“As that which is straight discovers that which is crooked, so there is no way of coming to that knowledge of sin which is necessary to repentance, but by comparing our hearts and lives with the Law. Paul had a very quick and piercing judgment and yet never attained the right knowledge of indwelling sin till the Spirit by the Law made it known to him. Though brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, a doctor of the Law, though himself a strict observer of it, yet without the Law. He had the letter of the Law, but he had not the spiritual meaning of it– the shell, but not the kernel. He had the Law in his hand and in his head, but he had it not in his heart. But when the commandment came (not to his eyes only, but to his heart,) sin revived, as the dust in a room rises when the sunshine is let into it. Paul then saw that in sin which he had never seen before–sin in its consequences, sin with death at the heels of it, sin and the curse entailed upon it. ‘The Spirit by the commandment convinced me that I was in a state of sin, and in a state of death because of sin.’ Of this excellent use is the Law; it is a lamp and a light; it opens the eyes, prepares the way of the Lord.” - Matthew Henry.

 Vv are the same teaching. We’ll examine this section in several parts.  Paul is laboring with these people to show them the Gospel’s free nature.  He’s got a message. Seeing its free-ness is forming Christ within them.  He’s doing this 1) as a father to his “Children,” Vs. 19, and 2) as from a brother to his fellow believers, 1:2.  Our text: “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 according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.”  He’s partly giving a former autobiography. His use of illustration here is cool.  Bottom line, to follow Jesus is to pursue Jesus, not legalism.  David Guzik on legalism:  “There are many advantages to being under the law as your principle of relating to God. First, you always have the outward certainty of a list of rules to keep. Second, you can compliment yourself because you keep the rules better than others do. Finally, you can take the credit for your own salvation, because you earned it by keeping the list of rules.”  Do this and you “Feel” religious. This is the hook in man made religion.  In these verses, Paul assumes that his readers know the story of Abraham.

 Three things I want to establish with you:  How Abraham had two sons.  That one was born “According to the flesh.” The other “As the result of a divine promise.”  So what?  Let’s go Genesis 16:1-4 and  Now let’s go 13 years into the future and go to 17:1-2 and In 18:10 there’s a re-stating. (This is where Sarah laughed about it).  Let’s go about one more year forward to Genesis 21:1-5.  Paul is writing to make disciples of God’s gracious promises.

“FOR ALL WHO RELY ON THE WORKS OF THE LAW ARE UNDER A CURSE, AS IT IS WRITTEN: “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT CONTINUE TO DO EVERYTHING WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW,” GALATIANS 3:10. “CHRIST REDEEMED US FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW BY BECOMING A CURSE FOR US…” GALATIANS 3:13A. “HAVING CANCELED THE CHARGE OF OUR LEGAL INDEBTEDNESS, WHICH STOOD AGAINST US AND CONDEMNED US; HE HAS TAKEN IT AWAY, NAILING IT TO THE CROSS,” COLOSSIANS 2:14.

 There are two sons born to Abraham.  The Judaizers are one type (Hagar); the faithful are the other (Sarah).  “But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” Romans 9:6-7.  Think of the parable of the prodigal son.  Ishmael was born by Abram and Sarai trying to “Make their own way.”  Isaac was not. This is an eternal principle behind grace.  Sidebar- Abraham doubted the promise, but this did not remove it. Don’t let anyone tell you that God works only on or by your faith.  Legalism kills. This is true because it simply draws a man to self-righteousness.  “The better legalist a man is, the more sure he is of being damned; the more holy a man is, if he trust to his works, the more he may rest assured of his own final rejection and eternal portion with Pharisees.” - C.H. Spurgeon.  How many people who profess to be Christian make a god to suit themselves?  What describes your relationship with God? Obedience to or trust in? Is it what you do, or what Jesus has done?  I want Christ’s grace to be formed in you. This is the great knowledge given in Galatians.  This is what I sing about. This is what I love. I love Jesus because He first loved me.

See you next week. Invite a friend.