Law and Grace
Bible Text: Galatians 4:21-31 | Preacher: Andrew Love | Series: Galatians | Introduction
What is the difference between a believer who rests in Christ and one who returns to the law?
A return to the law:
It Is to look to yourself and not to Christ
It leads to spiritual pride and a hardening of the heart/spirit
It leads to pretense
It leads to disquiet and trouble in the soul
Resting in Christ:
No confidence in himself
Humility
Recognising it is all of grace
A gracious spirit
Learns to be honest in his sin before God
Finds confidence in God
Has peace with God
What is our tendency? – in Christ or in the keeping of the law
Let us be clear – we are not without law
Gal 6:2
Jesus did not come to abolish the law
Jesus fulfilled the law entirely
However, it is the spirit of the law – example
The law is not a means of justification – only trusting in Jesus’ work
Paul uses different words for one who is under the law vs under grace
Examples
A message of law and grace – two covenants:
The Covenant of law – at Sinai, Hagar, a slave woman
The Covenant of grace – Jerusalem, Sarah, the promise
Notice the apostle makes a distinction between ‘we’ and ‘you’ – cf v21 & 28, cf 5:3 & 5:4
Which category are we in?
Overview:
Analogy of the Two Mothers (v21-26)
Analogy of the Barren woman who rejoices (v27-28)
Analogy of the Two Sons (v29-31)
Analogy of the Two Mothers (v21-26)
Why Abraham and not Moses?
The ‘law’ – the Pentateuch
Let us go back to the beginning
Overview of the story of Abraham
He awaited the fulfillment of promises
He did not wait for the fulfillment of the son of promise – explanation
Ishmael – the son of a slave woman
Isaac – the son of promise
The two mothers are symbolic of the Covenant of the Law and Grace
The Covenant of the Law was a bondage (v23-24)
The people of God were meant to live on promise and not on law
The vast majority of God’s people (the Jews) were legalists
They were more like children of Ishmael that children of Isaac
They were children of bondage and not of promise
Example of the pharisees
The Covenant of Grace (v26)
Born from above
To do with the grace of God
Rom 4:1-5
Those like Abraham who have believed
Received by faith alone
Rom 11:6
Gal 2:16
The work is in Christ
Application:
5:1 – stand fast and free in Christ
Example of Mr Burden vs Mr Freeman
Analogy of the Barren woman who rejoices (v27-28)
Think of Sarah – explanation
Isaiah 54:1
A promise of the Gentiles coming into the nation
We [as believers] are children of promise (v28)
This should give us great encouragement
There were no converts before Paul came to Galatia
God has a people
Great joy comes as a result
Analogy of the Two Sons (v29-31)
Consider Ishmael vs Isaac
Backbiting and fighting
Paul saw this as symbolic
Consider the ‘religious’ – explanation
Throughout the centuries have often been the greatest enemy of the Church of Jesus Christ
Why?
Blindness
Persecution
Quote from Spurgeon
The legalistic, self-righteous man
Separation
Hagar and Ishmael are cast out (v30)
Those who are legalistic and those who persecute – must be separated
Jesus Christ will cast them out at the final judgment
The Church of Jesus Christ cannot believe in works
Children of Isaac – the free woman
“Stand fast in the liberty by which Christ has made us free” – 5:1
Closing Remarks
Reading Heb 12:18-24
As believers we have come to and are under the grace of Jesus
Part of a worldwide church
May we ever say we are a debtor to mercy alone