A Portrait of Grace, Part 3
We have been blessed through the seed of Abraham, Jesus Christ, according to Pastor Chuck Smith. In our series based on his book, Why Grace Changes Everything, he describes how the freedom, promise, and blessings of God belong to all who seek right standing with God through faith in Jesus Christ.
The Significance of the Story
Paul tells us [in Galatians 4:22-31] that [the events in Abraham’s life] are not only significant in a purely historical sense, but that they also illustrate the plight of those who try to inherit the blessings of God through works.
Hagar and her son are a picture of those who try to be righteous before God by fulfilling the law. When Abraham and Sarah despaired of seeing the promise fulfilled, they turned to their own efforts, which brought only heartache and frustration. Since Ishmael was a product of the flesh, he serves as a type of those who are seeking to be blessed by human works. Isaac, on the other hand, is the child of promise, representing those who will inherit God's blessing through faith.
Interestingly, just as Ishmael mocked Isaac, those who live under the law today continue to deride those who choose to live by faith. Paul suggests that the pressure tactics of the Judaizers were prefigured in the conflict between these brothers. In like manner, those in his day who insisted on adherence to the law for righteousness were to be cast out. In AD 70, this allegory was fulfilled as Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman legions under Titus. Those who persecuted men and women of faith were literally sent into exile.
Paul contrasts the sad end of the legalists with the wonderful future of the children of faith. Quoting Isaiah, he writes, 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 an husband (Galatians 4:27, KJV).
He means that these believers, gathered into the kingdom as a result of faith, were going to vastly outnumber all those who tried to reach God by their own works.
Just here the allegory comes into focus: So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free (Galatians 4:31, KJV).
All those who belong to Christ will inherit the blessings of God and are the fulfillment of His promise to Abraham that in his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed.
We have been blessed through the seed of Abraham, Jesus Christ. The freedom, the promise, and the blessings of God belong to all those who seek right standing with God through faith in Jesus Christ. As children of the promise and recipients of the unconditional love of God, we can now enjoy a wonderful consistency in our walk with Christ.
As the hymn so eloquently puts it, “Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.” When we appear before the throne of God, we will stand in awe of all Christ has done for us. As we see the power of the promises of God, none of us will say, “Through my own faithful and determined efforts, I have attained this glory.” Instead, we will bow our heads, overflowing with joy, and say, “Thank You, Jesus; You did it all! I knew You could save me. I knew that by my good works I could never save myself. Thank You, Lord.”
In our next installment, Pastor Chuck examines a key question: When did God proclaim Abraham righteous?
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