Galatians
4:21-31
The difference between
believers who rested in Christ only, and those who trusted in the
law, is explained by the lives of Isaac and Ishmael. These things are
an example and the Spirit of God points out something further. Hagar
and Sarah are examples of the new and old covenant. The heavenly Jerusalem, the true church from above,
represented by Sarah, is in a state of freedom, and is the mother of
all believers, who are born of the Holy Spirit.
They were by
regeneration and true faith, made a part of the true seed of Abraham,
according to the promise made to him.
Hagar is of the earth, always
fighting for survival receiving their reward while on earth and never
taking it into eternal life. A life of torment – never being good
enough.
So then, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of
the free. We would not have found out this example in the history of
Sarah and Hagar, if it had not been shown to us, and this is what was
intended by the Holy Spirit. It is an explanation of the subject, not
an argument in proof of it. This is God's way and what we do with
this will not change Him, however what we do with this will change
us.
The
first covenant spirit is of bondage to sin and death. The second
covenant spirit is of liberty and freedom; not liberty to sin, but
liberty in and to duty. The first is a spirit of persecution; the
second is a spirit of love. Let us rest our souls on the Scriptures
in a gospel of hope and cheerful obedience, show that our
conversation and treasure are indeed in heaven.
Hebrews
6
1
Let us go forward, then, to mature teaching and leave behind us the
first lessons of the Christian message. We should not lay again the
foundation of turning away from useless works and believing in God;
2 of
the teaching about baptisms and the laying on of hands; of the
resurrection of the dead and the eternal judgement. 3 Let
us go forward! And this is what we will do, if God allows. 4 For
how can those who abandon their faith be brought back to repent
again? They were once in God's light; they tasted heaven's gift and
received their share of the Holy Spirit; 5 they
knew from experience that God's word is good, and they had felt the
powers of the coming age. 6 And
then they abandoned their faith! It is impossible to bring them back
to repent again, because they are again crucifying the Son of God and
exposing him to public shame. 7 God
blesses the soil which drinks in the rain that often falls on it and
which grows plants that are useful to those for whom it is
cultivated. 8 But
if it grows thorns and weeds, it is worth nothing; it is in danger of
being cursed by God and will be destroyed by fire. 9 But
even if we speak like this, dear friends, we feel sure about you. We
know that you have the better blessings that belong to your
salvation. 10 God
is not unfair. He will not forget the work you did or the love you
showed for him in the help you gave and are still giving to other
Christians. 11 Our
great desire is that each of you keep up your eagerness to the end,
so that the things you hope for will come true. 12 We
do not want you to become lazy, but to be like those who believe and
are patient, and so receive what God has promised. 13 When
God made his promise to Abraham, he made a vow to do what he had
promised. Since there was no one greater than himself, he used his
own name when he made his vow. 14 He
said, "I promise you that I will bless you and give you many
descendants." 15 Abraham
was patient, and so he received what God had promised. 16 When
we make a vow, we use the name of someone greater than ourselves, and
the vow settles all arguments. 17 To
those who were to receive what he promised, God wanted to make it
very clear that he would never change his purpose; so he added his
vow to the promise. 18 There
are these two things, then, that cannot change and about which God
cannot lie. So we who have found safety with him are greatly
encouraged to hold firmly to the hope placed before us. 19 We
have this hope as an anchor for our lives. It is safe and sure, and
goes through the curtain of the heavenly temple into the inner
sanctuary. 20 On
our behalf Jesus has gone in there before us and has become a high
priest forever, in the priestly order of Melchizedek.
Number 1;
The promise of God to Abraham did more than give civilisation to men; it opened to them the doors of heaven. Great as the temporary gifts
have been from it, greater and better are its spiritual blessings.
The best commentary that has ever been written on the promise made to
Abraham is to be found in Hebrews 6. It points to the glorious
character of this spiritual promise. "God, is patient, for God
is eternal," and so also the faith that trusts the promise of
God partakes of the unchangeable calm of Him on whom it rests, the
same yesterday, today, and for ever. Canaan, the heavenly Canaan, was
ever before the ancient saints and they saw that it was set on the top of the cross.
Number
2; We too are children of promise; but often we forget this,
and set our hearts on some earthly Canaan. We shall find that the
only rest it will give us is the rest of the grave and more than
likely in hell. The goal that is set before us and the feebleness of
all human effort to reach it and our happiness on earth should
consist rather in working than in enjoying, rather in using the means
given to us, than in gaining the end. If this is not so and we die,
the outlook before us would be sad and gloomy with the possibility of
missing heaven. But to us it has been given to know Christ and the
power of His resurrection. His risen body sheds the true light upon
life and its work; it fulfils to us all the promise of good fortune,
and adds to its fulfilment the glories of eternity. Our God wants us
to be about His work of the resurrection.
Number
3; I know that it is popular today to say “God told me or
God gave me a word”, etc. etc. When we read the Bible it is plain that God
has called all His children to bear witness of His glory – this is
not an option – it is a command from God. God is not so much
interested in where you – He is interested in how you obey Him
where you are. Don't live like it is your last day on earth – live
like a child of the promise. Don't glory in who you are, glory in God
as you live out your mission on earth.
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