The Law is not Faith

Galatians 4:21-31

Tell me, those of you who want to be under the law, don’t you hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and the other by a free woman. But the one by the slave was born according to the impulse of the flesh, while the one by the free woman was born as the result of a promise. These things are illustrations, for the women represent the two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery — this is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.

Speaking to those who thought Mosaic Law was the rule of life for Christians, Paul asks if they actually hear the law. The implication is that they either haven’t heard it or they are pursuing a law of their own making. Paul’s concern is that they learn what the law actually says.

Even an unregenerate person can see in Scripture that Abram had the two sons mentioned here, but Paul presses the point law is slavery and grace is liberty. He expressed this idea plainly in Romans 11:6 Now if by grace, then it is not by works; otherwise grace ceases to be grace. He had already told the Galatians that the law is not based on faith; instead, the one who does these things will live by them (Gal. 3:12).

Here in chapter 4, he uses Hagar and Sarah as metaphors to describe two covenants. Hagar is slavery (which is what she was – Sarah’s slave) and her children are born into slavery. Ismael is the antitype – he was not the child of promise. Paul sets Hagar up as then present-day Jerusalem, from Mt. Sinai – she is in slaver with her children. John the baptizer picked up this theme in Matthew 3:9 And don’t presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones! He said this to people with stone hearts! People who rested on fleshly procreation had no reason to think they are children of God.

Contrary to the slavery of Mt. Sinai and ancient Jerusalem, Sarah (not named in our passage) represents freedom; she is the mother of all who have faith in Christ, just as Abraham is the father of all who believe. Paul was clear, setting up faith as the basis for peace with God, not having the “right” parents: those who have faith are Abraham’s sons. (Gal. 3:9) He was just as clear in saying law-keeping is not based on faith (Gal. 3:12); and puts period on the idea:

Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. But just as then the child born according to the flesh persecuted the one born according to the Spirit, so also now. But what does the Scripture say? Drive out the slave and her son, for the son of the slave will never be a coheir with the son of the free woman. Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman. (Gal. 4:28-31)

Here, and everywhere, the Mosaic Law is spoken of with singularity – not described as being divided up into two or three parts. Break one and you’ve broken them all. The law – its capstone being the stone tablets – was given on Mt. Sinai. Paul said the law was good and holy – it was designed and intended to serve as the guardian for national Israel until “the faith” – Christ Jesus – came in the flesh.

Before this faith came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith. But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:23-26). Paul said the law is spiritual, meaning one cannot understand rightly apart from the Spirit of God. By the Spirit, Paul said the law, written on tablets of stone, was the ministry of death. The law, by design, is weak unable to enable one unto salvation or unto good works. An unregenerate man can keep a law. Laws have punishments for violations. Carnal man is kept somewhat civilized by such constructs.

But the spiritual man is the son of the King, and the King and His household are not under law. We who have believed on the Son of God have not come to the mountain of blazing fire, darkness, gloom, and storm but we have come to the city of the living God (the heavenly Jerusalem), the assembly of the firstborn whose names are written in heaven (Heb. 12:18-24).

We, brethren, are not children of the law, enslaved to obey it; we are children of the free woman, set to liberty to love the One who loved us and gave Himself for us. Set to liberty to do the good works set out for us before time, equipped and enabled by the Spirit of the living God.