Video Link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBGKG_0TSDw
1. Sarah is Grace, Hagar is Law?
00:00 - 00:40
- Sarah is Grace, Hagar is Law? So it's an error to bring Hagar (Law) back into
the church? Inappropriate for Hagar to raise Isaac who is Sarah's Child? Woh
woh woh, let's stop for a second. Before we go on with this train of thought,
let's see what the bible says about this fundamental concept of, Sarah=Grace and
Hagar = Law.
"21 Tell me, you who desire to be
under the law, do you not hear the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham
had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was
born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, 24 which things are symbolic. For
these are the[d] two covenants: the
one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— 25 for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in
Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her
children— 26 but the Jerusalem above is free,
which is the mother of us all.27 For it is written:
“Rejoice, O barren,
You who do not bear!Break forth and shout,You who are not in labor!For the desolate has many more childrenThan she who has a husband.”[eAnd it is marvelous in our eyes’? - Matt 21:42
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 29 But, as he who was born according
to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the
Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what does the
Scripture say?“Cast
out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir
with the son of the freewoman.”[f] 31 So then, brethren, we are not
children of the bondwoman but of the free.
]" - Galatians 4:21-31
a. Was this passage is even talking
about Law vs Grace? How was that derived from? One thing for sure, v24 says,
"For these are the[d] two
covenants". Which 2 Covenants? V22 says Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman.
Evidently, the bondwoman (Hagar) is the old
covenant, the freewoman (Sarah) is the new
covenant. Does the old covenant
necessarily mean the Law of God?
b.
Galatians was written because some false teachers has infiltrated to the Church
of Galatia, instigating them to go back to circumcision and observation of days
and months of the Judaic faith. Paul says in v9, " how is it that you turn again to the
weak and beggarly elements, to which
you desire again to be in bondage? 10 You observe days and months and
seasons and years. 11 I am
afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain. "
In
fact in Chapter Gal 5:3-4, Paul says,
" And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep
the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt
to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. "
So what has caused the Galatians to
fall from Grace, is it the 10 commandments? Or the beggarly elements like observing dates and circumcision. When
you write a letter to address a certain issue, will you jump from one topic to
another that is not relevant?
c. Let's jump back to Gal 4:21-31.
v25 says,
"for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in
bondage with her children."
v26
says,
"but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all."
Evidently,
Paul describes 2 Jerusalems for 2
covenants. The Jerusalem which is now, is old covenant (Hagar), The Jerusalem which is above,
is the new covenant (Sarah). Now, IF the old covenant is of the Law (which
Joseph Prince refers to 10 commandments) was the Jerusalem during Paul's time
observing the 10 commandments? If your answer is "yes", please read
the entire chapter of Matt 23 and Luke 11:37-53. After reading it, are the
guardians of Jerusalem upholding the 10 commandments? If your answer is no, then
the term, "Jerusalem which is
now", can Paul be referring to
the 10 commandments? Or is it Judaic
Laws (the Beggarly Elements which he is warning the Galatians about)?
d. So if
we can conclude that the Old Covenant here is really referring to the Judaic practices (or Law of Moses, not
10 commandments), and the new covenant is referring to Jesus Christ, doesn't this fit in better with the context of what
Paul is trying to address with the Galatians? So when Paul say, " “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of
the bondwoman shall not be heir with
the son of the freewoman.”
", is he not saying cast out the Judaic
practices for the ones who practice the Judaic Practices (of the old covenant) shall not be heir with the
ones in Jesus Christ?
00:34-0042 - So indeed it's until the
Galatians throw out Hagar (Judiac
Practices) that Isaac (the
Church) was able to blossom.
Remember:
Old
Covenant = 10 Commandments (Atonement by Blood of Bulls and Goats)
New
Covenant = 10 Commandments (Atonement by Blood of Jesus Christ)
The Law Also called the Word (John 1:1, Deu
8:3, Isa 55:11), the Truth (Ps 119:30,43,142), the Spirit (Rom 7:14),
Commandments (1 John 2:3-6). Heaven and Earth will pass away, yet not one
letter from his word (the Law) will pass away. Matt 24:35.
2. The Stone at Lazarus's Grave has got to go with the Law?
00:42-01:08 - What
has this got to do with the Law? Does every reference from the bible that has
the word Stone is referring to the Law? Then how about these?
"and
do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is
able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones." - Matt 3:9
"Jesus said to them, “Have you never read
in the Scriptures: ‘The stone
which the builders rejected, Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s
doing,
If the word Stone refers to the 10
commandments every time it's mentioned, then isn't it great that Jesus is the Stone (10 Commandments) that the
builders rejected? And he has become the Chief
CornerStone? Is Joseph Prince
therefore giving a sound example of the Law?
3. The world needs 10 commandments, but 10 commandments is a
hindrance to the church?
1:10 - 01:45 -
"We are not removing the Law from dead people.... we cannot remove the 10
commandment from the people of the world, they still need it for governance...
but in the church, it's hindrance, because resurrected people are alive, but
behind the stone."
a. Without even referring to the
scripture, are these statements incoherent? If a Christian commits a crime,
does he go to Jail? And does it mean well meaning, sincere non Christians who
does Charity all doing it out of Selfishness with no compassion at all?? The difference between a Christian and a Non-Christian is not the Law, it's in the atonement.
Remember:
Old
Covenant = 10 Commandments (Atonement by Blood of Bulls and Goats)
New
Covenant = 10 Commandments (Atonement by Blood of Jesus Christ)
b. The law applies to all. But it's the atonement by the blood of
Jesus that cleanses us from our sins. But if a Christian wilfully breaks the
law, the atonement is not for him because he is actually not born again. So how
can the Law be a hindrance to the Church when it is used as a test for genuine
believers?
" 3 Now by this we know that we
know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep
His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But
whoever keeps His word, truly the
love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who
says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." - 1 John 2:3-6
14 Blessed are those who do His
commandments,[g] that
they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates
into the city. 15 But[h]outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and
idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. - Revelations 22:14-15
4. If you are perfect, you are disqualified to healing.
2:35-3:00 - So
because Abraham (who was perceived as imperfect) prayed for Abimeleh, and
Abimelech got healed. So this means that if you pray for healing, you must be
imperfect? And if you are perfect you are disqualified?
Firstly, let's look at Abraham.
Joseph Prince propose that Abraham is Righteous by faith without his works? The bible begs to differ,
" 4 And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of
heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all
the nations of the earth shall be blessed;5 because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge,
My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”" - Gen 26:4-5
Yes, the
bible says Abraham obeyed his voice and kept his charge, his commandments,
his statutes, and his laws. Yes, Abraham was righteous by
faith, but his faith enable him to be obedient to all of his commandments. Yes,
Abraham is not perfect. He betrayed his wife Sarah out of fear. But that has NOTHING TO DO with his healing
prayer for Abimeleh (Gen 20:17-18)!
What did
Joseph Prince said about prayer?
"If
you are perfect, you are disqualified"
What
does the bible says about prayer?
" 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and
the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Confess your trespasses[e] to one another, and pray for one another, that
you may be healed. The effective,
fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." -
James 5:15-16b
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