ESV

And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.

Jesus confronts this in John 8:39-44

John 8:39–44 ESV

They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

this is all to show them and us that a child of God is one born spiritually not physically, we all are born of the one mother and need to be born of the second.

difference in the boys is their moms. One was a slave-bondage, controlled by the flesh, sin...Hagar. the other free, Grace, controlled by the Spirit= Sarah

2nd difference how they were born. of the flesh...came about the other is born of promise..scripture makes it clear that both Abraham and Sarah were beyond child bearing abilities

Eve gave to Adam the forbidden fruit and he ate...Sarah gives to Abraham and he takes forbidden fruit and the result is slavery and persecution.

differences point out that two births of man- natural which is born a slave and then a birth of promise-spiritual and free

Have you been born again?

Allegorical

Covenant talk here the mothers are the two covenants

Bible is divided by covenants new and old

Covenant-is a solemn agreement between God and men, by which He makes them His people and promises to be their God.

O.C. through Moses and the law-the burden was on men...thou shalt, thou shalt not

N.C. through Jesus and His blood=God takes the burden on Himself...I will, I have

two Jerusalem's-the Capital city of God’s people....super hero’s always have a city right???

one on earth-jews physical

and one in Heaven-the Church-Heavenly

Hagar-mt Sinai- where the law was given

Sarah-free heavenly mother........Christians are born of this mother citizens of Heavenly Jerusalem. Isaiah scripture he quotes. Barren woman is the jews being carried Babylonian captivity and the husband leaving because of her barreness.

the return from exile promised children to the barren and was a partial physical fulfillment of this but the Christian Church is the spiritual fulfillment.

Personal Application

We Are like Isaac-speaking to those who belong to God through Christ...

we are of supernatural descent. The Spirit of God cries within us...ABBA Father.

two things for Isaac-Christians

persecution...Cast out

satan persecutes you, flesh persecutes you-brings you into bondage, mocks you, is the older sibling...reminder of who you were??? The church full of religious rule followers persecute you....who was the fiercest opposition Jesus faced? The Jews were so tenacious of their law that they would put to death those who broke it or would not submit to it.

2. Inheritance- we inherit freedom, grace power,

despised and rejected by men but chosen and loved by God. 2 Cor 6:8-10

2 Corinthians 6:8–10 ESV

through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

we inherit O.T. promises-we are Abrahams seed....Jerusalem is ours!!! true circumcision!!!

we experience the grace of God-set free and living free from the holds and demand of the flesh and sin.

Ishmael- religion of nature...what can I do

Isaac -religion of Grace- what has God done, what is God doing?