Pastor Joel Christie Isaiah
Dated: 30 August 2009
Venue : Grace Awakening Ministries
Title: Can Law and Grace Coexist? Galatians 4 21-26
Introduction: Where did the Law came from? And where did Grace come from? Can both coexist? Many Christians will say we will have both together in order to be safe side.
Where did law come from?
1. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.(John 1: 17)
Was the law good? Yes. But, it did not make anyone good.
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Rom 3:23)
There was none righteous.
Romans 7:7
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For, I would not have know covetousness unless the law has said, “ You shall not covet.”
What happened to Apostle Paul when he started to read and believe in the law?
2. I was alive once without the law but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. ( Romans 7: 9 )
When he was supposed to memories the 5 books of the Old Testament at the age of 8. He had problems. He was no more grace conscious but law conscious and now there is condemnation over his life.
And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death.( Roman 7:10)
Paul said that he spiritually died when he thought the commandment could bring life to him actually brought death.
This is the same experience that I went through when I was under the law. I was so sin conscious that even the smallest thing I could get angry thinking we have sinned against God.
And to me God was always in the judging business. Literally I died. There was no life in me.
(Romans 7:13)
Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.
3. Both cannot coexist. Galatians 5:21
That means we cannot say or believe that we can have both.
Tell me you who desire to be under the do you not hear the law?
Vs22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman.
Vs But he who was the bondwoman was born according to the flesh
And he of the freewoman through promise.
Let us look at Genesis 18 vs 17 ,18& 19
Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said in his heart, “shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And Sarah who is ninety years old bear a child?”
Vs 18 And Abraham said to God, “ Oh , that Ishmael might live before You.”
Vs 19 Then God said : “ No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant and with his descendants after him
God Himself said no to the other covenant. The covenant of flesh fails. Abraham’s covenant was by faith.
For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.(Romans 4:13)
Gal 4:23
But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh and he of the freewoman through promise.
Vs 24 which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar.
If you say and want to keep the law it bring forth bondage. We see many Christians are still under bondage. They feel comfortable saying that they can keep the old covenant that gives birth to bondage.
They say they are Christians and do all kind of things. The flesh life nature in them is always alive.
Jesus warn us of false and true teaching.(Matthew 7: 15-20)
Vs 15 “ Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
Vs 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?
Vs 17 “ Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
Vs 18 “ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
Vs 19 “ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Vs 20 “ Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”
Jesus calls people teaching any other gospel than the Gospel of Grace as false prophets.
In Gal;1vs6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called in the grace of Christ to a different gospel.
• YOU KNOW THEM BY THEIR FRUITS.
How are they teaching people?
Do they care?
Do they live a life full of Joy, Peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self- control.
Close: You are under the new covenant. You are under grace. The old covenant God has made it obsolete.
Heb 8:13
In that He says, “ A new covenant ,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
