GAL. 3:28.

THE JEWISH LAW.

are all one man in Christ Jesus.

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And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's descendant, and, owing to promise, heirs.

Now I say that so long as the heir is a child he in no way differs from a slave, though he is master of everything. On the contrary, he is under guardians and stewards till the time appointed by his father. So we, also, when we were children, were held in slavery by the rudiments of the world. But when the fulness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are sons, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, our Father. So, then, you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir by means of God.

But at that time when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it you are turning back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, to which you desire to be a slave over again from the very beginning? You keep scrupulously observing days and months, and seasons and years. I am afraid that I have worked for you in vain.

I beg you, brothers, become as I am. For I also have become as you are. You have in no way

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wronged me. Yes, you know that it was because of my bodily weakness I told the Good News to you the first time. And you did not despise, nor loath my bodily weakness, as you might have been tempted to do. On the contrary, you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus himself. Where, then, is your boasted blessedness? For I am a witness to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes, and given them to me. So, then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? They are making you the object of their zeal, but in no good way. Yes, they desire to shut you out, so that you may make them the object of your zeal. But it is good to be zealously sought after, when it is done honestly, at all times, and not only when I am present with you. My little children, over whom I am again in birth pangs till Christ is formed in you, I could indeed wish to be present with you this moment, and to change my tone. For I am perplexed about you.

Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abra

ham had two sons, one from the free woman. But he who was from the slave-girl was born in the regular course of nature, but he who was from the free woman was born by means of the promise. Now these things are spoken in a double sense.

from the slave-girl, and one

For these women are two agree

GAL.

4: 24.

ISAAC AND ISHMAEL.

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ments, one from Mount Sinai bearing children into slavery, and she is Hagar. Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the present Jerusalem. For she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem which is above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written :

Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not:

Break forth and cry, thou that travailest not:
For more are the children of the desolate

Than of her who hath the husband.

Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are children of promise. But just as at that time he who was born in the regular course of nature persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now. But what does the Scripture say?

Cast out the slave girl and her son.

For the son of the slave girl shall in no way be heir
With the son of the free woman.

For this reason, brothers, we are not children of the slave girl, but of the free woman.

It is for freedom Christ set us free. So stand fast in it, and do not be held fast again in slavery's yoke. Listen! I, Paul, say to you, that if you are circumcised Christ will be of no advantage to you. Yes, I protest again to every man who has himself circumcised, that he is under obligation to keep the whole law. You have been done away with, you have been cut off from Christ, you who are seeking

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to be set right by the law; you have fallen from divine favor. For we, by means of the Spirit, are eagerly waiting for the hoped-for goodness which springs from faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision. On the contrary, it is faith working in us by means of love.

You were doing well. Who hindered you from being persuaded by the truth? This persuasion did not come from him who is calling you. A little leaven leavens the whole mass. I, for my part, am persuaded with reference to you in the Lord, that your thoughts will be no other than I would have them; but he who is troubling you will bear the sentence passed on him, whoever he may be. But I, brothers, if I am still proclaiming circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? Then has the offense which the cross gives been done away with. I wish that those who are unsettling you would not only circumcise themselves, but would cut off their privates altogether.

For you were called to freedom, brothers; only do not use your freedom for sensual indulgence, but by means of love become slaves to each other. For the whole law is fulfilled in one saying, that is in this :

Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

GAL. 5:15.

GUIDANCE BY THE SPIRIT.

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But if you keep biting and eating each other up, see to it that you are not consumed by each other. Now I say, Be guided by the Spirit, and you will never fulfil the carnal desire. For the carnal nature is against the spiritual, and the spiritual is against the carnal. For they are contrary to each other, so that you cannot do what you desire. But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the Now the carnal deeds are made plain and They are such as these:

law.

Fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Idolatry, sorcery,

Enmities, strife, jealousies, wrath,

Factions, divisions, parties,

Envyings, murders.

Drunkenness, revellings,

And such like.

And I forewarn you of these just as I also told you before, that those who keep doing all such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is

Love, joy, peace,

Long-suffering, kindness, goodness,
Faithfulness, meekness, self-control.

Against all such things there is no law.

Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their carnal nature with its passions and desires.