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Bondage to the Law
05/04/2016

Daily Devotions: by Christina Farris

Galatians 4:1-31 KJV
(1) Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
(2) But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
(3) Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
(4) But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
(5) To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
(6) And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
(7) Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
(8) Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
(9) But now, after that ye 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?
(10) Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
(11) I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
(12) Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.
(13) Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
(14) 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.
(15) Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.
(16) Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
(17) They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
(18) But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.
(19) My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
(20) I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.
(21) Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
(22) For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
(23) But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
(24) Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
(25) For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
(26) But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
(27) For it is written, 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.
(28) Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
(29) But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
(30) Nevertheless what saith 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.
(31) So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

To be bought by the blood Christ is not to be bought by Jerusalem, but the Spirit of God. This passage gives the idea that one is not free if born a Gentile. Yet Paul is using it has allegory to explain how one is under the law of Jerusalem if one follows the laws of Jerusalem. If a Christian reads the Old Testament only to feel the need to be enslaved by the law of the Old Testament then is not walking by the Spirit but the law of land of ancient world. The Father and mother of faith were Abraham and Sarah. Both of faith, and Hagar had faith when she cried out to God in the wilderness and told to return. Then being kicked out she was no longer part of Israel, but no less a believer in God. Hagar was set free, no longer under the law of Abraham and Sarah, yet she still had faith.

When Paul uses Hagar as Allegory he explaining how a woman freed by bondage of the laws of Jerusalem/ God’s law was now bought back under the law of Israel. Some were following the laws of Israel and not God. They follow the traditions of Israel, and man being enslaved under the law, Yet Christ death reunited man to Jerusalem, not Jerusalem in the since of land of religious law, but Jerusalem in the since of God’s kingdom. Israel supposedly to be an example of the Kingdom of God, yet the fallacy arise when the Arab world says we will not obey Israel but God. Freed by Hagar years ago when she ran away and then chose to come back to submit to Sarah until she sinned and was cast out. It is the old Adam and Eve story of sin being cast out of Israel. Even the devil believes in trembles. If one wants to get technical one to be under the laws of Israel is under the law of Rachel and Isaac and not under the laws of Abraham. If one goes a step further under the laws of Moses and not twelve tribes of Israel. The bondage of Moses brought the children to the land of promise. Yet a new leader that would lead the people by the hand of God was raised up. Moses left Israel dying, outside the land of promise.

If we find ourselves entangled by this world after being saved are we saved or in bondage to the world. The transfiguration helps with the idea of Salvation for those outside of the Promise Land. People of faith yet entangled by sin. Entangled by the elements of sin. If the law of entanglement of being cast out did not cast one out of heaven, yet caused us to be bond by the law of sin and death are we then still free? We are not free from the law of God despite if one is inside or outside the camp. If I am not church, I am still bond by the law of faith to exercise walking by the Spirit. If I am outside of fellowship of faith and the laws of the church, I am still saved if I follow Jesus and God.

Our yoke is only to Israel in spiritual allegory of faith and not the physical allegory. If one is bond to physical allegory then one is lost by tradition, rules and laws, and not by faith. Faith for a nation and children who follow in the path of faith of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar learned to follow God. Abraham sinned by not believing in the promise of an heir. Sarah’s faith failed by giving her handmaiden Hagar to Abraham. Hagar’s faith failed by despising Isaac the promise of God.

Despising God’s promises and word is what cast one out. Moses believed God and did not enter into the promise land. Was Hagar not protected when cast out by provisions and then protected by God when the provisions ran out of water. Though Ishmael mocked Isaac, it did not make him less of a concern to God. Being brought back to Israel by salvation through Christ Jesus. Brought back to what the law of Israel through Christ, or brought back by faith.

Gentile world must ask are they bond by the law of faith or the law of religiosity. I have seen some churches bond by the law of Israel only to loose faith in God. Religious structure can be so strict that the law of faith was not applied. The law of faith not applied. To live by faith and not by sight takes faith.

The world is in bondage of the elements of this world. If we are bondage by the calendars of this world then we loose site of faith. I never seen so many days that can be celebrated or memorialized as I have seen on the calendar and off the calendar. The days of celebration can either be a gentle remind to thank God for the people and things He provide or it can be a time of keeping track of days gone by, for memory sake. Yet not one celebration will save you or take you to heaven. Only faith in God and Christ will free you from sin if one follows the Spirit of God.

If Christ has freed you from the law of sin then you should walk by the Spirit of God and not be yoke by the law of bondage that declares you to be unfaithful and worthless if one fails to follow their laws to the letter. Church should be a place of fellowship and learning. Old people need not to worry if they cannot get to church because of their limitation. They should not fear dying because of lack of ability to follow church law but fear only if they follow not God by faith.

I as child was concerning because one grandfather did not attend church. My father told me that when my grandfather was in hospital reflected on his baptism. Yet I wonder did my grandfather only remember water or the spiritual baptism of faith. He was very reserved man as far as I can remember. Yet his children might tell something different. Yet my other grandfather was a minister of faith, preaching every Sunday by the call of God on his life. The expression of faith was clearly seen by observation in my life from two different worlds.

The teaching of faith to the Gentiles explaining of being brought back into the faith after one is cast out. Was Cain gone from God, the answer was yes. His children were intermarrying with children of faith. One is not outcasted from God if a believer. One is cast out because of unbelief and a life of sin. A life of purity without the law of God will not save you. Let God handle your lack of faith, lack of trust and unforgiveness just believe in Jesus and God today. Do not be imprison by sin such repent and follow Jesus. He will give you the power to believe, to trust, and to obey Him.

Dear Heavenly Father help our unbelief as we travel the road of faith. Give us strength to endure. In Jesus precious name, Amen.