9/16/2018
No Other Gospel – Pt 6
Galatians 4:16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
The History of Human Culture Is Idolatrous
Galatians 4:8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.
The Practice Of Human Religion Is Enslavement
Galatians 4:9-11 But now that you know God–or rather are known by God–how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.
The Gospel Comes Through Frailty
Galatians 4:12-15 I plead with you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong. As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.
The Grass Is Not Greener In The Other Pasture…It’s Poisonous!
Galatians 4:16-20 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them. It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you. My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!
Jewish History Is As Human As Any
Galatians 4:21-23 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise.
Slavery Always vs Freedom
Galatians 4:24-26 These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai & bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia & corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, she is our mother.
Spiritual Offspring Are All Around Us!
Galatians 4:27-28 For it is written: “Be glad, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth & cry aloud, you who have no labor pains; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.” Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.
Religionists Hate Those Who Are Free
Galatians 4:29-31 At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. But what does the Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman & her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
Genesis 21:1-13 The LORD was gracious to Sarah as He had said & the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised. Sarah became pregnant & bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” She added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age!”
The child grew & was weaned, on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking & she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac!” The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. I will make the son of the maidservant into a nation also, because he is your offspring.”