Read: Galatians 4-6
Paul talked today about the difference of being a son or a slave. They grow up the same being schooled and led by elders. This is a picture of us going through life. We are all born the same - in sin and bondage. We all face hard times whether we are Christians or not. But, our inheritance is completely different. I love how he adds or corrects himself in 4:9 where it says, “after you have known God, or rather are known of God”. Knowing God and being known of God are two different things. We understand “knowing God” but it is hard to believe sometimes that we are “known of God”. That makes it more personal.
Abraham’s two sons represent the two types of people: saved and not saved. We are all made by God just as Ishmael and Isaac both came from Abraham’s loins. One was the son of the flesh born out of impatience and man’s strength. Isaac was the child that God had promised born from a miracle only He could do. They also represent the two covenants we have. One is of the law given to man on earth. It was given on Mt. Sinai which is Hagar. This put them in bondage to the law just as Ishmael was a son of a slave. But Isaac came from God and represents spiritual Jerusalem which is not of this earth. We are from this lineage if we know Jesus as our Savior.
The Galatians were guilty of allowing sin into their lives and living under sloppy grace. We are given grace which means the ability to do what we can’t naturally do ourselves. It does not give us a license to sin. We are free to walk in the Spirit and when we do this we won’t fulfill the lusts of the flesh. We are also called to walk in forbearance and forgiveness. We are to encourage one another to walk in the Spirit also.
Lord, give us Your grace to walk in Your Spirit.
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