As we have learned thus far. Salvation and sanctification are by Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We have died to the slavery of the Law. Yet, the struggle one may face is as follows. How can I remain actually free from the law while being Holy in my life? Don’t I need the rules and regulations of the law to judge how I am doing? After all, I need guidelines to show me the way, don’t I? How can I possibly live this life without personally forcing myself to do everything to please God. Isn’t that my duty as His child? Well, I do need some self-discipline. But rather than my attempting to restrain my own heart and mind, the Bible teaches another way.
What the Bible teaches is that my self-discipline is a natural restraint that comes out of love and respect. Not out of fear for punishment. Rather a trembling desire to honor Him for all He has down. Yet, even that degree of love and respect is a gift given to me by the indwelling Holy Spirit. It is not something I can create on my own. I must see Him as so glorious, I humbly bow before Him. And then, I surrender my mind, heart, and soul to Him.
When I truly realize all that He has done for me. Recognizing, the God who created everything and keeps it all working harmoniously, loves me. I am less than a grain of sand in this universe. Still, He reached out to me to offer me eternal life in Him. He paid for my adoption into His family. Then, knowing how much He loves me, why would I not believe His plans are best. It is laying aside my own insignificant desires because I so respect and trust Him to do what is best. So, it is a matter of faith and love really that guides us into living a life honoring Him. So, I dedicate my life to His Will, that He might be glorified in all I do.
Actually Free from the Law based on God’s Covenant to Abraham
Every part of the Abrahamic covenant was based on faith. It was not due to Abraham keeping the works of the law. Indeed, as we learned last week, the Law did not come until 430 years after Abraham. It was after the people chased idols, grumbled, complained, and failed to be even thankful for all God had done. They were a rebellious, prideful, and stubborn people. Yet, God always keeps His covenants, even if humanity fails to keep their part. As part of God’s covenant promise to Abraham, an heir would be born. An heir of Promise. Which brings us to the verses in Galatians 4: 21-31 NKJV
Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. 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 children Than she who has a husband.”
Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 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. 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.” So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free. Galatians 4: 21-31 NKJV
Actually Free From the Law, but under slavery to sin.
Now, some would scream unfair, but the descendants of Ishmael also have the chance to accept Christ as Savior. In fact, there is a huge revival in the Middle East, with many Muslims coming to accept Jesus Christ. That even though their acceptance of Christ as Savior may result in their being killed by their own family. Yet, God is fulfilling His promise to Hagar concerning Ismael. He promised that Ishmael would become a great nation, which he has.
According to the Bible Dictionary at Bible Hub, this is recorded:
Hagar, an Egyptian maidservant to Sarah, Abraham’s wife, becomes a pivotal figure in the narrative of God’s provision and faithfulness. The account of Hagar and her son Ishmael is primarily found in Genesis 16 and 21. Hagar’s journey from servitude to becoming the mother of a nation is marked by divine intervention and God’s unwavering care. … The account of Hagar and Ishmael highlights several key themes in the biblical narrative: God’s compassion for the marginalized, His faithfulness to His promises, and His provision for all His creation. Despite the complexities of human relationships and the challenges faced by Hagar and Ishmael, God’s intervention demonstrates His sovereignty and care for all people, regardless of their status or circumstances.1https://biblehub.com/topical/g/god’s_provision_for_hagar_and_ishmael.htm, accessed 3/13/2026
God always performs with justice and righteousness, fulfilling His every promise.
What is the lesson for Us who are by the new covenant free from the law?
God did provide for Hagar and Ishmael, forming His promise to her after the fact. That was His mercy and He is bringing many of the seed of Ishmael to Himself through Jesus Christ. It is truly miraculous how He works with them, many through visions and others through missionaries. But they too become free from the law only through grace by faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Actually Free From the Law While Being Holy
Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. Galatians 5:1-6 NKJV
When Paul states here that those who try to follow the law “fall from grace”. He is not referring to losing their salvation. Paul is always very specific to make certain that everyone understands. Those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior are “sealed unto the day of redemption”. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. But what he is saying is you are not allowing the grace within you to be fully at work. You are squelching its effects trying to do it yourself. Again, I do believe Theodore Epp explains this better than I can.
The same faith that leads to our salvation is what leads to our transformation into those who look like Jesus. We rest in His promises. It is love for Him that transforms us. And how do we cultivate that love? We spend time alone with Him and allow the Holy Spirit to create fruit in us. Jesus said,
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. John 15: 1-4 NKJV
He is the one who bears fruit through us. We who know Him as Lord and Savior require pruning. Why? To allow the sap of the vine to flow freely through us. This is particularly true when we, like a vine, send forth wild shoots in every direction. Those shoots cannot bear fruit and take away precious resources needed for the vine to grow fruit. But if we truly are His. We will be pruned until we look for nothing more than His strength to fill us to overflowing. He went on to say:
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. John 15:5-6 NKJV
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15: 7-11 NKJV
How Does the Holy Spirit Transform Us ?
Particularly how can he change us while allowing we remain actually free from the law?
He teaches us the truth.
I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. John 14:16-18
The Holy Spirit Convicts the World of Sin
“But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. John 16: 5-11
It is His Job to convict others, not ours. We shine the light into the darkness by allowing His light to shine through us. That usually means we must be broken. Thereby, allowing the light to shine forth through the broken areas, but willingly we surrender to His will. A clay pot with a light inside covers and dampens the light unless there are areas of brokenness.
He teaches us of the Truth of Jesus Christ and the Father
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. John 16: 12-15 NKJV
The Holy Spirit Intercedes for Us in Prayer
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:26-28 NKJV
He Seals Us Eternally
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:13-14 NKJV
The Holy Spirit Transforms us Into the Image of Jesus Christ
when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. II Corinthians 3:16-18 NKJV
So, it is not the law that transforms us, it is the Holy Spirit within us. We lean into Him. Only then can we Be Actually Holy while Remaining Free from the Law. He is the only one who can accomplish this in me.
Below are two poems I wrote that illustrate this.
WHEN I CAME TO THE END OF ME
Many times, I strayed so far from you
And wondered what I was to do
I tried so hard, my might, to do your will
I could not see I should stand still
What could I do? Bring you a gift?
The harder I tried, the farther I’d drift
I reached that point, reality
I’d broke your heart! You still loved me!
CHORUS:
When I didn’t have the strength
You still stood strong
When my heart filled with tears
You were my joy song
You are the love,
You are the peace,
You are the life that flows in me
When I didn’t have a hope
At the end of my life’s rope
When I couldn’t find my way
You came to save this wandering stray
And now I know a different me
It is your love that set me free
That in this world I now might see
All that you are, your majesty
When I came to the end of me
My love for You, Your love for me
CHORUS:
When I didn’t have the strength
You still stood strong
When my heart was filled with tears
You were my joy song
You are the love,
You are the peace,
You are the life that flows in me
When I didn’t have a hope
At the end of my life’s rope
And I couldn’t find my way
You came to save this wandering stray
When Loss is Gain
As I look back upon my life
The times of joy and times of strife
How could I cry for any loss?
Once I have gazed upon Thy Cross
How could I ever dare complain?
About life’s sorrows, tears and pains
When You so freely took my shame
Upon Yourself removed my blame
Because from sin You set me free
I now thy willing servant be
So, pierce my heart-declare me thine
And purge all selfish thought of mine
If all I have, You choose to take
That Glory bring for your namesake
Allow me gaze upon Thy Face
Thy eyes of love, thy smile of Grace
I do not know what life may bring
Prepare my heart to always sing
A Song of joy, abounding praise
Amidst the billows storms may raise
For you my precious, Lord and King
Will lift me high on eagle’s wing
To soar above this world below
And cast aside the grief and woe
-Effie Darlene Barba
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. I urge you to seek Him today.
For Prayer or Comments
If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here
Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. That is except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Please note: This Post only has quotes from the KJV Bible except where otherwise indicated
Throughout the previous studies in I Kings, we watched as God spoke to the people through Elijah. He declared that God and God Alone was Sovereign. All their vain idols were merely impotent ideologies of their own imaginations. Desperately they desired to believe these idols were real. After all they promoted sexual deprivation and promised freedom. Yet, their demands of child sacrifice and utter devotion brought bondage and suffering instead of the freedoms promised. Repeatedly Elijah demonstrated that only God and God Alone had the power to save. There was only one way of Salvation and that was complete devotion to God. Today, we face the same ideologues desiring to say there are many ways of Salvation. Christianity must be all inclusive or not at all, ignoring the truth that Israel’s destruction came from being all inclusive of false religious practices.
After Elijah stood on Mount Carmel alone against the 800 prophets of Baal and Ashtoreth, one might think people would have abandoned these false idealogues. But they did not. God and God alone had sent a blazing fire to burn the water drenched sacrifice. The others had tried everything. And their sacrifice wasn’t even wet. But their imaginary gods had failed. Much as we watch the idealogues march forward with their plans today, despite their policies pushing toward the destruction of so many nations through famine, poverty, and death. The farther they run from the truth of God the more devastating the resultant disasters. Ignoring the truth that there is only one way of salvation and that is through God and God Alone.
God’s Grace Displayed
God allowed his prophet to run away and even to fall into a momentary depression. However, God’s plan was to reset and redirect His prophet to a different task. Elijah needed to know that because of God’s great love and grace, humans would always have choice. Never did God force them to follow Him. Afterall, without choice, there is no true love, worship or devotion. Still in His Sovereignty God Alone could transform a broken sin filled heart. Both are true, equally even when my finite brain, locked within this time/space continuum doesn’t understand fully how. One day when I stand before Him, then I will know fully.
Once recommissioned, Elijah marched forth to the next tasks at hand. He was to call Elisha to be his understudy and designate the future King of Syria.
A Grave Error- Doing It Any Other Way But God’s Way
Meanwhile, King Ahab died just as Elijah foretold. God’s grace so great, He had given King Ahab a chance to repent. When he humbled himself before God, King Ahab was given a chance to win against the Syrian King Ben-Haddad. However, God instructed him to kill the Syrian King and he did not. Using God only to win is not true devotion to God. Although many proclaim to be Christian, not all are. Some are only seeking the gifts, but not the Giver of Gifts. Hence God sent a prophet, disguised as an injured soldier to speak to King Ahab.
““This is what the Lord has said: ‘Because you released a man I had determined should die, you will pay with your life, and your people will suffer instead of his people.’”[bg]43 The king of Israel went home to Samaria bitter and angry.1 Kings 20 (NET)
God Alone Can Heal
After Ahab died,…2 Ahaziah fell through a window lattice … and was injured. He sent messengers with these orders,[b] “Go, ask[c] Baal Zebub,[d] the god of Ekron, if I will survive this injury.” 3 But the angel of the Lord told Elijah the Tishbite, “Get up; go to meet the messengers from the king of Samaria. Say this to them: ‘You must think there is no God in Israel! That explains why you are on your way to seek an oracle from Baal Zebub the god of Ekron.[e]4 Therefore this is what the Lord has said, “You will not leave the bed you lie on, for you will certainly die!” So Elijah went on his way. 2 Kings 1: (NET).
Three times the King sent a captain with 50 soldiers to retrieve Elijah. Of course, since he was sending soldiers, one can only imagine his plan was not to entreat Elijah to dinner with him. The first two times the captains commanded “Elijah, O Man of God” to go. Both times Elijah said,
“If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. 2 Kings 1:10 (NKJV)
One Way of Salvation-God Alone
The third captain pleaded with him not to kill him. This time an angel told Elijah to go unafraid. Elijah went and told the King.
“This is what the Lord has said, ‘You sent messengers to seek an oracle from Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron. Is it because there is no God in Israel from whom you can seek a message? Therefore[ah] you will not leave the bed you lie on, for you will certainly die.’”[ai] 2 King1 (NET).
And the King died.
God Alone Declares the Way
Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper. 2 And the Syrians had gone out on[a] raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She [b]waited on Naaman’s wife. 3 Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.” 2 KINGS (NKJV)
When Pride Wants Another Way
Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood in the doorway of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent out a messenger who told him, “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan; your skin will be restored[l] and you will be healed.” 11 Naaman went away angry. He said, “Look, I thought for sure he would come out, stand there, invoke the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the area, and cure the skin disease.
12 The rivers of Damascus, the Abana and Pharpar, are better than any of the waters of Israel![m] Could I not wash in them and be healed?” So he turned around and went away angry. 13 His servants approached and said to him,[n] “O master,[o] if the prophet had told you to do some difficult task,[p] you would have been willing to do it.[q] It seems you should be happy that he simply said, ‘Wash and you will be healed.’[r]14 So he went down and dipped in the Jordan seven times, as the prophet had instructed.[s] His skin became as smooth as a young child’s[t] and he was healed. 2 Kings NET
Concluding Thoughts
As we see here, it is not only God Alone, but also God’s Way alone. Too often we here today many saying it does not matter. Yet, Jesus said,
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14
God provided one way of salvation through the death of His son on a cruel cross to pay the full weight of our penalty of death. Why would He have done that if there were any other way?
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4 (NKJV).
There is only one way of Salvation and that is by accepting Jesus Christ and Lord and Savior by repenting of your sin and following Him.
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
For Prayer or Comments
If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here
Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here
Jesus Christ “his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high: Hebrews 1:2-3
As I go about my days along this life journey, why is it so important that I recognize the magnificence and glory of Jesus as King, seated upon His throne? How would that change my view of life’s struggles? How can that affect my relationships with friends, co-workers, and family? My life is filled with dreams, desires, decisions, work, and activities. We must constantly think about our health, our car, our house, our finances, our relationships, and our jobs. Even when it comes to our faith, we fill our lives with the “activities”; yet, in all that do we truly stop to realize the importance of seeing Jesus upon His throne.
The writer of Hebrews wants us to realize that Jesus is already the King. He is the obedient son who died upon a cross at His Father’s bidding; yet, He is also the express image of the Father and the bright radiance of His Glory. Not only was Jesus the humble sacrificial lamb who died to save the world; but, Jesus is also the one through whom the Father spoke the world into being and the one who holds everything in place by the word of His power. This is the same truth that John expressed when he wrote,
I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth; That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me. Psalm 108:3-6
As I sat and stared at an empty page this morning, I prayed. Prayer is my only hope. From the time I post the previous post to the moment I begin the next, my mind is prayerfully searching to know where to turn and what to write. That is sometimes easier when I am doing a series through any book of the Bible; because, then I must focus on God’s word and from that wait for God to guide my understanding through commentaries, prayerful searching and even listening to sermons. Certainly, at work I must focus on work; yet, as I walk the halls between tasks, I sometimes hear a word, a thought that inspires my understanding of the scripture at hand. That is Grace.
When I finished the series on the gospel of John in mid-February, I felt compelled to begin a series about love. Before I started the series, I questioned God in earnest as to why this series. Yet, the longer I questioned; the stronger the conviction came. As I have opened up to each of you all my own failures along this road toward discovering the truth of love, I have at times felt very vulnerable and very frail. As always, God has been faithful to reveal to this weary heart His Grace each step of the way. Along this journey of writing the story of my life, God has revealed to me truths about me as well. Truths as shunned to know as I have been forced to look deep into the mirror of my own life, my own heart. When there was a time it would have been easier to just blame Miguel, Pete, Terry or even Mom for their role in breaking my heart; now, I couldn’t.
The Bible speaks a lot about Joy—true joy that is found in Christ (Romans 5:11), a joy that will never leave us (Isaiah 35:10) and joy overflowing (John 16: 22, 24). We want that!! Yet, what we sometimes don’t realize is that often it is found through suffering, sorrow and many trials. Our human hearts are born filled with sin. We want to seek happiness and to do it “our way”. Even for those of us who truly seek after Christ as our joy, we fight against the truth that many times our journey to understanding and experiencing real Joy in Christ leads us through great trials, pain and suffering.
As a young Christian, I searched to follow Jesus. Little did I know that my journey would lead me through failure, divorce, abuse, cancer, illness, widowhood, single motherhood, financial disaster, pains, sorrows, loneliness, and so many surgeries! Every step of the journey, God was using to transform my heart. He had to deal with my pride, my selfish desires, my self-exaltation, and my desire to prove to Him that I was worthy of the salvation He had so freely died to give me. I could not truly understand that my Joy was in Him alone; until He swept away all the cobwebs hidden in the deep recesses of my heart. He continues to do that every single day of my life. He continues to reveal those dark areas so that they might be cleansed. As He does that, my view of everything changes. He is able to then fill those corners with a vision of His Glory. As I am able to see His Glory clearer, my heart enlarges to be filled with His Love and His Joy. It is an ever upward and transforming change.
