Oh my. Just remember what our
Lord's done for us. That was just beautiful. I love
the words in that song. I love the words in that one. Open your Bibles if you would
to Genesis chapter 21. Also put your finger in Galatians
chapter 4. We'll be in Galatians, but we're
going to read a portion in Genesis chapter 1 first. The name of
the message is Sarah and Hagar, Law and Grace. Sarah and Hagar,
Law and Grace. And I hope that after this message
we can rejoice in the wonderful salvation that Christ has purchased
for us, because we are so free, beloved. We are so free in Christ. I don't think we quite understand
how free we are in Christ. It's absolutely amazing. Absolutely
amazing. Genesis chapter 21. We'll read
verses 8 to 14. And the child grew and was weaned,
and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
And Sarah saw the son of Hagar, the Egyptian, which had been
born unto Abraham, mocking. Wherefore she said unto Abraham,
Cast out this bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman
shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. And the thing
was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son." So
it was grievous to him that he had to cast out one of his sons. And God said unto Abraham, Let
it not be grievous in thy sight, because of the lad, and because
of thy bondwoman, in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken
unto her voice, for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. And
also the son of the bondwoman shall I make a nation, because
he is thy seed. And Abraham rose up early in
the morning, and took the bread and the bottle of water, and
gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child,
and sent her away. And she departed and wandered
in the wilderness of Beersheba. Now turn, if you would, to Galatians
chapter 4. Galatians chapter 4. A long time ago, a long time
ago when I was out in Oregon, I'll never forget when I asked
a preacher why he didn't preach, a supposed preacher, why he didn't
preach Christ in the in the Old Testament. And I said, Christ
is all through the Old Testament. He said, well, you're an allegorical
preacher. Well, that's a comment to a grace believer. We believe
that God's, look what we're gonna look at right here. He said,
I'm a historical preacher. You're an allegorical preacher.
Look at this in Galatians chapter four, verses 21 to 31. Tell me that desire to be under
the law. Do you not hear the law? So here's
a question posed to someone who thinks that they can satisfy
God's law and justice based upon their works, based upon supposedly
fulfilling the law by their doings. For it is written that Abraham
had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman. He
who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh, but he
of the free woman was by promise. Which things are an allegory
for these are the two covenants, the one from the Mount Sinai,
which gendereth the bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar
is in Mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to Jerusalem, which
now is, and is in bondage to her children. But Jerusalem,
which is above, is free. which is the mother of us all.
For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren, that bearest not. Break
forth and cry, thou that travailest not. For the desolate hath many
more children than she which hath a husband. Now we, brethren,
as Isaac was, are children of the promise. But as then he that was born
after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit,
even so it is now. Nevertheless, what sayeth the
scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the
bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman. So
then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the
free. There are two things in the Bible,
two things that are in direct contrast to one another. Law
and grace. Salvation by grace. law keeping,
or salvation by grace alone. They are another contrast. Folks think that they can gain
merit and favor with God by their works, which will ultimately,
left to themselves, lead to their eternal doom. We know that there
are only really two religions, aren't there? works or grace,
works or grace. Salvation by your supposed works
or salvation by grace alone in and through the obedience and
death of our Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation by grace alone. This
is one of the things that we learn as we grow in grace. that
our Lord Jesus Christ purchased our salvation. And we learn as
we grow in grace this vast difference between law and grace. We are taught this. And he who
learns the distinction learns of the freedom that the believer
has in Christ. And oh, what freedom we have. Now look at verse 24, it says,
which things are an allegory for these are the two covenants,
the one from the Mount Sinai, which gendered the bondage, which
is Agar. Now an allegory is a story in which the characters are used
to picture other real characters and real actions. Paul is going
to bring forth here the fact concerning the aspects of the
birth of Abraham's two sons, that they had a vastly broader
meaning than the historical record of their births. The earthly
aspect of the birth of these two sons, the true purpose of
the historical episode, convey the spiritual truth that is brought
forth in our text. Remember, Paul's writing to the
Galatians. He's writing to the Galatians
here. He's taking them to the word of God to show them that
the works of the Judaizers, who say you must be circumcised to
be saved, the works of the Judaizers, those who add something to grace,
be it nowadays baptism or whatever else, are false teachers. They are not proclaiming the
grace of God in Christ. Anyone who will have you add
something that you have to do to the work of Christ is proclaiming
a false gospel. And for the believer, I know
this, for the believer, when we get yoked under what we have
to do, it is like chains upon us. But for the believer, we're
free in Christ. And you know what people try
to do? People in religion try to yoke you with things you've
got to do. Don't let them. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith
Christ hath made you free. We're free in Christ, beloved.
We're free in him. He's purchased our eternal souls.
So the issue still today with us is bondage under the law or
liberty in Christ? Bondage under the law or liberty
in Christ? God promised Abraham a son by
his true wife, didn't he, Sarah? He promised him that. Some time
had passed and no son had been born, so Sarah gave her servant
Haggard Abraham to bear him a son. And Ishmael was born to Hagar
by Abraham in the due time, but in the due time, the promised
son, Isaac, was born to Sarah. And the son of the servant, Ishmael,
mocked Isaac. Mocked Isaac, mocked the child
of promise, and proved that the two could not live together.
The two could not live together. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar,
the Egyptian, which she had borne unto Abraham, mocking. So Hagar and Ishmael had to be
put out of the household. And who reigned as the son? Isaac, son of the promise. He alone is the heir of Abraham.
He alone is the child of promise. Paul said that these two women
represent two covenants. Hagar, the servant, represents
the covenant of law, of works, and the ceremonies from Mount
Sinai. And in this covenant of law and works, God says, do this
and live. Sarah, the true wife of Abraham,
represents God's eternal covenant of grace in Christ, in Christ
alone. Turn, if you would, to Hebrews.
Chapter 7 in Hebrews chapter 13. This covenant was the first
covenant. That Sarah represented. It was not made between God and
man, but beloved, it was made between God, the father, the
son and the Holy Spirit, and it's called the everlasting covenant.
called the everlasting covenant in scripture. In Hebrews 7.22
it says, by so much was Jesus made a surety of what? A better
testament. A better testament. Then turn
over to Hebrews 13.20. Hebrews 13.20. Look at this. Now the God of peace that fought
again from the dead, our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of
the sheep, through what? The blood of what? The everlasting
covenant. God the Father made a covenant
in eternity with the Son and the Holy Spirit. God gave the
Son a people. We know that from Ephesians 1
and 4. We're chosen in Christ before the foundation of the
world. He gave us to Christ. Based upon absolutely nothing
in us. Nothing in us. And the Son redeemed us. And
the Holy Spirit regenerates us. And this covenant It's called
the everlasting covenant in the shed blood of Christ to ratify
thy covenant Who is the Christ who is the surety of a better
testament? That's the everlasting covenant Our Lord spoke of those who were
given to him by the father in the everlasting covenant and
In John chapter 17, our Lord's high priestly prayer in verses
2 and 3, this is spoken of our great King. As thou has given
him power over all flesh. Who has all power? Christ was
proclaiming there that He has all power. He has all power over
all flesh. We're powerless, beloved. We're
powerless to save ourselves. We're powerless to do anything.
Well, we sin, don't we? We're good at that, aren't we?
Yeah, we're real good at that. That's our natural ability. We
do that because that's how we're born, dead in trespasses and
sins. But we are powerless to save ourselves. We are utterly
hopeless and helpless in our natural state. And as we looked
at it in Sunday school, we have no desire to even come to Christ,
none. None seek after God, none. None that understand it, none. Christ has all power. What? That he should give eternal life
to as many as what thou has given him. When were when were those
whom he here give power to come to him? When were they given
to him in eternity? In eternity. I, this grace is
amazing, isn't it? It's wondrous grace. And this
is life eternal that they might know the what does he do? He
reveals himself to us, doesn't he? We're born again by the Holy
Spirit of God, and we flee to Christ, that they might know
Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast
sent. This covenant of grace brings forth the works of Christ.
As it's said of one commentator, it says, do this, O Christ, and
man shall live. We live based upon what Christ
has done. We live based upon what Christ
has done. Turn again or turn to Romans chapter three, if you
would. Romans chapter three. God gives eternal life without
the works of man. It's all based upon what Christ
has done for us. The fact that he fulfilled the
law and justice of God in our place, in our life, he totally
fulfilled the law of God or in his life. He totally fulfilled
the law that he lived the perfect, sinless life. We can never do
that. Never. And in his death, he died
as our substitute. So he, again, was both our substitute
in his life and in his death. Oftentimes you hear about him
being the substitute at his death, but he was also our substitute
in his life. Doing that which is impossible
for us to do for us. Weaving that coat of righteousness
which we're clothed in. Romans chapter 3 says this, in
verses 19 to 24, Now we know that whatsoever things the law
saith, it saith to them who are under the law, that every mouth
may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
What does the law do? The law brings us to a point
where we are absolutely guilty before God. The law can't save.
It can't say it killeth. It killeth. It brings us to a
point where we have absolutely... Just quickly, keep your finger
there. Keep your finger in Romans 3, 9 with this text. Let's just
flip quickly back over to Galatians, and I just want to read a little
portion in Galatians in light of that, in light of that, that
on all the world may become guilty before God. Look over here in
Galatians 4. We're starting in verses 1, and
we'll just read to verses 6. Verse 6. Look at this. Now I say that the heir, as long
as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant. So in our natural
state, when we're born into this world dead and trespasses, and
we don't know who any of the elect are, do we? We have no
idea. God knows. He knows his people. We have
no idea. But in our natural state, the
sheep of God, the lost sheep of God, you cannot tell them,
you cannot tell them, you cannot tell one of the elect of God
from any other. You cannot tell. Look what it
says here. It says here. Now I say that the heir, as long
as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be
lord of all, but is under tutors and governors
until what? The appointed time of the father,
when it pleases God to reveal Christ to his people, when it
pleases God to regenerate us by the power of the Holy Spirit
of God. The appointed time, the time appointed of God. Even so,
we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements
of the world. We drank sin like water. But when the fullness of time
was come, God sent forth a son made of a woman made under the
law. To what? To redeem them that were under
the law. We saw there in Romans that all
are guilty before God. He come to redeem, to redeem
his people from their sins. That we might receive the adoption
of sons. And look at this, and because ye are sons, God has
sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts, crying
what? Have a father. We cry, Abba, Father. We're born
again by the Holy Spirit of God. Now let's go back to Romans chapter
3. And it says there, and the world may become guilty before
God. Therefore, by the deeds of the
law shall what? No flesh be justified. Now that's
pretty clear, isn't it? That's pretty clear. Yet man
still think they can gain merit and favor with God by their works
because they They can't see. We were talking
this week, and we are wired to work. We come into this world
wired to work, dead in trespasses and sins, and thinking we can
gain merit and favor with God by our doings. But it says right
here, therefore, by the deeds of the law, that means our doing,
by our works. Therefore, by the deeds of the law, there shall
no flesh be justified in his sight, in God's sight, none,
not one, not one. For by the law is the knowledge
of sin. Remember, it's a schoolmaster.
To what? Bring us to Christ. To bring
us to Christ. Look at this though, and look
at verse 21. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested. Without our doing. or being witnessed by the law
and the prophets, even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of
Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe. For there
is no difference for all of sin and come short of the glory of
God. Look at this being justified freely by his grace. God's people
are justified freely by the grace of God in Christ. My. through the redemption that is
in Christ Jesus, through his precious blood, purchasing our
eternal souls. In Adam we fell. He was in a
covenant of works. He was told, do this and you
shall live. Eat this and you shall die. Let us always remember
that the covenant of works was revealed first, but before there
was ever a sinner, there was a covenant of grace. We looked
at that called the everlasting covenant. Remember, it's been
hid from ages and generations. We've seen that in scripture,
but now made manifest to his saints. Colossians says to Colossians
chapter one made manifest to his saints. Oh, there was a covenant of grace,
and it's surety of that covenant is the Lord Jesus Christ. And
again, the people of God were chosen in Christ before the foundation
of the world, before the world began. Before the world, what
a blessed truth. based upon absolutely nothing
in ourselves, all by the mercy and grace of God in Christ. Turn,
if you would, to Ephesians chapter 1. Let's read that again. We've
read it many, many times, but let's read this. This is what
the scriptures proclaim. This is absolutely wonderful.
Ephesians chapter 1, verses 3 and 4. Look at this. Ephesians chapter one, verses
three and four. If you've been saved, it's according
to the mercy and grace of God, because he chose you in Christ
before the foundation of the world. Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who had blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Now note there again,
in Christ, that's the key. According that he has chosen
us in who? In Christ, in him. When? Before the foundation of
the world. That takes man right out of the
equation, doesn't it? Not based upon anything we did. God didn't
look down through time and saw who would choose him. No. God,
when he looked down through time, saw everyone was dead in trespasses
and sins. And by his mercy and the grace,
he chose a people. My, before the foundation of
the world, that we should be holy and without blame before
him in love, that we should be able to stand in the very presence
of the Holy One that we looked at in Sunday school, clothed
in the perfect spotless righteousness of Christ. What a salvation! What a salvation this is! Turn
over, if you would, to 2 Thessalonians. 2 Thessalonians. Look at this. 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2, verse
13. God's people give thanks to God.
We give thanks to God because of this truth that God has chosen
us. Look at this. And this is, again,
Scripture. This is what the Scriptures proclaim.
But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren,
beloved of the Lord, because God hath what from the beginning
chosen you to salvation. My goodness, me. That's what
the scriptures say. And I know you, you are as bloodbought
people say me. Yes. Because God hath from the beginning
chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit
and belief of the truth. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
and thou shalt be saved. Amen. Turn, if you would, to Revelation.
Revelation. The Scriptures declare that Christ
the Lamb was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
From the foundation of the world. Again, before there was ever
a sinner, there was a Savior. He's the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world. God's people are chosen in Christ
before the foundation of the world we saw there. Now we're
seeing He's the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world.
Look at this in Revelation 13, 8. And all that dwell upon the
earth shall worship Him, whose names are not written in the
book of the life of the Lamb, slain from the foundation of
the world. When Adam fell, God didn't just go, oh, plan B time.
No. No, not at all, not at all. Christ is a lamb slain from the
foundation of the world. And then over in Revelation 17,
eight, it says this, the beast that thou sawest was
and is not and shall stand out of the bottomless pit and go
into perdition. And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder
whose names were not written in the book of life from the
foundation of the world. My goodness. whose names were
not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world,
when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. Now one more place, turn to 1
Peter, 1 Peter chapter one. Oh, the scriptures are wonderful,
aren't they? And the believer in Christ sees
that our salvation has absolutely no merit in ourselves, and we
rejoice You know, an old hymn writer said, praise God he chose
me because I never would have chosen him. Isn't that the truth?
That's the truth, isn't it? That's the truth. Look at this
in 1 Peter 1, verses 18 to 21. For as much as ye know that ye
were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold, no
one can buy their salvation. No one. We are not redeemed by
anything in this world, beloved. No silver, no gold. but yet we
are the richest people in the world, far richer than anyone
in Christ. Oh, we are so rich in Christ.
For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible
things of silver and gold from your vain conversations received
by traditions from your fathers, but with the precious blood of
Christ as a lamb without blemish and without spot. Look at this
in verse 20, who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the
world, but was manifest in these last times for you. Oh beloved,
He's the Lamb. He's the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world. Who by Him do believe in God
that raised Him up from the dead and give Him glory that your
faith and hope might be in God. Is your faith and hope in God?
In Him alone? In Christ alone? The believer's
hope and faith is in Christ alone. As I've said many times, you
take Christ from me, I have nothing. Is it so for you? Is He your
all in all? If He's not, I pray God will
make it so. I pray He would. Now Hagar was never intended
to be the wife of Abraham, nor Ishmael that promised seed. Hagar
was the handmaid of Sarah. So the law was never given or
intended to save anyone. It was only a handmaid, a schoolmaster
we saw, to bring us to Christ, to point men to Christ, to show
us our utter inability to save ourselves. Now to Abraham and his seed were
the promises made, and he saith not into the seeds as of many,
but as of one into thy seed, which is Christ. Salvation is
in Christ alone. The law, again, brings us to
another end of ourselves. and points us right to the Lord
Jesus Christ. Let's look at Galatians 3 again.
We see here that the law shuts us up. It shuts us up. It has
no saving power. It only condemns. It concludes
all under sin, as we saw in Romans there. Law and grace do not mix,
beloved. Law and grace do not mix, just
like Ishmael and Isaac couldn't be in the... They do not mix. Those who are of the flesh cannot
please God. Do you know God is only pleased
in His Son? God's only pleased in Christ.
He's not pleased in anyone else but Christ. And oh my, the believer
is accepted in the Lord, accepted in Him. Galatians chapter three, verses 21 to 29. Is the law then
against the promises of God? God forbid. We know the law's
holy, isn't it? For if there had been a law given
which could have given life, verily righteousness should have
been by the law. But the scripture, look at this,
hath concluded what? All under sin. It's concluded
that we're all sinners. Everyone on this top side of
God's earth is a sinner. There's only one who ever lived
on this earth who was absolutely sinless, and that's the Lord
Jesus Christ. But the scripture hath concluded
all under sin, that by the promise of faith of Jesus Christ might
be given to them that believe. Know what it's given to us. It's
given to us because we don't ever seek it. We don't ever desire
it. But God, we saw in Sunday school,
thy people shall be made willing in the day of thy power. And
we know that. We're made willing to flee to Christ. Grace, grace,
we receive grace and faith and repentance is given to us by
our great God. But before our faith came, we
were under the law. That's our natural state. Shut
up unto the faith, which should afterwards be revealed. Look
at this. Wherefore, the law was our schoolmaster. To what? To bring us unto Christ. There it is. To bring us unto
Christ. Why? That we might be justified
by faith. And who's the object of our faith?
Christ. In Christ alone. He's the one
we look to. But after that faith has come,
what? We are no longer under a schoolmaster. My goodness. My goodness. For ye are all children
of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been
baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew
nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male
nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be
in Christ, then you are what? Abraham's seed, and heirs according
to the promise. My goodness, but look at that.
Look at that in verse 25. But after that faith has come,
we are no longer under a schoolmaster. The law has no hold on the believer.
We're free in Christ, beloved. Now, we know we're not going
to go out this door and go crazy. We're not antinomians. We don't
believe that. But do you know how free the
believer is in Christ? Oh, we're so free in him. He hath set us free from the
power of sin, the penalty of sin. The law is holy, it comes from
our God. Our God is holy, but we can never be saved by the
law. We saw there it shuts us up to Christ. It shuts us up
to Christ. It shows us our outer inability
to save ourselves. And it shuts us up to Christ,
who is the only savior of sinners. The only savior of sinners. The
only one, Christ. The law is a servant of grace.
It's a servant of grace. And when the law tries to be
master or equal with grace, it cannot be because the law kill
it. But the Spirit of Grace, the Holy Spirit of God, makes
us alive. Makes us alive. Look at Galatians
4, verses 30 and 31. Nevertheless, what saith the
Scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the
bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman. So
then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the
free. Think upon this, Hagar was never free. And Sarah was
never in bondage. Hagar was never free and Sarah
was never in bondage. Those under the law are never
free. Never free. They are servants to the law.
Look at Galatians 3, verses 10 to 13. We see that if a man lives by
the law, what must he do? He's got to fulfill a law. Or he's cursed by it. Galatians
3, verses 10-12 says this, For as many as are of the works of
the law are under the curse. For it is written, Cursed is
everyone that continueth not in all things which are written
in the book of the law to do them. Man wants to live under
the law, you've got to do them all. I've got news for you, you
can't do one. Can't do one. But that no man, what? But that
no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident.
For the just shall live by what? Faith. And that faith is in Christ,
and in Christ alone. The only hope for sinners. And
the law is not a faith, but the man that doeth them shall live
in them. Here is the freedom for the believer
in Christ. Look at verse 13. Oh, what freedom
is proclaimed here? Christ hath redeemed his people
from what? The curse of the law. Galatians
313 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of law being made a
curse for us. For it is written, cursed is
everyone that hangeth on a tree. And so if the sun make you free,
beloved, you are free indeed. You are free indeed. Free in
Christ. Hagar must be cast out as well
as her son. Turn, if you would, to Hebrews
chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10. What's the law? The law was just
a shadow of good things to come, wasn't it? Just a shadow of good
things to come. Hebrews chapter 10. Verses 1 to 10. See, I see my shadow here, but
when I step over here, my substance is here. There's the shadow.
It's just a shadow. It's not me. Look at this in Hebrews chapter
10. For the law, having a shadow
of good things to come, and not the very image of the things,
can never, with those sacrifices which they offered year by year
continually, make the comers thereunto perfect. So all those
Old Testament sacrifices could never take away sin. But what
did they do? They appointed the one who will.
They were just a shadow. Christ is a substance. Christ
is a substance. For then would they not have
ceased to be offered. So if they could have taken away
sin, they'd stop offering. Because that the worshipers once
purged should have no more conscience of sin. But there is in those
sacrifices, there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should
take away sins. They couldn't take away sin.
Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, that being Christ,
he sayeth sacrifice and offering, thou wouldst not, but a body
hast thou prepared me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices
for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, lo, in the volume
of the book it is written of me to do thy will, O God. Christ
came, what, to redeem his people from their sins, to be the perfect
spotless sacrifice. Love when he said sacrifice an
offering and burn offerings and offering for sin. Now what is
not neither had his pleasure there in which are offered by
the law. Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will. He taketh away
the first that he may establish the second by the which will
we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus
Christ once for all. He died once for all his people
once. And he cried out, it is finished. And you know what? Finished means
finished. And nothing for you or I to do. Salvation's complete. It's finished. Believer just
looks to Christ, don't we? We just look to him by faith.
Oh, what a Redeemer. What a Savior. The covenant of
works has ceased for God's people. Christ has fulfilled the law
in our place. Our works have no place in our
redemption. None at all. None at all. It's all about what
He did. It's all about what Christ has
accomplished. The redemption of God's people is in Christ
and Christ alone. Nowhere else. Nowhere else. He
reigns supreme, beloved. He reigns supreme as a King.
In providence and in salvation. In providence and in salvation.
God's people, we praise His name for that, don't we? We are so
thankful. We are so thankful that He reigns
supreme. Absolutely supreme. Oh my. One child of Abraham is by the
flesh or natural birth, but one is by the promise, and that's
Isaac. For he is not a Jew which is
one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outwardly
in the flesh, but he is a Jew which is one inwardly. What's
that mean? To be born again with the Holy Spirit of God. is out of the heart and in the
spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but
of God. Romans 2, 28 and 29. Look at
Galatians 3, verses seven to nine. Galatians chapter three, verse
seven to nine. Know ye therefore that they which
are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham? In the scripture foreseeing that
God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before
the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be
blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful
Abraham. And then look at verse 16, Now
to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not
unto the seeds, as of many, but as of one. That promise is made
to Abraham in Christ, in Christ alone. And to thy seed which
is Christ. And then look at verse 29 of
chapter 3. And if ye be Christ's, then ye
are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Oh
my goodness. Just as the two women are types
of covenants, the two sons are types those who live under each
covenant. Ishmael is a man who trusts his
own works and seeks righteousness before God, in picture, by his
deeds, by his own works. And Isaac is the man who is supernaturally
born of God, born again of the Holy Spirit, picture of the born
again believer, the child of promise, the child of promise. Scriptures declare this of God's
people, which were born not of blood, nor the will of the flesh,
nor the will of man, but of God. The believer is born again, regenerated
by the Holy Spirit of God, all by his power, and all by his
grace, all his work. We are bought to faith in Christ,
and then the believer walks in the Spirit, not the flesh, Who
is our wisdom and our righteousness and our sanctification? Christ
and Christ alone. He's everything to us, isn't
he? Absolutely everything. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness, sanctification
and redemption. In other words, he's everything.
He's everything. For in him, the one we trust
in, the Lord Jesus Christ, dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead
Father. And ye are what? Colossians 2 says this, Colossians
2.10 says this, and ye are complete. Complete there means finished.
You are complete in Him, in Him, which is the head of all principality
and power. Ishmael was the older son, as
the old man is older than the new man, created in Christ Jesus. And we who are God's people,
we're born of the flesh first, aren't we? We're born of the
flesh first. And then we're born again by
the power of the Holy Spirit. We have a new nature. We become
new creatures in Christ. Ishmael is the son of the flesh.
Isaac is the son by divine power. By divine power. And we are all
born sons of man. And in God the Holy Spirit regenerates
his people. And they are called what? The
sons of God. The sons of God. Ishmael's attitude
toward Isaac is the same attitude the legalists or natural man
displays toward the sons of grace today. You proclaim Christ and
Christ alone in salvation and men will despise you for it.
Legalists will hate you and natural man will despise you. But we
still keep preaching and proclaiming, don't we? that God might be glorified
and magnified. Oh, you're not to find a person
in religion to be tolerant toward the gospel of God's grace. You
know why? Because the gospel of God's grace
destroys his very foundation. And you know what the foundation
of a person in religion is? Their merits. What the foundation of the believer
is? His merit, Christ's merit, Christ's
works, all what he's done. So when you preach salvation
by grace alone through Christ alone, it destroys the very foundation
of the legalists or the religionists, which are
counting upon their merit or their works. Praise God, the believer in Christ
is saved based upon the merit of Christ. Based upon the works
and merit of Christ. We have received mercy. Mercy. And ye, that meaning God's people,
let us rejoice leaving here knowing this. We who are his born-again,
blood-bought people. And ye are what? Complete in
Him. Praise His mighty name. Heavenly
Father, we thank Thee for Your mercy and goodness and grace. O Lord, we thank Thee that You
have redeemed Your people from the curse of the law. You made
a curse for us, O Lord. All the sins of Your people were
imputed to Thee on Calvary's cross, and You bore all that
God demanded, all the wrath of God and all the that the justice
of God demanded was poured out upon thee. And we are set free,
we who are your people, all by the precious sacrifice of yourself. Glory to your name, Lord, in
honor and praise. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.