May 11, 2002

GRACE OR THE LAW?

"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." Galatians 4:21-23

You have received the Lord, and his strength is your joy. You live an obedient life out of gratitude for what the Lord has done for you. You become a part of a fellowship; serve in the children's ministry, witness to the lost. Time passes, and you find yourself struggling with Do's and Don'ts, criticizing others and measuring up.

Paul wrote to the Galatians addressing this very issue. In danger of becoming legalistic Christians, they had let the teaching of some zealous people seduce them back into slavery. It is the pride of our flesh that blinds us to grace and lures us back into thinking of earning our place with God.

We have no right or righteousness with God on our own. The verse above is speaking of how we became sons of God, by God's promise alone. Hagar represents the law, and slavery to the law. Her children were born in the ordinary way, as we are. The law shows us how far we are from God, and without fulfilling the law perfectly, the penalty for sin is death.

Sarah's children were born of the promise of God. The promise of God is a Savior, who's spilled blood paid the penalty for our sin (inability to keep the law), and by Jesus' death, grace alone has made us right and given us the righteousness of the Lamb before God. Because of the promise, we have been adopted as sons by the Almighty God of the universe; we share an inheritance with the King of Kings!