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Dailyword OCTOBER 18,2014 (Gal. 4:29–30).but as then he who was born after the flesh persecuted him who was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what says the Scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman The Law and the Gospel cannot coexist. The Law must disappear before the Gospel. When Paul mentions “Law,” he is speaking not only of the Law of Moses, but any type of law which is conjured up by man, supposedly to help one live for God. Concerning these things, Lightfoot says, “It is scarcely possible to estimate the strength of conviction and depth of prophetic insight which this declaration given by Paul implies. The Apostle thus confidently sounds the death-knell of Judaism at a time when approximately one-half of Christendom clung to the Mosaic Law with a jealous affection little short of frenzy, and while the Judaic party seemed to be growing in influence, and was strong enough even in the Gentile Churches of Paul’s own founding to undermine his influence and endanger his life.” What Paul gave was, nevertheless, the Word of God, and ultimately it overcame the Judaism problem; however, the problem of “law” did not abate but, in fact, continued to weaken the true Gospel, even as it does presently. Virtually the entirety of the modern Church, sadly, has presently opted for law instead of Grace; the latter can come only by and through the Cross. Of course, they do not think of such as law, but that’s what it is. As a result, those who are law-followers will persecute those who are of true Faith. Paul’s statement, “He who was born after the flesh persecuted him who was born after the Spirit” refers back to Isaac and Ishmael. Ishmael was a work of the flesh, in other words, the product of Abraham’s and Sarah’s scheming. Isaac was totally a work of the Holy Spirit. He was born when Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90, which proclaims the fact that his birth was miraculous. The effect of the birth of Isaac was to make manifest the character of Ishmael. Ishmael hated Isaac, and so did Ishmael’s mother Hagar. Prompted by her, he sought to murder Isaac, which is what the word “persecuted” (Vs. 29) means. He and his mother were justly expelled. Both merited the severer sentence of death. Thus, the birth of Isaac, which filled Sarah’s heart with joy, filled Hagar’s with murder. Isaac and Ishmael symbolize the new and the old nature in the Believer. Hagar and Sarah typify the two Covenants of works and Grace, of bondage and Liberty. The birth of the new nature demands the expulsion of the old. It is impossible to improve the old nature. The “bondwoman and her son” must go! In the Eighth Chapter of Romans, the Holy Spirit says that “it is enmity against God, that is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be.” If, therefore, it (we continue to speak of the old nature) cannot be subject to the Law of God, how can it be improved? How foolish, therefore, appears the doctrine of moral evolution! The Divine way of Holiness is to “put off the old man,” just as Abraham “put off Ishmael.” Man’s way of holiness is to improve the “old man,” that is, to improve Ishmael. The effort is both foolish and hopeless. Of course, the casting out of Ishmael was “very grievous in Abraham’s sight,” because it always foments a struggle to cast out these elements of bondage, that is, salvation by works. For legalism is dear to the heart, just as Ishmael was to Abraham the fair fruit of his own energy and planning. Paul states to the Galatians that Hagar, the bondwoman, represents the Covenant of the Law, and that her son represents all who are of “works of law,” that is, all who seek Righteousness on the principle of works of righteousness. But the bondwoman cannot bring forth the free man! The Son Alone makes free, and He makes free indeed! Sarah, the free woman, symbolizes the Covenant of Grace and Liberty. And so the Apostle says, “We are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free” (Gal. 4:31). This means that no vestige of law can be left in the heart and life of the Believer. Everything must be in Christ and His Cross. The object of faith must be transferred from all works of the law, from all efforts of the law, even from everything which only hints toward law, and placed exclusively in Christ and what He did at the Cross (Gal. 6:14).
Posted on: Sat, 18 Oct 2014 13:14:25 +0000

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