Galatians 4
Transfer from Bondage to Adoptionverses 1-7
Now I say – That the HEIR – as long as he is a child
differs nothing from a servant – though he be lord of all
BUT is under tutors and governors until the time
appointed of his father
Even so we – when we were children
were in bondage under the elements of the world
But when the fullness of the time was come
God sent forth HIS Son – made of a woman
made under the law
To redeem them that were under the law
that we might receive the ADOPTION of sons
AND because you are sons
God has sent forth the Spirit of HIS Son
into your hearts crying Abba – Father
Wherefore you are no more a servant – but a son
and IF a son – THEN an HEIR of God through Christ
Turning back to Law of Mosesverses 8-11
Howbeit then – when you knew not God
you did service unto them which by nature are no gods
BUT NOW – after that you have known God
or rather are known of God
how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements
whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
You observe – days –months – times – years
I am afraid of you – lest I have
bestowed upon you LABOR IN VAIN
Relationship of church to Paulverses 12-15
Brethren – I beseech you – be as I am
for I am as you are – ye have not injured me at all
You know how through infirmity of the flesh
I preached the gospel unto you at the first
And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not
nor rejected but received me as an angel of God
even as Christ Jesus
Where is then the blessedness you spoke of?
for I bear you record – that – if it had been possible
you would have plucked out your own eyes
and have given them to me
Zeal needs to focus on right beliefsverses 16-18
AM I therefore become your enemy – because I tell you the TRUTH
They [false teachers] zealously affect you – BUT not well
Yea – they would exclude you – that you might affect them
but it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing
and not only when I am present with you
Illustration of two covenantsverse 19- 31
My little children – of whom I travail in birth again until Christ
be formed in you
I desire to be present with you now – and to change my voice
FOR I stand in DOUBT of you
Tell me – you that desire to be under the law – DO you not hear the law?
for it is written – that Abraham had two sons
the one by a bondmaid
the other by a free woman
BUT 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 genders to bondage
which is Hagar
FOR this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia
and answers to Jerusalem which now is
and is in bondage with her children
BUT Jerusalem which is above is FREE – which is the mother of us all
for it is written – Rejoice – you barren that bear not
break forth and cry – you that travails not
for the desolate has many more children than
she which has a husband
NOW we – brethren as Isaac was – are the CHILDREN OF 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 say 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
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of HIS Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (2588 “hearts” [kardia] means the locus of a person’s thoughts (mind), volition, emotions, and knowledge of right from wrong, conscience, inner self, will, intention, interior, memory, seat of the desires, or inside)
DEVOTION: The Godhead or Trinity is mentioned in this verse. There is a statement that we can become the children of God because of what Christ did on the cross. This all started with HIM coming as a babe in Bethlehem. HE came at just the right time to save the world from their sins.
Remember that God the Father sent God the Son to this earth for the redemption of those who were to become HIS followers. Jesus Christ sent the Holy Spirit to help HIS disciples understand what the message was and what it meant in their daily living. The Holy Spirit was another comforter just like Jesus.
Now with the Holy Spirit indwelling all those who believe they have the prompting to pray to their Father in heaven. The Holy Spirit helps every believer when they pray to know what they should be praying.
We all want to communicate with God the Father about what concerns us each day. Sometimes we find it hard to realize just what our relationship is to HIM. It is a close relationship because of Jesus. It is even closer than most children have with their human father.
CHALLENGE: God wants HIS children to be obedient to HIS commands as they are found in the Scriptures.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 11 I am of you, lest I have bestowed on you labor in vain. (2872 “bestowed labor” [kopiao] means toil, be wearied, to grow weary, tired, exhausted, to labor with wearisome effort, to do wearisome labor, labor to extreme fatigue, strive, implying difficulties and trouble, or worn out)
DEVOTION: Paul had a genuine concern over the spiritual growth of those who attended the church at Galatia. They had been listening to false teachers who had come into their midst telling them that they had to go back to the Laws of Moses to be saved. It was not enough for them to believe in Jesus Christ they had to practice the Old Testament commands.
These false teachers had convinced them that Paul’s teachings were wrong. Now it was up to Paul to declare that his labor in starting the church were not in vain. He had to bring to their attention that they could never completely obey the Law of Moses.
The Law of Moses was given to show the need of every individual to depend on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ alone. All their efforts to completely obey the Law would fail.
Manmade religion always tells people that they can earn their own salvation by their own works. It is a lie but many people just feel that it is right for them to earn their own salvation. To depend on how much money you give, your baptism, your visitation, your good works to get you into heaven will not satisfy a HOLY God.
CHALLENGE: The blood of Jesus Christ is what is necessary to satisfy HIS HOLINESS.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 4, 5 But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (1805 “redeem” [exagorazo] means to ransom, set free, to rescue from loss, liberate, or to buy up)
DEVOTION: God does everything in HIS time. HE is never in a hurry. HE is never late. HE causes things to happen when the timing is right.
It is stated that the children of Israel were not going to inherit the Promised Land until the iniquity of the Ammonites was full. HE told Abraham that he had to wait for a number of years before his descendents would inherit the land. God knows the beginning from the end. HE knows the perfect time for something to happen.
Here we find that in the fullness of time Jesus Christ was to come. Who determined the fullness of time? God did. HE knew it before HE created the world.
Jesus Christ came to instruct HIS disciples of a change from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant. The seal of the New Covenant was the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.
HE was born of Mary. HE was under the Old Covenant. HE was sent to ransom those who were under the law. HE was going to adopt them into HIS family. They were going to be HIS followers.
Too often we think that God is too slow from our perspective. HE should act sooner rather than later. We would like HIM to send HIS Son right now to establish HIS kingdom on this earth.
However, we have to wait for the fullness of time. Our thoughts are not God’s thoughts. HE will send HIS Son when the iniquity of our world is full. It seems to be full now but it is not the fullness of time. Waiting on the LORD is difficult but necessary for the salvation of some. Pray for their salvation.
CHALLENGE: Waiting on the timing of the LORD is always hard for impatient human beings. Christians fall into this category. Give yourself to prayer for God to work in HIS timing and wait for HIM patiently.
: 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. (1377 “persecuted” [dioko] means to pursue, press toward, to make to run or flee, trouble someone, or to harass someone)
DEVOTION: No matter how good a teacher Paul was to the people of Corinth, they still were looking to others to teach them. However, these teachers were false teachers. They were teaching them that they had to obey the Law of Moses, in order to be saved. They were teaching them that they had to celebrate feasts and other occasion in order to be right with God. They were trying to leave Christ out and put the Law in HIS place.
Paul gives the illustration of the two covenants God made with man. The one covenant was through the Law which became a slave master. The other was through Christ which gave them liberty. They wanted to return to the Old Covenant. Paul called the old covenant “weak and beggarly elements.”
There were false teachers in the church of Galatia who wanted the followers of Christ to return to the old covenant. They taught that in order to be saved those in the church had to return to the practices of the Old Testament or Covenant. Paul was telling them that this is false. Paul was telling them that they were FREE from the Old Covenant and under the NEW Covenant. He didn’t want them to return to the old ways. He didn’t want them in bondage. Those who like to make rules want to put God’s people in bondage. There are many churches that have external rules to follow and claim to make those who follow them more spiritual than those who don’t follow their rules. These are legalist churches.
These false teachers were deceiving the Christians in the Galatians church. Many are being deceived today by the thoughts that if they obey external rules they are more spiritual. The LORD looks at the heart of the individual. The LORD looks on the inside of our heart first and then on our actions.
Are our hearts right with God? The world and the flesh and the devil want us to follow external rules without changing our inside. God wants us to change our inside through Christ and the other will fall into place. There is a war going on in this world. Our three enemies: the world, the flesh and the devil want to trouble us with many external rules that make us doubt our salvation. Don’t listen to them.
CHALLENGE: Who is winning the war in your life? Are you following the Holy Spirit’s leading through the Word of God?
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Lawverses 4, 5, 21
Gospelverse 13
For it is writtenverse 22
Two covenantsverse 24
Mount Sinaiverse 24
Hagarverses 24, 25
It is writtenverses 22, 27
Scripture verse 30
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Fulness of timeverse 4
Godverses 4, 7-9, 14
God sent forth his Sonverse 4
Abbaverse 6
Fatherverse 6
Heir of God through Christverse 7
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Sonverses 4, 6
Made of a womanverse 4
Under the Lawverse 4
Christverses 7, 14, 19
Jesus verse 14
Christ Jesus verse 14
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Spirit verses 6, 29
Spirit of HIS sonverse 6
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Angelverse 14
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Heirverse 1
Childverse 1
Servantverses 1, 7
Lordverse 1
Tutorsverse 2
Governorsverse 2
Fatherverse 2
Elements of the worldverse 3
Heartsverse 6
Infirmity of the fleshverse 13
Enemyverse 16
Arabiaverse 25
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Knew not Godverse 8
Worship false godsverse 8
Turn to weak and beggarly elementsverse 9
Bondageverse 9
Observe days – months – times – yearsverse 10
Enemyverse 16
Zealous in a bad teachingverse 17
Doubt verse 20
Desire to be under the lawverse 21
Born after the fleshverse 23
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Fullness of timeverse 4
Redeemverse 5
Adoption of sonsverses 5, 6
Holy Spirit in our heartsverse 6
Crying Abba Fatherverse 6
Servant – Son – heir of Godverse 7
Heir of God through Christverse 7
Know Godverse 9
Known of Godverse 9
Brethrenverse 12
Infirmity of the fleshverses 13, 14
Blessedverse 15
Tell the truthverse 16
Zealous in a good thingverse 18
Christ formed in usverse 19
Born under the promiseverse 23
Rejoiceverse 27
Children of promiseverse 28
Born after the Spiritverse 29
Heirverse 30
Israel (Old Testament people of God
Heirverse 1
Tutors & governorsverse 2
Appointed time of fatherverse 2
Under the lawverses 4, 5, 21
Abrahamverses 22, 23, 30, 31
Two sons
One by a bondmaid (flesh)
One by a freewoman (promise)
Two covenants
Mount Sinai (bondage)verses 24, 25
Jerusalem (free)verses 25, 26
Mother of us all
Issacverse 28
Church (New Testament people of God)
Afraid of labor in vainverse 11
Brethrenverses 12, 28, 31
Preach the gospelverse 13
Received Paul as angel of Godverse 14
Preach the truthverse 16
Little childrenverse 19
Stand in doubt of someverse 20
Two covenantsverses 24-30
One from mount Sinai – bondage
Children of promise – free
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
29 In the first place, they must expect to endure persecution from their brother. Paul is referring to an incident in Genesis 21. At the weaning of Isaac, when he was probably about two years of age and his half-brother Ishmael about seventeen, Ishmael “laughed at” or “mocked” Isaac. This was why Sarah asked that Hagar and her son be sent away. So it is today, says Paul. True Christians will be persecuted, as Jesus himself taught (Matt 5:10–12) and the apostles confirm (Philippians 1:29; 1 Thess 3:1–4; 2 Tim 3:12; 1 Peter 4:12, 13). And the remarkable thing is that this will not always be by the world but also and indeed more often by their half-brothers—the unbelieving but religious people in the nominal church. This is the lesson of history. It was the Jews who killed the prophets, not the Gentiles. It was the Pharisees and other religious leaders who opposed Jesus and instigated his execution, which was carried out by the Romans. Paul’s fiercest opponents were the fanatically religious Judaizers. Today the greatest enemies of the believing church are found among the members of the unbelieving church, the greatest opposition emanating from the pulpits and church hierarchies. (Boice, J. M. (1976). Galatians. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans through Galatians (Vol. 10, pp. 484–485). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
29. Notwithstanding this higher grade of sonship, the children of promise, the spiritual children of Abraham, are persecuted by the Jews, the mere bodily children of Abraham, as Isaac was persecuted by Ishmael.
Persecuted (ἐδίωκε). Comp. Gen. 21:9, where Ishmael is said to have mocked Isaac (LXX, παίζοντα μετὰ): but the Jewish tradition related that Ishmael said to Isaac: “Let us go and seek our portion in the field.” And Ishmael took his bow and arrows and shot Isaac, pretending that he was in sport. Paul evidently meant something more than jeering.
After the Spirit (κατὰ πνεῦμα). The divine Spirit, which was the living principle of the promise. Comp. Rom. 4:17. The Spirit is called “the Spirit of the promise,” Eph. 1:13. (Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 4, p. 153). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.)
4:28. First, Paul compared the birth of Isaac to that of Christians. As “Isaac” experienced a supernatural birth and was a child by means of a promise, so each believer experiences a supernatural birth (John 3:3, 5) and is a recipient of the promise of salvation (Gal. 3:9, 22, 29). As children of promise Christians are in a distinct category and should not live as children of bondage.
4:29. Second, the apostle compared Ishmael’s persecution of Isaac to the false teachers’ opposition to believers. Abraham celebrated the weaning of Isaac with a banquet. On that occasion Ishmael mocked Isaac, laughing derisively at the younger boy, since Ishmael was the elder son and assumed he would be heir to his father’s estate (cf. Gen. 21:8–9). That early animosity has been perpetuated in the two peoples which descended from the two sons of Abraham and is seen in the current Arab-Israel tensions. Paul likened the Judaizers to Ishmael as those who were born out of legalistic self-effort; he charged that they continued to persecute the true believers who were born by the power of the Spirit. With few exceptions Paul’s persecution came from the Jews, the people in bondage to the Law.
4:30. Third, Paul compared the action of Abraham to the obligation of the Galatians. When Sarah observed Ishmael mocking Isaac, she asked Abraham to expel the slave woman and her son lest Ishmael become a joint heir with Isaac. And God granted Sarah’s request (cf. Gen. 21:10, 12). This reminded the readers that Law observance brought no inheritance in the family of God, and it also charged them to excommunicate the Judaizers and those who accepted their false doctrines. A fundamental incompatibility remains between Law and grace, between a religion based on works and a religion based on faith.
4:31. In conclusion, Paul affirmed that he and the Galatian believers were not children of the slave woman who was driven away and was denied a share in the inheritance. Rather all believers are children of the free woman, “heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17). (Campbell, D. K. (1985). Galatians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 604). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
The Spiritual Truths (Gal. 4:24–29)
Paul now explains the meanings that lie behind these historical events; perhaps they are best classified as shown in the chart at the top of page 710.
Paul begins with the two sons, Ishmael and Isaac (Gal. 4:22–23), and explains that they illustrate our two births: the physical birth that makes us sinners and the spiritual birth that makes us the children of God. As you think about this, and read Genesis 21:1–12, you discover some wonderful spiritual truths about your salvation.
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The Old Covenant
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The New Covenant
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Law
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Grace
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Hagar the slave
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Sarah the freewoman
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Ishmael, conceived after the flesh
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Isaac, conceived miraculously
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Earthly Jerusalem in bondage
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Heavenly Jerusalem which is free
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Isaac illustrates the believer in several particulars.
He was born by God’s power. In fact, God deliberately waited twenty-five years before He granted Abraham and Sarah their son. Isaac was “born after the Spirit” (Gal. 4:29), and, of course, the Christian is “born of the Spirit” (John 3:1–7). Isaac came into the world through Abraham (who represents faith, Gal. 3:9) and Sarah (who represents grace); so that he was born “by grace … through faith” as is every true Christian (Eph. 2:8–9).
He brought joy. His name means “laughter,” and certainly he brought joy to his aged parents. Salvation is an experience of joy, not only to the believer himself, but also to those around him.
He grew and was weaned (Gen. 21:8). Salvation is the beginning, not the ending. After we are born, we must grow (1 Peter 2:2; 2 Peter 3:18). Along with maturity comes weaning: we must lay aside “childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11). How easy it is for us to hold the “toys” of our earlier Christian days and fail to lay hold of the “tools” of the mature believer. The child does not enjoy being weaned, but he can never become a man until it happens. (Read Ps. 131 at this point.)
He was persecuted (Gen. 21:9). Ishmael (the flesh) caused problems for Isaac, just as our old nature causes problems for us. (Paul will discuss this in detail in Gal. 5:16ff.) Ishmael created no problems in the home until Isaac was born, just as our old nature creates no problems for us until the new nature enters when we trust Christ. In Abraham’s home we see the same basic conflicts that we Christians face today:
Hagar versus Sarah = Law versus grace
Ishmael versus Isaac = flesh versus Spirit
It is important to note that you cannot separate these four factors. The Judaizers taught that Law made the believer more spiritual, but Paul makes it clear that Law only releases the opposition of the flesh and a conflict within the believer ensues (see Rom. 7:19). There was no Law strong enough either to change or to control Ishmael, but Isaac never needed any Law. It has well been said, “The old nature knows no Law and the new nature needs no Law.”
Having explained the significance of the two sons, Paul now turns to an explanation of the two wives, Sarah and Hagar. He is illustrating the contrasts between Law and grace and is proving that the believer is not under Law but is under the loving freedom that comes through God’s grace. Notice, then, the facts about Hagar that prove that the Law no longer has power over the Christian.
Hagar was Abraham’s second wife. God did not begin with Hagar; He began with Sarah.
As far as God’s dealings with men are concerned, God began with grace. In Eden, God provided for Adam and Eve by grace. Even after they sinned, in His grace He provided them with coats of skins for a covering (Gen. 3:21). He did not give them laws to obey as a way of redemption; instead, He gave them a gracious promise to believe: the promise of a victorious Redeemer (Gen. 3:15).
In His relationship with Israel also, God first operated on the basis of grace, not Law. His covenant with Abraham (Gen. 15) was all of grace, because Abraham was in a deep sleep when the covenant was established. When God delivered Israel from Egypt, it was on the basis of grace and not Law, for the Law had not yet been given. Like Hagar, Abraham’s second wife, the Law was “added” (Gal. 3:19). Hagar performed a function temporarily, and then moved off the scene, just as the Law performed a special function and then was taken away (Gal. 3:24–25).
Hagar was a slave. Five times in this section she is called a “bondmaid” or “bondwoman” (Gal. 4:22–23, 30–31). Sarah was a freewoman, and therefore her position was one of liberty; but Hagar, even though married to Abraham, was still a servant. Likewise, the Law was given as a servant. “Wherefore then serveth the Law?” (Gal. 3:19) It served as a mirror to reveal men’s sins (Rom. 3:20) and as a monitor to control men and ultimately lead them to Christ (Gal. 3:23–25); but the Law was never meant to be a mother!
Hagar was not meant to bear a child. Abraham’s marriage to Hagar was out of the will of God; it was the result of Sarah’s and Abraham’s unbelief and impatience. Hagar was trying to do what only Sarah could do, and it failed. The Law cannot give life (Gal. 3:21), or righteousness (Gal. 2:21), or the gift of the Spirit (Gal. 3:2), or a spiritual inheritance (Gal. 3:18). Isaac was born Abraham’s heir (Gen. 21:10), but Ishmael could not share in this inheritance. The Judaizers were trying to make Hagar a mother again, while Paul was in spiritual travail for his converts that they might become more like Christ. No amount of religion or legislation can give the dead sinner life. Only Christ can do that through the Gospel.
Hagar gave birth to a slave. Ishmael was “a wild man” (Gen. 16:12), and even though he was a slave, nobody could control him, including his mother. Like Ishmael, the old nature (the flesh) is at war with God, and the Law cannot change or control it. By nature, the Spirit and the flesh are “contrary the one to the other” (Gal. 5:17), and no amount of religious activity is going to change the picture. Whoever chooses Hagar (Law) for his mother is going to experience bondage (Gal. 4:8–11, 22–25, 30–31; 5:1). But whoever chooses Sarah (grace) for his mother is going to enjoy liberty in Christ. God wants His children to be free (Gal. 5:1).
Hagar was cast out. It was Sarah who gave the order: “Cast out this bondwoman and her son” (Gen. 21:9–10), and God subsequently approved it (Gen. 21:12). Ishmael had been in the home for at least seventeen years, but his stay was not to be permanent; eventually he had to be cast out. There was not room in the household for Hagar and Ishmael with Sarah and Isaac; one pair had to go.
It is impossible for Law and grace, the flesh and the Spirit, to compromise and stay together. God did not ask Hagar and Ishmael to make occasional visits to the home; the break was permanent. The Judaizers in Paul’s day—and in our own day—are trying to reconcile Sarah and Hagar, and Isaac and Ishmael; such reconciliation is contrary to the Word of God. It is impossible to mix Law and grace, faith and works, God’s gift of righteousness and man’s attempts to earn righteousness.
Hagar was not married again. God never gave the Law to any other nation or people, including His church. For the Judaizers to impose the Law on the Galatian Christians was to oppose the very plan of God. In Paul’s day, the nation of Israel was under bondage to the Law, while the church was enjoying liberty under the gracious rule of the “Jerusalem which is above” (Gal. 4:26). The Judaizers wanted to “wed” Mt. Sinai and the heavenly Mt. Zion (Heb. 12:22), but to do this would be to deny what Jesus did on Mt. Calvary (Gal. 2:21). Hagar is not to be married again.
From the human point of view, it might seem cruel that God should command Abraham to send away his own son Ishmael, whom he loved very much. But it was the only solution to the problem, for “the wild man” could never live with the child of promise. In a deeper sense, however, think of what it cost God when He gave His Son to bear the curse of the Law to set us free. Abraham’s broken heart meant Isaac’s liberty; God’s giving of His Son means our liberty in Christ. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 709–711). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
“The biggest thieves of all are the lazy people who could work but won’t, the people who consume what others produce but produce nothing for others to use. The ‘sluggard’ and the ‘slothful man’ are mentioned at least seventeen times in Proverbs, and nothing good is said about them.” from Be Skillful: Proverbs by Warren Wiersbe
Though most aren’t aware of it, many boards believe that their purpose is ot keep everybody happy for the sake of peace and church unity. …. Consequently, decisions are based not upon Scripture or upon the goal of transformation but upon the goal of maintaining relationships.
(p. 16, Developing Leaders for the Small Church by Glenn C. Damman)
THE WILL OF GOD
Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.Luke 22:42
The person who has eternal life loves to do the will of God. This is the logical sequence. The man who loves is the man who is anxious to please the object of his love. There is no better test of love than that, and unless you desire to please someone whom you claim to love, then I assure you, you do not love that person. Love always wants to be pleasing and to give itself, and anyone who loves God wants to do the will of God.
If you look at Christ, you see that the whole of His life, His one object, was to do the will of His Father. He did not care what it was; even in the Garden of Gethsemane when He faced the one thing He did not want, even there He said, “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” He says, “I do not want to drink this cup, but if it is doing Thy will, I will do even that.” That is love at its maximum and its best, and it is true of all who have His life. The chief end of the true Christian is the glory of God; therefore he spends his time seeking to know the will of God and doing it.
He strives to do it, and he loves to do it. He is controlled by this one idea. Having learned what God has done for him and what God is to him, having realized something of this love of God, he says,“Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.” Anyman, therefore, who has eternal life has this as the supreme objectand desire of his life—to do the will of God.
The ultimate manifestation of the possession of eternal life is that it produces certain results in our lives. Fortunately for us they have all been set out in a very brief compass in Galatians 5:22-23, where the apostle Paul speaks of the fruit of the Spirit. These verses are rightly called “the shortest biography of Christ that has ever been written.”
A Thought to Ponder: The true Christian spends his time seeking to know the will of God and doing it. (Saved in Eternity, pp. 168-169, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Once again, Senator Lindsey Graham has sponsored the “Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.” Once again, on Tuesday, the measure failed, this time 53-44, with two Democrats supporting it, and two Republicans voting against it. As Graham put it, “we vote on this every year.”
As the title suggests, the act would ban abortions after 20 weeks, once the fetus can feel pain. Right on cue, abortion supporters labeled the act “outrageously restrictive,” and the idea that children in the womb feel pain as “scientifically disputed.”
That the measure failed is no surprise, but to call it “outrageously restrictive” ignores abortion laws across the rest of the world. Germany and France both restrict abortions at 14 weeks of gestation. Norway restricts at 12 weeks, as does Ireland. Even notoriously liberal Sweden restricts abortions at 18 weeks.
In other words, the “Pain-Capable” Act, especially given the way we protect animals in our country, is quite reasonable. And if it’s reasonable, the other bill introduced Tuesday should be seen as downright obvious and humane.
As Republican Senator Steve Daines of Montana described from the Senate floor: “…the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act … mandates that if a baby is born alive following a botched abortion, the doctor must protect that baby and give the same medical care that any other baby would receive.” Then he added, “Is that too much to ask for?”
Unfortunately, once again, it was; 41 senators, all of them Democrats, voted to block the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which was sponsored by Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse.
Again, like the previous piece of legislation, the title accurately describes what the measure seeks to accomplish. Unlike many other pieces of legislation, the language of the measure is straightforward and easy to understand: “If an abortion results in the live birth of an infant, the infant is a legal person for all purposes under the laws of the United States, and entitled to all the protections of such laws.”
Furthermore, “Any health care practitioner present at the time the child is born alive shall … exercise the same degree of professional skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life and health of the child as a reasonably diligent and conscientious health care practitioner would render to any other child born alive at the same gestational age.”
That this Act is considered controversial proves that the ideology of abortion has slipped any of the surly bonds of rationality. Given the straightforward clarity of the Born Alive Protection Act’s title and substance, the language used by its opponents should be noted too.
In an online article that practically celebrates the failure of these two bills, CNN called the Born Alive Protection Act an “abortion restriction bill.” Perhaps they received that talking point from Planned Parenthood, who claimed in their communication that the bill pushes “misinformation meant to end access to abortion.”
But the bill says nothing at all about a woman’s access to abortion. In fact, it acknowledges the fact of abortion. It even assumes an abortion was attempted and does nothing to penalize or criminalize anyone seeking or anyone performing an abortion. All it does is confront the reality that babies sometimes survive abortion attempts.
But the worst abuse of language award still goes to CNN, for this line from the article, “… the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, would require abortion providers to work to ‘preserve the life and health’ of a fetus that was born following an attempted abortion as they would for a newborn baby …”
I am not making this up. CNN reporter Caroline Kelly literally referred to “a fetus that is born” and contrasted that with a “newborn baby.”
All of this underscores something Chesterton said, “If words aren’t worth fighting for, what on earth would be?” Or even better, one attributed to Confucius, “When words lose their meaning, people lose their lives.”
Simply put, Christians must engage this battle at the level of language. Words matter. Definitions matter. Truth matters. And human lives are at stake. (Break Point)
Lessons from Amos: Don’t Enter Gilgal
“But [do not] . . . enter into Gilgal . . . for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity.” (Amos 5:5)
Gilgal was the place of new beginnings. Twelve memorial stones from the Jordan were set up at Gilgal after the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River (Joshua 4:3). The nation was circumcised there in preparation for their possession of the land (Joshua 5:5). The Passover was celebrated (Joshua 5:10), and the miraculous manna ceased (Joshua 5:12). The victorious campaign in the hill country of Judea extending to Kadesh-barnea and Gaza was conducted from Gilgal (Joshua 10:15). The great battle at the waters of Merom was conducted from Gilgal (Joshua 10:43; 11:5). Saul was crowned Israel’s first king at Gilgal (1 Samuel 11:15).
Yet, the activity at Gilgal began to obscure the Word of God. Saul compromised and sacrificed at Gilgal to try to gain God’s blessing. His desire for political favor resulted in direct disobedience to God.
A zeal for “righteous action” without obedience can result in evil. Jephthah’s foolish vow and subsequent bad leadership led to a horrible slaughter (Judges 11–12). Micah’s selfish desire for a personal priest led to terrible apostasy (Judges 17–18). A Levite’s false zeal for revenge led Israel into civil war (Judges 19–21)
When activity substitutes for holiness, the cause starts to justify the activity. Activity then becomes necessary to preserve the cause, and dedication to the activity is equated with loyalty and holiness. In many cases, preservation of a memorable event overrides biblical truth. We don’t need “activity” at Gilgal as much as we need “abiding” in Christ. The “branches” need the “vine” (John 15). (HMM III, The Institute for Creation Research)
Deuteronomy 30
Restoration is promised to the Israelites.
INSIGHT
Where would we be without forgiveness? In his weakness, man is not able to sustain any relationship without eventually needing to forgive and to be forgiven. This includes his relationship with God. Unless God were willing to forgive us, we could have no relationship with Him, for we are unable to be sinless before Him.
What a warm and tender chapter comes on the heels of the curses. God says, “If you turn from Me, I will pour out on you the curses. But if you repent and return to Me, I will forgive you and restore you.” What a comfort. What a wonderful God. (Quiet Walk)
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THE MECHANISM OF THE PROMISE
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
We must look at what I choose to call the mechanism of the promise–the way in which it works. The apostle says that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” He says that we “know” this, that it is something that is well-known and acknowledged, something that to the Christian is self-evident. How is this so? The answer is partly doctrinal and partly a matter of experience.
The doctrinal answer starts at the end of our text–“to them who are the called according to his purpose.” It continues at the end of the chapter. We know that all things work together for good to believers because their whole position is dependent upon God and His activity. Our salvation is God’s work. Listen to the argument: “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified” (verses 29-30). There is nothing accidental or fortuitous or contingent about God’s work. It is all planned and worked out from the beginning right until the end. In our experience it comes to us increasingly, but in the mind and purpose of God, it is all already perfect and entire. Nothing can frustrate it.
But it is not merely a matter of high doctrine. There is a fact that confirms it all: “he that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Is God, who actually delivered up His only Son to that cruel death on Calvary’s cross for us, likely to allow anything to stand between us and His ultimate purpose for us? Impossible.
A Thought to Ponder
There is nothing accidental or fortuitous or contingent about God’s work.
From Why Does God Allow War? pp. 122-123.