Notice:
A Hagar
B Mt. Sinai
C slavery
D the present city of Jerusalem
D the Jerusalem that is above
C freedom
B (Mt. Zion)
A our mother.
Notice what Paul says in Galatians:
Galatians 1:6-7: I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of the Messiah.
How did they pervert the good news message of Jesus?
These Judaizers wanted to bring Gentile believers under the law of Moses and thus bring them under the curse of the law - for if you don't keep all of it perfectly you are under a curse.
Paul now says something radically in opposition to put down the Judaizers when he says:
Galatians 1:8: But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Paul went up to Jerusalem by revelation to confront those who wanted to insist on Gentile believers being circumcised and brought under the old covenant, and he says he went up because -
Galatians 2:4: ... because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in the Messiah Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. Notice he says that there were those who wanted to bring the Gentile believers into bondage - bondage to the law of Moses and take them out of the liberty that they had in the lord Messiah Jesus. Notice his important words in the following verse: Galatians 2:16: Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus the Messiah, even we have believed in Jesus the Messiah, that we might be justified by the faith of the Messiah, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Notice what Paul says here: Galatians 1:19-21: For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with the Messiah - the anointed one: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but the Messiah lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then the Messiah is dead in vain.
Do we not realize that when we were bapised we show that we died with Jesus and when we came up out out the water we were introduced to being a new creation in the Messiah and experience newness of life - resurrection life - the life of the coming new age! If I am crucified with the Messiah the law of Moses can have no power over me, therefore I am dead to the law.
Notice what Paul says here: Galatians 3:11-14: But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith - the one who is righteous by faith shall live. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that does them shall live in them [and if he does not he is under a curse]. The Messiah has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is every one that hangs on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Jesus the Messiah; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
I have tears in my eyes as I write read these verses about the Messiah Jesus becoming a curse for my sins in order that I might receive the promised Spirit through faith. Amazing Grace.
Galatians 3:22: But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus the Messiah might be given to them that believe.Galatians 3:29: And if you are the Messiah’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise [the promise to inherit the world, to co-inherit and co-rule the world with Jesus the Messiah]. This is our awesome future, it is our present hope.What an awesome future we have in Jesus our Lord and Savior. May we live out our lives reflecting him.
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