Wednesday, October 08, 2014, 6:11 a.m. – the Lord Jesus put in mind the song, “Only In Him.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Galatians 4 (NIV84).
We Are Heirs
In Bible times the sons were the heirs, not the daughters, so that is why the children of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, are described here as sons of God. In other places in scripture we are described as the bride of Christ, so whether we are called sons or daughters should not be a sticking point for us, because the point is that, whether male or female, we are all children (offspring) of God by God’s grace, and through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As his offspring, we are thus heirs (beneficiaries or recipients) of his promise to us of salvation from sin and of eternal life with God in heaven.
Turning Back
Paul compared himself here to a woman in labor, so great was his suffering and concern over his spiritual children in the Lord, because they were being led astray from the truth by those outside of genuine faith in Jesus Christ who were perverting the gospel of salvation. Since this was the illustration given here in this passage of scripture, the Lord Jesus put in my mind an understanding of what Paul expressed here in terms which I could identify, since I am a mother, and I have given birth to four physical children whom I nursed each one of them. Yet, I also identify with Paul, because I am a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and I do feel and am presently experiencing the emotions expressed here over concern for the children of faith who are presently being led astray to what is false.
The natural milk coming from the mother is breast milk. It is the milk God has provided for the mother to feed her infant. It can be paralleled over to the unadulterated word of God - the full gospel of salvation, containing many hard truths which many do not want to accept.
Those outside of Christ, even those who claim to know Christ and who are leaders within our churches, are offering the mother (the Body of Christ) a plastic bottle to feed her infant (babes in Christ and/or immature followers of Christ), but since she is of the freewoman, she will reject the cheap (plastic) substitute. So, then, those outsiders – those who are zealous to win us over, but for no good – placed a plastic device onto the nipple of the mother’s breast for the child to suck on, thus not entirely replacing the real thing for what is fake, but as an add-on and as an intermediate between the child and the genuine milk coming from the mother. And, the “sons of God” are sucking on this fake add-on to the true gospel of our salvation, but they are coming away empty, because they are not getting to the true milk of the word and to the FULL gospel of salvation. Not only that, but they seem disinterested or only slightly interested in the true milk of the word, and so they barely even nibble on what is true. So, the mother (God/Christ/his servants) is concerned greatly.
The reason the immature followers of Christ are not latching on to the breast of the mother is because the breasts are full and hard, which represents the full gospel and the hard truths contained within. If you have ever been a mother who has nursed infants, and you had one who was a nibbler, you would understand how the breasts can become full and hard and even painful because the child barely takes in any of the milk. So, the children prefer to opt out for what is fake, added on, and as a go-between them and the full gospel of salvation, or else they prefer that the gospel (the full breast containing milk) would be smaller (reduced in size) or softer (more pliable and moldable), like the pacie. The Lord Jesus also showed me this fake add-on to the gospel as a blank page inserted between the cover (Jesus Christ) of a book, representing the true gospel, and the gospel pages contained within. What is blank is what is empty, and it is used as another covering over top of the true word of God and again as something which comes between us and the truth.
The practical reality of this illustration is that, although the Body of Christ may easily reject what is obviously fake (the plastic bottle) they have allowed an add-on to the true milk of the word (to the true gospel), but this add-on keeps the children of God from getting to the truth (the milk) of God’s word. This add-on is a false grace teaching which gives its listeners the idea that they don’t have to repent of (turn from) their sin, and they don’t have to follow Jesus Christ in obedience and in surrender to his will for their lives, but they can just “believe” and have their ticket into heaven, and nothing really has to change in their lives, because they are now under grace and not under the law, or so they have been told.
And, yet scripture contradicts this false grace teaching when it teaches us that we must die with Christ to our old lives of living for self and in sin, that we must be transformed in heart and mind of the Spirit of God, and that we must walk daily in Christ’s righteousness and holiness (See: Ro. 6-8; 2 Co. 5:15; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 4:17-24; Tit. 2:11-14 & 1 Jn. 1-5).
Get Rid Of…
I will not, at this point, go into a full explanation of this passage of scripture only to say that this is teaching that the nation of Israel, who were at one time God’s chosen people and heirs of the promise, if they have rejected Jesus Christ as their Lord and Messiah, are now numbered among the Gentiles and they are no different from the Arab nations, because they are all of the slave woman and not of the free woman. Only those who are believers in Jesus Christ are of the free woman and are heirs to eternal life with God in heaven.
Yet, the reason here for Paul to explain this is because it was the Judaizers who were trying to lead those, who were the sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ, astray to a false gospel. So, the “slave woman” is also to represent this false gospel coming from those who are outside of genuine faith in Jesus Christ, but who have come in among us, and who have pretended as though they are one of us. They have perverted the gospel, and have convinced immature followers of Christ to accept a flesh-driven cheap add-on to the true gospel, but which hinders the babes in Christ from getting to the true milk of the Word.
And, so God is saying we must “get rid of” this “slave woman,” i.e. we must rid the church of this false gospel of salvation which is an add-on to the true gospel, and which will never satisfy the thirsts of our souls, because it is empty, useless, weak and miserable. We must remove the pacifier added on to the genuine nipple which gives us the true milk of the Word, and we must remove the blank page which was inserted in between Christ and his word, but which is void of truth. We must get rid of this empty and useless fake gospel so that the sons of faith can get right to the genuine full gospel of salvation. And, yet, the church in the west, at this point, does not seem willing to do that, so I believe God is going to have to bring in a “lactation specialist” to assist the “mother” with getting her infant to take hold of the breast (the true and full gospel of salvation), and that is going to involve forcing the nipple into the child’s mouth, which means divine discipline is on its way.
ONLY IN HIM / An Original Work / February 19, 2014
Based off Isaiah 30
Woe to those who look to man’s help;
Who turn away from Jesus Christ;
Forming an alliance not in step with God;
Making their own plans, and praying not.
Willing not to listen to truth,
They close their ears to what is right.
Pleasing words are all that they’ll hear;
Feel good messages that bring cheer.
Trust in your Lord; turn from your sin.
Put your faith now ONLY IN HIM.
Do not turn to idols. They’ll not satisfy.
Jesus will save you. That’s why He died.
Your Lord will be gracious to you.
He cares all about you, ‘tis true.
He forgives you all of your sin
When you give your life up to Him.
Oh, how truly gracious He’ll be
When you bow to Him on your knees;
Turning now from your sin; walking in his ways.
He’ll lead and guide you all of your days.
Now you will sing praises to Him.
He delivered you from your sin.
You’ll tell others now of His grace,
So they may see Christ face-to-face.
http://originalworks.info/only-in-him/
We Are Heirs
What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. 4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. ~ Gal. 4:1-7
In Bible times the sons were the heirs, not the daughters, so that is why the children of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, are described here as sons of God. In other places in scripture we are described as the bride of Christ, so whether we are called sons or daughters should not be a sticking point for us, because the point is that, whether male or female, we are all children (offspring) of God by God’s grace, and through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As his offspring, we are thus heirs (beneficiaries or recipients) of his promise to us of salvation from sin and of eternal life with God in heaven.
Turning Back
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? 10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! 11 I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.
…Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them. 18 It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you. 19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, 20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you! ~ Gal. 4:8-20
…Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them. 18 It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you. 19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, 20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you! ~ Gal. 4:8-20
Paul compared himself here to a woman in labor, so great was his suffering and concern over his spiritual children in the Lord, because they were being led astray from the truth by those outside of genuine faith in Jesus Christ who were perverting the gospel of salvation. Since this was the illustration given here in this passage of scripture, the Lord Jesus put in my mind an understanding of what Paul expressed here in terms which I could identify, since I am a mother, and I have given birth to four physical children whom I nursed each one of them. Yet, I also identify with Paul, because I am a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and I do feel and am presently experiencing the emotions expressed here over concern for the children of faith who are presently being led astray to what is false.
The natural milk coming from the mother is breast milk. It is the milk God has provided for the mother to feed her infant. It can be paralleled over to the unadulterated word of God - the full gospel of salvation, containing many hard truths which many do not want to accept.
Those outside of Christ, even those who claim to know Christ and who are leaders within our churches, are offering the mother (the Body of Christ) a plastic bottle to feed her infant (babes in Christ and/or immature followers of Christ), but since she is of the freewoman, she will reject the cheap (plastic) substitute. So, then, those outsiders – those who are zealous to win us over, but for no good – placed a plastic device onto the nipple of the mother’s breast for the child to suck on, thus not entirely replacing the real thing for what is fake, but as an add-on and as an intermediate between the child and the genuine milk coming from the mother. And, the “sons of God” are sucking on this fake add-on to the true gospel of our salvation, but they are coming away empty, because they are not getting to the true milk of the word and to the FULL gospel of salvation. Not only that, but they seem disinterested or only slightly interested in the true milk of the word, and so they barely even nibble on what is true. So, the mother (God/Christ/his servants) is concerned greatly.
The reason the immature followers of Christ are not latching on to the breast of the mother is because the breasts are full and hard, which represents the full gospel and the hard truths contained within. If you have ever been a mother who has nursed infants, and you had one who was a nibbler, you would understand how the breasts can become full and hard and even painful because the child barely takes in any of the milk. So, the children prefer to opt out for what is fake, added on, and as a go-between them and the full gospel of salvation, or else they prefer that the gospel (the full breast containing milk) would be smaller (reduced in size) or softer (more pliable and moldable), like the pacie. The Lord Jesus also showed me this fake add-on to the gospel as a blank page inserted between the cover (Jesus Christ) of a book, representing the true gospel, and the gospel pages contained within. What is blank is what is empty, and it is used as another covering over top of the true word of God and again as something which comes between us and the truth.
The practical reality of this illustration is that, although the Body of Christ may easily reject what is obviously fake (the plastic bottle) they have allowed an add-on to the true milk of the word (to the true gospel), but this add-on keeps the children of God from getting to the truth (the milk) of God’s word. This add-on is a false grace teaching which gives its listeners the idea that they don’t have to repent of (turn from) their sin, and they don’t have to follow Jesus Christ in obedience and in surrender to his will for their lives, but they can just “believe” and have their ticket into heaven, and nothing really has to change in their lives, because they are now under grace and not under the law, or so they have been told.
And, yet scripture contradicts this false grace teaching when it teaches us that we must die with Christ to our old lives of living for self and in sin, that we must be transformed in heart and mind of the Spirit of God, and that we must walk daily in Christ’s righteousness and holiness (See: Ro. 6-8; 2 Co. 5:15; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 4:17-24; Tit. 2:11-14 & 1 Jn. 1-5).
Get Rid Of…
Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23 His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise.
These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother…
Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” 31 Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman. ~ Gal. 4:21-31
These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother…
Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” 31 Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman. ~ Gal. 4:21-31
I will not, at this point, go into a full explanation of this passage of scripture only to say that this is teaching that the nation of Israel, who were at one time God’s chosen people and heirs of the promise, if they have rejected Jesus Christ as their Lord and Messiah, are now numbered among the Gentiles and they are no different from the Arab nations, because they are all of the slave woman and not of the free woman. Only those who are believers in Jesus Christ are of the free woman and are heirs to eternal life with God in heaven.
Yet, the reason here for Paul to explain this is because it was the Judaizers who were trying to lead those, who were the sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ, astray to a false gospel. So, the “slave woman” is also to represent this false gospel coming from those who are outside of genuine faith in Jesus Christ, but who have come in among us, and who have pretended as though they are one of us. They have perverted the gospel, and have convinced immature followers of Christ to accept a flesh-driven cheap add-on to the true gospel, but which hinders the babes in Christ from getting to the true milk of the Word.
And, so God is saying we must “get rid of” this “slave woman,” i.e. we must rid the church of this false gospel of salvation which is an add-on to the true gospel, and which will never satisfy the thirsts of our souls, because it is empty, useless, weak and miserable. We must remove the pacifier added on to the genuine nipple which gives us the true milk of the Word, and we must remove the blank page which was inserted in between Christ and his word, but which is void of truth. We must get rid of this empty and useless fake gospel so that the sons of faith can get right to the genuine full gospel of salvation. And, yet, the church in the west, at this point, does not seem willing to do that, so I believe God is going to have to bring in a “lactation specialist” to assist the “mother” with getting her infant to take hold of the breast (the true and full gospel of salvation), and that is going to involve forcing the nipple into the child’s mouth, which means divine discipline is on its way.
ONLY IN HIM / An Original Work / February 19, 2014
Based off Isaiah 30
Woe to those who look to man’s help;
Who turn away from Jesus Christ;
Forming an alliance not in step with God;
Making their own plans, and praying not.
Willing not to listen to truth,
They close their ears to what is right.
Pleasing words are all that they’ll hear;
Feel good messages that bring cheer.
Trust in your Lord; turn from your sin.
Put your faith now ONLY IN HIM.
Do not turn to idols. They’ll not satisfy.
Jesus will save you. That’s why He died.
Your Lord will be gracious to you.
He cares all about you, ‘tis true.
He forgives you all of your sin
When you give your life up to Him.
Oh, how truly gracious He’ll be
When you bow to Him on your knees;
Turning now from your sin; walking in his ways.
He’ll lead and guide you all of your days.
Now you will sing praises to Him.
He delivered you from your sin.
You’ll tell others now of His grace,
So they may see Christ face-to-face.
http://originalworks.info/only-in-him/